Personal Narrative: A Career In The Army

No one is more professional than I. I am a noncommissioned officer, a leader of Soldiers. As a noncommissioned officer, I realize that I am a member of a time honored corps, which is known as “The Backbone of the Army”. For over 200 years the Army has served the people of the United States with citizens who have volunteered to serve. Throughout the years one thing has remained the same, the Army has grown, changed and adapted to meet the needs as an ever-changing world.

On the early morning of April 19th, my husband left to gather with the militia. I being worried could not go back to sleep and awaited by the window from time to time. The children were still asleep and out of the corner of my eyes, I see at least a couple hundred of lobsterbacks. I was frightened and crouched making sure I wasn’t seen. Oh how my heart beated, and I am ashamed to remind myself that the militia fired. Perhaps out of fear, but they fired. Immediately there was movement until my eyes could see, running, shooting, bloodshed. As soon as I saw the Regulars marching, and the house being so near to all the commotion I ran to the children and hoped they wouldn’t burn the house down. I was prepared, nervous for the life of my husband

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.

Growing up as an Army brat. We had to learn a lot of values growing up. Even though my father and I didn't have a strong connection. He was still able to provide for his family. Our family showed a different type of morals. Like never show your true emotions. My brother and I had to learn that. I didn't really know what that meant till I was much older. And? It stuck with me till this day. By showing emotion would show people that you were soft. My mother would show comfort to you if you were struggling but she knew the balance of reasoning. Since growing up and moving out of the house and following the family tradition. By joining the service made my father's and myself relationship stronger. One day my father approached me and asked

At the age of 22, I found out that I had cervical tumors. My mother had asked the doctor if there was anyways I could ever have a baby, in the future. His answer, very unlikely. A week later, I went to the doctor’s office to get blood work and to get ready for my surgery. I was getting the tumors removed. Two days later, I was told I could not get the procedure done. I was pregnant. Very excited and shocked, hung up the phone and drove to my boyfriend at the times house to tell him the news. After four months of excitement. He told me he was getting to attach to the baby and left us both. About two months later, I meet a guy. He was nice, funny and was willing to take on the responsibly of being a father. We got married a few months later.

My dad, Warren “Smitty” Smith was entered to the United States Army straight after high school. Upon entry, my dad attended Big Ben community college in Fort Polk, Louisiana. He left college for his military obligation.

The next week was PRT training where we learned about life on the PRT, how to work with the military, how to interact with our Iraqi interlocutors and life in general on a FOB (Forward Operating Base), where I was headed or at the Embassy. There were basic intros into many of the players in Iraq providing assistance, USAID, Department of State efforts, and some of the many projects being undertaken.

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

Our three day journey began in the state of Virginia. We drove through West Virginia, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, and it came to well anticipated ending in Colorado. That is where my father's new military base was stationed and that is why we had to move, I think. To me, a fourth grader at the time, the reason being did not matter. The only thing that mattered was the fact that we had moved for the second time in my nine years of life. The only thing I focused on was the rear door of our 1997 Ford explorer being lifted into the air. See the rest of my family had decided with there being no seats lefts at the front of the truck, my tiny stature would fit perfectly in the back, along with the luggage. So for three days straight the six of us had been stuffed into that truck like a can of tuna. This was not the first time we had moved and it was certainly not the last.

It was a crisp February morning in 2005. The first beginnings of sunlight crept through my metallic shades and onto my face. Groggily, I glanced at my alarm clock. ‘Seven O’clock’ I was late. I quickly jumped out of bed and slipped into my small goose down outfit, orange vest, and wool hat. From a corner in my closet I grab my small steel-toed boots lacing them up as fast as I could. Before I left, I glanced around my room to make sure I had not forgotten anything. I noticed the wooden gun propped precariously by the window. If I had missed that dad would have been angry with me for being forgetful. I raced down the stairs, making little thumping noises as I bounced along. When I reached the end of the stairs, the aroma of fresh coffee filled my lungs. I ran into the kitchen and I saw my dad wearing

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.

I arrived in Korea from Ft. Bragg, NC in December 20, 2001; upon the arrival, I learned that I would be assigned to Charlie Company 1/506th; I was hoping to assign to an anti-tank platoon. This would be the first time since basis training that I would have to use my 11B skills, other than the regular foot marches. My MOS when I joined the army was 11H until the Army grouped the 11 series together into in to 11B and 11C. I was a young SPC; weighing 145 pounds, well physically fit, and had a gun ho mentality. It was a lot to master, but I was determined to show my new chain of command that I can be one of the best in the company. Eight months later I was sent to Air Assault School; after returning from Air Assault School, I immediately sent to the E-5 board, and passed with flying colors. In Charlie Co. if you was going to be a new team leader you first had to be the Platoon RTO. I have been in Korea for 11 months, and I had been an RTO for the last two months.

Since joining, I have looked for opportunities to serve others as well as those that have challenged me, personally and professionally. When I advanced to Chief Petty Officer in 2008, more opportunities were made available and I have served in numerous leadership positions in which I provided guidance, mentorship and oversight. I had my first opportunity to serve as a collateral duty Command Chief in 2008. While I was not the most senior Chief at the unit, the Commanding Officer believed I possessed the necessary skills to perform my primary duties along with effectively handling delicate personnel issues ranging in severity and complexity. At the same time I qualified as a Deployable Team Leader, a qualification typically held by a junior officer.

Finding out that I was pregnant first hand was a bittersweet but conversely a Kodak moment as well. During the first couple of days I didn’t know whether to ball up and cry or to be happy and exhilarated, I was 17 so I didn’t know how to be happy about me being with a fetus inside of me. “I have my whole life ahead of me, this can’t be real, why me?” I constantly asked myself while looking at the positive pregnancy test. After finding out this shocking news I walked in the same room that my cousin Kiana was patiently waiting in, and quietly said it’s positive. Kiana gave me the ideal expression I kind of hoped for and needed during the time-being but shortly after, I got the news that she was also pregnant. When I first noticed my first sign of pregnancy when I started spotting, and increase of hunger, I didn’t think nothing of it but I slightly had a clue. A week goes by still going unnoticed until the morning sickness stage hit. Waking up with morning sickness was one of the stages I had an aversion to the most. I partially disliked this stage because not only was it morning sickness, but because it was morning and afternoon sickness. Another reason is because it made me feel nauseous. After the morning sickness stage, it encouraged me to get a pregnancy test.

I’m a 16 year old girl who is 6 weeks pregnant. I did not think I would ever say that. So far, my boyfriend whose name is Jayden, his mom, and my mom are the only people who knew. It was extremely difficult to tell my mom this. I was born and raised in a very Christian family who take their religion and values seriously. When I had the courage to tell my mom I was pregnant, I was not only embarrassed, but ashamed of myself. My mom was not angry at me. She was only disappointed.