First Duty Assignment

I am requesting to participate in the Joint Duty Assignment program for the following reasons:

I was the morale, welfare and recreation officer of sorts, as I made sure that we had connectivity to watch bowl games, video chat, and communicate with loved ones during the holidays. Sometimes it was a thankless job, but the overall satisfaction of knowing that you play an integral part in keeping the Soldiers and the command happy is the most rewarding feeling. So the ball was in motion, and as soon as I arrived United States, I would prepare to move to Texas and time was of the essence.

I left for basic training on July 30, 2008, and arrived in Fort Leonard Wood Missouri on July 31, 2008. Before we entered into our extreme training, we processed into the Army for a whole week at reception. On the day of actual basic training, we realized our great lives changed to instructions all day, miserable feelings, separation from family, and extreme exhaustion. Although, this was our life much more horrifying things were about to happen. We finally realized all the negative feelings we were having seemed to get worse, such as receiving a shark attack from our drill sergeants, we were told

Moreover, the military also gave me the opportunity to travel abroad. Living in countries such as Korea, Spain, and Germany and immersing myself in their cultures has given me perspective on the differences between the United States and other countries. Each place I have lived has been unique in some way, from the different languages to the variations in cultural practices. Dealing with individuals with different backgrounds has helped me develop a good rapport with people.

country. The life in my current place is completely different. I serve in a local

Closer to the day that I was going to leave NAS Willow Grove I called my folks and told them when I was going to go home. My family was very happy that at last I was going to be with them, and Dad told me he was going to drive from West New York to the base, and pick me up to take me home. I was looking forward to seeing my parents once again. I had a lot of things I wanted to tell them, so many stories of my adventures of the past months. I was also looking forward to getting home and seeing what college I could go to now that I felt more confident about myself.

I am nominating Sergeant Jeff Prindle and Sergeant Chris Wells for Supervisor of the Quarter. I am intentionally nominating them together because, as individuals, they are outstanding leaders; however, as a team, they are unstoppable. Their leadership goes above and beyond that of their peers, together creating a team of deputies that have received respect and attention from the community.

When I was four years old my mom told me that we were going to move to America. Since I was still a little I was so very excited. I lived in Ethiopia where we had little compared to America. As a little kid, I was always told stories of America. We though the country was perfect in all ways. Having been living in a place with many homeless, sick, and orphaned people America seemed like paradise to me. It seemed to me that moving will be the best thing for my family to do. When we moved I was not disappointed. Though things were not exactly how I thought.

When I received my orders to be stationed at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii with 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division I was beyond excited. One, it was in Hawaii, but also, it was because I would have the opportunity to further my interaction with the people and

Although it was hard being a military brat I wouldn't trade the world, the experience has shaped me into the strong women I am today. The constant moving has made it extremely easy for me

After returning to the States for 10 months, I was placed on orders to deploy to Iraq. I served our great country in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. My first deployment was to Victory Base Camp Iraq that was from November 01, 2004 to November 15, 2005. My second deployment was to Camp Adder Iraq that was from January 23, 2009 to January 19, 2010. My first deployment was the hardest. It was during a major turning point of Operation Iraqi Freedom. My duties as a 25L (cable installer systems maintainer) to were to install communications equipment and help facilitate the arrival of the Iraqi Army Headquarters at Victory Base Camp. The first deployment in 2004 was the roughest. I had seen a lot of mortar attacks, and lost a couple of close friends.

Ever since I joined the Marine Corps, I couldn’t wait to do my first deployment located in the combat zone. I have deployed once before, in 2013 where I was stationed in Rota, Spain but it felt more like a vacation than an actual deployment. Having to listen to everyone else talk about being in the dirt, the real action, those stories represent all that I signed up for as an infantryman. I had put my name down for every deployment once I arrived at my new command, I asked for recommendations and nagged people to no end. When I finally got picked up for deployment to the Middle East, my excitement was unexplainable,

Military life can offers many differences that civilian life cannot. Having lived both lives, I have an inside perspective on the differences between the two. These differences can include laws, regulations, and the different types of punishment one may receive. Although, everything between the two may seem different, there is also a similarity. That similarity, is encountering the same personalities types in the military as one would as a civilian. The last, biggest difference between military and civilian life is the benefits. Although the benefits may not seem like much, they are the key reason people switch from civilian to military life.

Ways I see the world by being a military brat has definitely forever change how I view the world. Being able to travel to different countries as a family has made me the person I am. I am able to easily sympathize with foreigners. I’m more open to learning different cultures. I see a world full of unique people with a different experience. I understand how it feels to live in a different country and not understood the languages and have to obey their laws.

At that moment, I knew that I was destined to help people and if I could be a career volunteer, I would. Then I began working with the Red Cross and was deployed to Louisiana to help with the floods as a Government Liaison working with the Louisiana Parishes and government officials. Here I learned that La had a very different government, executing a home rule state causing me to adapt and understand their customs. It was where I belonged, where my best work was done, my compassion, my strength, my skills, technical and social were all tapped into and not only did I feel wonderful but everyone I worked with and every person I helped knew they mattered to me. I perform better when I am faced with constant challenges, always evolving situations and high