"All I wanted, to fly jets & do cool stuff in the military" - Paul Skenes marks Veterans Day will look into his time in US Air Force

As the frontrunner to win the NL Rookie of the Year Award, Paul Skenes relied tremendously on discipline and structure this season. According to Skenes, the Air Force was the place where those seeds were sewn.

After graduating from El Toro High School in 2020, Skenes enrolled at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado. Although he transferred to Louisiana State University after his freshman year, playing for the Air Force remained a formative experience.

In honor of Veteran's Day on November 11, the MLBPA posted a video of Paul Skenes outlining his contributions to Veterans Affairs. According to the 6-foot-6 right-hander, "it is my responsibility to help as many people as I can".

"Paul Skenes ended up in the Majors instead of the military, but he still uses his platform to serve those who did. #VeteransDay @Paul_Skenes | @Pirates

In the two-minute clip, the Pittsburgh Pirates rookie explained how important it is to support those who served. The video highlights Skenes' meet-and-greets at firehouses and veteran events, auctioning off his Players' Weekend custom cleats, and donating $25,000 to the Gary Sinise Foundation.

The inspiration comes from a personal place for Paul Skenes. In the video, the 22 year-old claims "all I wanted, to fly jets & do cool stuff in the military". The California native has also indicated his intent to join the US Military when his MLB days wind to a close.

"Here is 60 seconds of Paul Skenes striking out batters with his "Splinker" Also known as the best pitch in baseball" - Thomas Nestico

Since summer 2023, Skenes has been in a relationship with gymnast and TikTok star Olivia Dunne. Having met Skenes at LSU, Dunne is known for having millions of followers on her various social media accounts.

Air Force regiment helped foster Paul Skenes' intensity

During the 2023 College World Series, it was reported that Skenes would call out his teammates in the locker room for not competing hard enough. An intensity that was undoubtedly learned during his time at the Academy, Skenes told ESPN earlier this year:

"I was committed to Air Force. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It was an easy decision"

Certainly an individual who has the discipline and passion to re-join the US Army after his career, Skenes still has plenty left to do for his club at the MLB level, which may likely include a Rookie of the Year Award quite soon.