Before You Were In The Military: Personal Analysis

It’s the day I have to move to the army's campsite. I grab my bag and swing them on my shoulder, it weighs a ton it feels like my shoulder’s gonna break. Sophie was peeking through my room door, as I was about to stand up she ran to the living room curled up into a ball making loud thud and sobbing noises. Outside of the house, I hug my mom as tight as I could, I don’t want to move any single inch of my bone. I want to stay like this forever. I felt a drop of water behind my shoulder and I know that it was her tears. I don’t want to leave them but I have to. It was time to let go but she didn’t want to, I grab her arm and slightly push them back.

Since the day I was born, I have always lived my life as a military child. My father was in the Navy during the 1990’s, and my mother has been in the Air Force since 1997. Life as a military child has always been my normal format of life, so I am unaware of what it is like to live differently. From roughly 2002 to 2007, I lived in Fairford Air Force Base in England, where my childhood began, though I do not recall a substantial amount of it. However, I do recall that I attended school, albeit a primarily religious one, for the first time, and that experience was unlike any experiences I had with the American educational system from 2007 onward. I also remember being highly adventurous; I often ran out of my house, away from my local Child Development Center, and my school, though I

I went pre-med before getting deployed and as an intern I've seen a lot of horrible things. But when it's your friend... Someone you serve with... It stays with you forever.

Growing up as a military child and living all over the world, I was afforded many

I, Cpl Nathaniel K. Bouffard was born on June 15, 1996 in Burlington, Vermont. Where I then went to Flynn Elementary School from kindergarten to 5th grade. After that I went to City Middle school. Then for high school I went to Bellows Free Academy, where I graduate from. I decided to join the Marine Corps half way through my senior year in high school. I decided I was not ready for college, I figured I would be focusing more on social life then schooling. So I thought the military was the best option. I chose the Marine Corps over all the other branches because in my eyes and to this day the Corps is the elite fighting force of the world. I also am a fourth generation Marine in my family my great grandfather was a Sergeant in the Marine corps in WWII. My grandfather was a Sergeant during the Korean War, he later changed branches into the Airforce and retired as a Chief Master Sergeant. His brother my great uncle was a Marine Sergeant during the Korean War as

I originally wanted to join the military to defend and protect our country, but realized that it wasn't going to bring the satisfaction I desired. I wanted to fight and defend closer to home, the one that involves Traffic incidents, Drug and DUI enforcement. One Friday afternoon, after getting out of High School, there was a video game tournament being held at a Movie Gallery just a few miles away from where I live. I attended the event and met a cool young man who was 18 years old at the time. I believe I was 16. I talked with him about games and the future tournaments that would be great for the community. It was the beginning of a wonderful new friendship. However, the next day at around 3:00p.m., my dad came into my room and told me he

Welcome, in the following paragraphs the strengths, weaknesses, and available avenues of improvement for my first essay will be discussed. The rubric remained vague in the tone for this document so I chose to peruse a more personal approach. In the military after Action Reviews (AARs) are highly valued and carry the connotation of honest, and blunt, reflections of the affiliated action. My MLA formatting was weakest amidst strong overall writing capabilities.

“The soldier is the Army. No Army is better than its soldiers. The soldier is also a citizen. In fact, the highest obligation and privilege of citizenship is that of bearing arms for one’s country” by George S. Patton Jr. There are some people who are brave enough to put their lives on the line for their family and also their country. What happens after the battle that needed to be fought is over though? Do they just go back to their family and live happily ever after? From the outside looking in, one may only see just a man in uniform who fights for our country. They do not see the amount of time these soldiers spend away from their loved ones. They do not see the effects war has on not only them but

Being around so much family was great. My family and my mom’s two sisters lived in a town called Versailles. Versailles was about twenty minutes away from Lexington, where my Mamaw and Papaw lived. I spent many days with my Mamaw while both my parents worked. Papaw was home sometimes, but usually he was working for his friend Mr. Graves, whom had been his employer for years.

My army career was right on track. I had been in the army 3 years at this point, coming up on 4, and already had completed air assault school, been awarded my expert infantry badge, and had one 15 month deployment under my belt. I was assigned to the scout platoon sniper section and was waiting for a sniper school packet to get final approval from the company commander. I had been studying for the sergeant promotion board for months. I knew that study guide like the back of my hand, I knew whatever question I was asked by the command sergeant major I would have an answer for. I went to the promotion board that morning and blew it out of the water. My dress uniform was perfect. No one was able to find a single deficiency. The soldiers creed

“Camping fifty miles from Death Valley has its benefits,” I said into my radio as I stared straight up at what felt like my own personal light show. The sand still radiated from the blistering daytime heat of the Mojave Desert. The outpost slept with the exception of my platoon. I rested at a remote checkpoint during an otherwise vigilant patrol, silently taking in my surroundings before studying the cosmic chaos above. For what felt like a few short seconds I had lain undisturbed on the bank of a sand dune. A meteor shower is the kind of small pleasure you learn to appreciate in the Marine Corps. I let my eyes and mind wander through the infinite sky. “How did I get here? Where am I going?” These are the two questions I always ask myself. My radio crackled to life, bringing me back to the present. After pulling myself to my feet I radioed in, “En route to checkpoint Bravo.” I tightened my helmet strap and tapped the bottom of my magazine mostly out of habit before moving toward my next stop.

It all started on a dare, I was told to join the armed forces. So I did, but everything changed that day when I saw a petty officer sprinting down the street. Only to stop not 2 feet in front of me and say “urgent telegram for Sergeant Rose!!” Which is when I knew that something was different because I never get anything important from the air force, I had only become sergeant a month ago. The briefing was hard because we knew most wouldn’t come back. Then it was shipping day. The steps toward the plane weren’t any better most of the men were married and yet most of them knew, knew that more likely than not they weren’t making it back. As for the ones that would be able to sleep on their own beds after this, well it would be worse. They would have to live with the fact that they lost their brothers in arms, but hey I'm getting ahead of myself, gotta focus on surviving.

Morning happens and I wake up at exactly at 5:12 am; just one minute before the alarm. I have been literally doing that all my life. I get ready and later wait for the bus from 7:00 am even though the suggested time to wait for the bus is 7:20 and the bus arrives at 7:30! I am told by my family members and friends that I am compulsive, I can be described as a person who lives the military lifestyle even though I do not know anyone who serves in the military. It just comes naturally. I start my school day with a positive attitude even though my surroundings are filled with depressing situations (my mom’s struggle, violence at school, disruptive students). I try to learn something new every day at school, I ask questions, I am curious. Bell

As a result of my family’s military background, I have learned the importance of adapting to different environments, financial stability, and trust.

I have a genuine desire to work with and help people who are in need of the services provided by mental health professionals. As a leader in the military, I was often put in, or found myself in situations where people sought me out and looked to me for guidance and advice on what they should or shouldn’t do. I found that I enjoyed this role because it was an opportunity to help people and hopefully get them on the path that was best for them. I felt this was what I was meant to do. My military experiences also afforded me the opportunity to meet and work with a diverse population which has given me an open-minded perspective about people, their culture, and beliefs. I believe my time in the military has instilled in me a sense of duty, honor