A father has moved social media users after delivering an emotional speech to his son following his completion of basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas.
Jacob Snowden struggled to hold back tears as he told his son, Sam, how proud he was of him during the graduation ceremony in Bexar County.
The touching moment was captured in a video Snowden shared on social media last Thursday.
Father Reminds Son He Was Proud of Him Long Before Military Training
Standing face-to-face with his son, who was dressed in a United States Air Force service dress uniform, Snowden began by explaining that his pride in Sam had never depended on his military achievements.
“Long before you took that oath and made that commitment, I’ve been proud of you,” he told him.
The father went on to recall his son’s physical accomplishments, including becoming faster at running and swimming than him, performing almost as many push-ups and completing 100 pull-ups in a single workout.
“Long before you could outrun me, swim faster than me, do almost as many push-ups as me, long before you could do 100 pull-ups in one workout, I was proud of you,” Snowden said.
Sam, who had a clean-shaven appearance, stood quietly as his father continued speaking.
Snowden Recalls Son’s Achievements and Personal Growth
Snowden also highlighted several of his son’s accomplishments outside military training.
He recalled how Sam became a full-time welder and excelled in his education, while also overcoming his fear of heights.
“You conquered your fear of heights,” he said, adding that there was nothing his son could not accomplish if he put his mind to it.
The father briefly introduced some humour into the speech by mentioning Sam’s ability to solve a Rubik’s Cube in less than 10 seconds.
The person recording the moment could be heard laughing before becoming emotional as Snowden returned to his heartfelt message.
Emotional Speech Ends With Father and Son Embracing
As he approached the end of his speech, Snowden told Sam that he believed his son would serve the United States with pride.
“I know you’re gonna go serve our country, do our country proud,” he said.
He also reassured Sam that he was already “elite” and had nothing left to prove.
“Now you just get to go show the world what I’ve known all along,” Snowden added.
He then told his son he loved him before pulling him into a tight embrace.
Sam appeared visibly emotional as the two shared the hug.
Sharing the video on Instagram last Thursday, Snowden wrote: “Got to tap out Sam today!”
He added: “Go and show the world what your mom and I have known all along.”
The graduation and parade took place on the same day, according to the US Air Force Basic Military Training Facebook page.
Father Explains the Message Behind His Speech
Following the widespread reaction to the video, Snowden expressed gratitude for the support and affection people had shown towards the moment.
In the comments section, he said he was “seriously overwhelmed with all the love and support” the speech had received.
He also explained that his intention was to make sure Sam understood that his father’s pride in him went beyond his achievements.
“As a dad, all I wanted was for Sam to know that even though I am proud of his accomplishments, his accomplishments are not what make me proud of him,” Snowden wrote.
“I am proud of him simply because of who he is.”
Sam Had Been Undergoing Military Training Since October
Snowden had previously shared updates about his son’s military training on social media while he was still completing the programme.
On October 10, he posted a photograph of himself with Sam and revealed that his son had reached the halfway point of boot camp.
“Only three and a half more weeks to go!!” he wrote alongside the photograph of the pair smiling.
Lackland Air Force Base, located in Bexar County, Texas, is the only site where enlisted members of the United States Air Force receive basic military training.
The installation is owned by the Department of Defense, operated by the Air Force and forms part of Joint Base San Antonio.
