JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas –
Long before he wore the Air Force uniform, Senior Airman Ebenezer Owusu Arthur was dribbling makeshift soccer balls through the streets of Ghana, outplaying neighborhood kids with skill far beyond his years.
“We didn’t have real balls,” Arthur said. “We made our own using rags and scraps from a tailoring shop, rolled into socks. We played purely for the fun of it.”
That early love for the sport, what most Americans call soccer but Arthur still proudly calls football, laid the groundwork for a life shaped by discipline, perseverance and passion.
By six years old, Arthur was already playing for community teams, often with neighbors stepping in to help with his chores so he could make practices. His parents, especially his father, were strict and education-focused, creating a constant balancing act between academics and athletics. But that tension, Arthur said, built character.
“I learned discipline early,” he said. “Even my grandmother—she supported my football dreams but only if I kept up with school and chores.”
Arthur, the eldest of six siblings, spent his formative years between Accra, Ghana’s capital, and the soccer-loving town of Kasoa. He also spent time in the Central Region with his grandmother, where his ambition was fueled by watching friends earn chances to play abroad.
Eventually, that ambition took him even further, from Ghana to Iowa, where he settled with his wife and children. There, he worked as a central sterilization technician, the same job that would later inspire his career path in the U.S. Air Force.
“When I first got to the U.S., I wasn’t a citizen yet, so I couldn’t commission,” Arthur said. “But I knew I wanted a career that aligned with my skills, something I could grow in.”
That desire led him to enlist, with the help of a recruiter who helped match his background to the Air Force Specialty Code he serves in today. It also led him back to the soccer pitch—this time, under stadium lights.
Arthur recently competed in a military-only tournament hosted by Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake in Utah. Teams traveled from across the U.S. and overseas, coming together in the spirit of competition and camaraderie.
“Playing on that kind of stage, in front of cameras, it felt like living the dream,” he said. “Football breaks cultural barriers. On the field, we spoke the same language.”
One moment stood out above the rest: Arthur dribbled past an entire defense and calmly tapped the ball into the net. The goal was a highlight in a tournament filled with meaningful moments.
He said football has always taught him discipline, patience, resilience, hard work, and teamwork—lessons that serve him both on the field and in uniform.
Now, as an Airman, Arthur not only plays for the love of the game but also represents the teammates he serves with every day. His story is a reminder that passion and persistence can lead to opportunities—no matter where you start.