Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Giving Him Wings
FAMILY CELEBRATES OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND AIR FORCE ACADEMY
SPRINGDALE — Javan Jowers, 2018 Farmington graduate, celebrated his appointment to the United States Air Force Academy, along with his family at a special sendoff Saturday.
The family and other service academy appointees gathered for a reception hosted by Congressman Steve Womack Saturday at Har-Ber High School cafeteria in Springdale. Womack offered a prayer on behalf of each appointee and family represented.
“Father, we would be remiss if we did not acknowledge the people that you have tapped on the shoulder and figuratively have said, ‘We need you to serve,’” Womack prayed. “We are taught in the scripture in the Book of Isaiah (Chapter 6, verse 8), you said, ‘Whom shall I send?’ These young men and women have said, ‘Here am I. Send me.’”
Assuming the role of captain for the Farmington football team as a
senior helped Javan prepare for life in the Air Force.
“Being the captain I realized you have to be dependent and reliant upon everybody around you,” Javan said. “Whether it’s a situation where I have to help those around me or I have to rely on them because they know something I don’t know, that same mentality will be useful this summer and as I go through the academy because there will be times when people around me need help from me. My roommate needs help with something and I can help them, but also have that same mentality where they can help me.”
Javan prepares himself for give and take realizing there’s so many things going on at the Air Force Academy.
“It’s just going to be something completely different than I’ve ever done before,” Javan said. “Going all the way to Colorado with people that I haven’t met from all walks of life and from all across the country. I’m very excited, and a little anxious. There’s just so many opportunities I’m very excited to encounter.”
Javan comes from a strong family nucleus, learning together with his parents about the Air Force Academy as he journeyed towards training to become an officer.
Javan’s father, Nathan Jowers, talked about the experience with Javan leaving the house as his oldest child, so it’s the first time the family has gone through this transition.
“You just want to hope that the things that they have learned at the house will help take them through whatever challenges they come against,” Nathan Jowers said. “I’m very proud of him for going to the academy. It’s something that none of our other family has ever done, so it’s all new to us.”
“They’ve been with me every step of the way,” Javan said. “My parents, they didn’t really know about the (service) academies. So just knowing as I’m learning, they’re learning, too.”
Javan holds special memories of Farmington within his heart, trying to acknowledge all those within the community who have contributed to his upbringing.
“It would be hard to name everybody, but I just realized at graduation, you see all those people in the stands, all the people on the floor with you, the school board, the principals, all the staff behind you, and it’s every little moment that you had,” Javan said. “You may not remember it precisely, but you just know that each moment and all those people around you, like when we threw our caps up in the air, I just looked around and saw everybody who was around to support. And, whether I speak with them directly, or whether they’re just there supporting me, I would just like thank the entire Farmington community because they’ve been just fantastic in allowing me the opportunity to get to where I am now.”
Javan’s major is still undecided although he is leaning towards some type of engineering, which he feels is great because the Air Force Academy offers many different types of engineering including aereonautical.
‘There’s all different types of things, so I’ll have my eyes wide open,” Javan said. “Once I get there and start taking classes, see what I click with and then from there kind of narrow it on down what it is I want to major in.”
Nathan Jowers wants Javan to just follow his heart.
“He’s got a great, caring spirit,” Nathan Jowers said. “Do everything to the best of his abilities. When he does have struggles, lean on his faith. Lean on the love of his family, and to work through and persevere through any trials that he’s going to come against.”
“Being the captain I realized you have to be dependent and reliant upon everybody around you. Whether it’s a situation where I have to help those around me or I have to rely on them because they know something I don’t know, that same mentality will be useful this summer and as I go through the academy because there will be times when people around me need help from me.”
Javan Jowers
Farmington Graduate, U.S. Air Force Academy Appointee