Essay on My Mission

Twenty-six years ago I a 17-year-old boy joined the United States Army. I served my country faithfully for 22 years, two months and four days; I served in the Transportation Corps. My time in the army was a special period in my life. I gain a lot of life experiences as well as professional ones; the military shaped and molded me into the husband, father son, and brother that I am today. During my service, I grew up and learned several life lessons that would serve me well in and out of the army. To get a real understand on how the military shaped me into the person, I am today; I must first give you some insight into the person I was before I left for basic training. I graduated high school in 1991 just four months’ shy of my 18th birthday;

Millions of men and women have served in the armed forces before me and millions more will serve after. Some have paid the ultimate sacrifice; some lost and captured, others received wounds, physically and or emotionally, and that time

When I went on mobilization to Fort Lewis, Washington and left my son in the care of my parents, I thought my parental duties would be set aside until I returned home. Unfortunately, the soldiers of 351st Ordnance Company would prove me wrong with their excessive alcohol consumption, commonly term “binge drinking,” and destructive behaviors. I would then spend the next year sharing the responsibility with four other junior noncommission officers in the task of taking care of soldiers. Despite the efforts of myself and the others we were not fully prepared to handle some of the outrageous events and lack of engagement from the leadership that would challenge us during the tour. My abilities as a junior noncommission officer and the understanding of leadership were redefined and I learned exactly what it meant to ensure soldiers have proper guidance, leadership, positive morale, and well-being.

Mark henan: We have any military veterans in the audience today? At ease all that “rucus”, what do you think this is? college? Greetings to chairman Davis. President Jackson. Members of the board and trustees. Family ,friends, and my fellow graduates. May I share, may I share, my story in an essay format. After high school I went to college for one term and quit. Joined the army and 20 years later I found myself in the final stages to deploy to Iraq. Unfortunately, I was injured. My team with whom I had a bond forged in steel went to Iraq without me, but not everyone retuned. They sacrificed their dream so that we could dream big. And today I speak for those who no longer have a voice. As the story goes my injuries left me immobile and I couldn’t

My father, Christopher J. Bufmack , had a career as an infantryman and fought in the Afghanistan war. When he was 16 he left from home to join job corps and he had some experiences as a kid and young adult that impact him now.

It is with the fondest of memories that after 30 years of starting that journey that I would like to dedicate this story to the wonderful people that I served with at, what I am sure we would almost all agree, was the defining point of our lives. This book is dedicated

It is through my father that I have received the large majority of my military exposure. Not only have I spent countless hours with him I was given the opportunity to spend 11 days at sea aboard HMCS Preserver, an experience that provided me with an understanding of the daily lives of sailors and other members of the Canadian Armed Forces while deployed. This exposure and the enduring legacy of my family’s involvement in two world wars has fueled my appreciation for honoring the sacrifice of the men and women who have served and continue to serve Canada. It is in the tireless support of these members that I’ve come to recognize the important role of the military in the lives of all Canadians.

My background is a military one, that is riddled with fighting, leaving home, and death. “Sempre Fi” has always been a common household saying in my mother's family, considering her two older brothers were US Marines. When I was a little girl, my uncles were deported to the Gulf of Mexico to fight in Desert Storm, and that was a terrifying point in my youth life. On my father’s side, the Air Force was the branch our family adored. My great grandfather was a pilot and so was my grandfather. To this day, my grandfather is my hero but unfortunately died early due to pancreatic cancer. Flying and the water have always run through my blood and always will. The Navy was the one branch that I could combine my love for flight and water into one.

A Veteran Woman On December 7, 2000, I raised my right hand pledging to serve and protect the American people. At the age of 20, I had entered a 240 year-old organization, not really knowing what to expect from it. I was scared, excited, and ready for the new challenges joining this Armed Forces organization would bring. My basic training was at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. This old country girl from Mississippi had to get on an airplane for the first time. My adrenaline was pumping so fast that I felt my heart could easily jump out my chest at any time. Despite all the insecure reservations I had and the negative comments I received from family and friends back home, I made it through basic training and spent a long, vigorous, and uplifting

Furthermore, the research that was conducted looks into Craig M. Mullaney’s life at reception, the Military academy, and when he was deployed. When a military member looks back to the day when they were shipped off from

Since I was young I have had the upmost admiration for our nation’s elite fighting force. I was captivated by the idea of being a part of an organization comprised of proud Americans with shared values of selflessness, honor, and loyalty. I was raised by two devoted parents with strong principles who dedicated their lives to serving others in their respective medical careers. At a young age I joined the cub scouts followed by a transition into boy scouts where I was instilled with the values of honor, duty and teamwork. I actively served my community developing a passion for continued service.

My military service reshaped who I am. My training stripped away any sense of entitlement and I learned more about myself in four months than I’d ever known before. It not only gave me discipline and taught me to perform under pressure, but everything I did wasn’t just for me anymore. I was working hard for the marines next to me in my platoon. The time came when each of us hit a breaking point physically or mentally.

My first visit to the Naval Academy was on family trip while in grammar school. On this and subsequent visits, the young men and women who chose to devote their lives to country and service greatly impressed me. As a high school student, I had the good fortune to experience Academy life via my acceptance to the competitive Summer STEM program, my invitation to Candidate Visit Weekend, and my participation in the Elite Throws Sports Camp. Through these first-hand experiences, I grew in awareness and commitment to an Academy education as an opportunity to enable me to serve my country. Moreover, I am honored to be a member of a gold star family, via my uncle Senior Master Sergeant Peter Bondi, recently deceased on active duty, and to have had a grandfather who served in the National Guard. Eulogies delivered for my Uncle Peter reflected a life of service and were a source of inspiration that fueled my resolve to serve.

I see myself progressing in my field as well as in my education. I find my education challenging and motivating. I can see many challenges ahead and therefore I am willing to invest my time learning all the skills and knowledge of my field towards professional advancement. I hoped to be offered in a management role in 5 years, looking to move on to greater things. I'm prepared to learned new things and contribute to the overall success of the organization in a number of ways. The only specific ''plan of willingness'' is that the opportunity be within my ability to learn, interesting enough for me to dig and do a good job, and the compensation increase a reasonable amount in relation to the demands of the

My goal in life is to be a great friend and wife to my fiancé. An exceptional and admirable mother that teaches her children not just right and wrong, but how to be healthy, happy, successful, responsible adults who can do the same for their families. I don’t want to lose sight of who I am and the person I am meant to be in the process. All the while, enjoying every bit of life and making every moment count.