Personal Narrative Essay

The next weeks were filled with classes and exercises, waking up before the sun and not getting enough sleep. During my classes I learned not only survival skills but skills that would help me pick my rate in the Navy. Although the exercising was brutal, it taught me self discipline and will power. Along with the skills I learned in class, I was also taught how to be a proper military member. I was taught that my shoes always needed to be shiny and my uniforms were always to be ironed. When I was not in classes, I was in tech training. Tech training was the time where I learned basic survival skills that would ensure my safety whether on the ship or on shore. In Tech training, I learned the skills of a Sailor. I learned to handle and shoot the M9 service pistol and M870 shotgun correctly. I also learned the basics of a seamanship which included basic water survival and fire fighting because a fire can break out on ship without any notice. While the time in boot camp was stressful, I can look back and see how it prepared me for the life ahead of me while I was serving on board the USS Enterprise. I left boot camp on January 23, 2002. years but it help shape me as a better

What did you like about your experiences? I love leading Soldiers and seeing them progress as leaders. These great Americans make me very proud every day. The Brotherhood, the military families, esprit de corps, and the pride to serve your country is an awesome feeling. Meeting different people from all

Without a doubt the single most influential experience in my life has been graduating from Marine Corps boot camp at MCRD San Diego. They say less than one percent of United States Citizens serve in the military and a small fraction of them serve as United States Marines. I take great pride in the fact that standing on those famous yellow footprints separates me from more than 99% of people I will meet. Some people claim boot camp was easy for them, that they didn’t struggle or second guess themselves; unfortunately I am not one of those people. I greatly struggled, not physically as that was easy but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Initially I wasn’t sure if I had made the right decision in enlisting right out of high school. But then

The U.S Military is very one of the biggest and strongest branches ever in the US Especially The US Army Branch is why I chose this specific branch,It was started in June 14,1775.But as becoming a Soldier you would have to be a strong minded individual entering this stage is just pretty much something really big to take into ,You can make this out of a life long career into this with plenty of opportunities in life as being a Soldier,There are two options when your are signing your contract you can either go Active Duty or Reserves,when you are choosing your job while being evaluated for your jobs there are so many jobs you can choose from or help being it chosen for.

Going through and graduating Air Force Basic Training changed me both physically and mentally as a person. First, physically the experience taught me how to push my self in ways that I had never before and accomplish tasks that before seemed impossible. Also, my experience changed me mentally by teaching me how to be strong in stressful situations and how to handle situations in a calm and collected manner. My experience of graduating from basic training did not change my perception on society, but instead it gave me a group of people that have been through the same experience and have the same passions to serve our

I served in the United States Army for almost seven years. I loved every minute of it. Well, I might not have enjoyed every minute, but I enjoyed the majority of my time served. The knowledge, insight, training, education and experience

At times the language and environment was harsh but I came to the conclusion that I needed to take a step back and allow someone to help me progress myself as an adult. For me, graduating basic training was one of the proudest moments of my life and whenever I look back at that day, I know that if I hadn’t of been put through that stress, I wouldn’t have the skills I do today to deal with that. The military was a great thing for me to experience, and I will always be thankful for

Being in the military comes with plenty of benefits. Free education is probably the number one reason (how do you think I am paying for my school right now). You get to travel and see things you thought you would never see. Not only do you become physically tough but also mentally tough. You become prepared for the tough civilian life. Markos Moulitsas Zuniga repots that, “The Army taught me the very values that make us progressives--community, opportunity, and investment in people and the future.” Although many feel that they should not join the military it can really improve our lives and they way we think.

Basic and advanced individual training pushed me to give my all in everything I do. The ability to serve my country and travel made me proud. When I was direct commission as a physician assistant in the National Guard it thrust me into a leadership role that I was not trained for, but my life experiences to this point helped me on this path. Training soldiers and maintaining battalion medical readiness was the core of my duties. Amongst the most valuable attributes I developed while serving was time management, extensive preparation and

Being in cadets has given me the opportunity to do things I would never have thought I would do. I have participated in two expeditions and was recognized as one of the top cadets for one; I have jumped off a 30 foot building (with proper equipment!) three times as part of a mock parachutist exercise; I have participated in a military-level obstacle course and received recognition for that; I have been recognized as the top musician of my corps and top of my class at various times which I had never thought would have happened before I had joined cadets.

There are very unique jobs that lead people to having different life experiences their first day or week on the job. Joining the military for me was a very interesting last minute plan since such though had never crossed my mind. When the time to leave home arrived, I felt like it was all a dream, as if I had lived in a cloud for a few months. There were a lot of thoughts running through my head when as the bus was approaching the military installation I would be calling home for the next few months. The most important thing I remember doing when I got to basic training was to listen to every single little detail of instruction that was given, and following instructions all the way to the period. There were a lot of diverse things I learned the first week of basic training such as; military values, self-confidence, to be physically and mentally strong, educational programs, and learning about programs to buy property.

From the beginning, the military has provided me with a stable future. I have gotten the chance to live in different parts of the US and I had the opportunity to live in Germany. I have been exposed to different people from all around the world as a result of the military. It has given me a taste of adventure and left me wanting to explore the world, to learn about new cultures and make connections with different people. The military has taught me not to dwell too much on the past, because you will always have a chance to better yourself. The constant relocation allows the chance to reflect on past mistakes and to prevent future ones from

The military has always been a part of my family’s life. My grandfather was in the army along with his son and my grandmothers other son’s. I also have many cousins who are still in and one who worked at the Pentagon. My uncles use to always tell us stories about their military service and how much they learned. Most of my cousins that joined only joined because of these stories and the lavish lifestyles they have seen my uncles live. Unlike them, I wasn’t drawn in by the stories my uncles told me, or the war letters from my deceased grandfather. For some reason it was my mothers dream for me; probably because its always something she wanted to do but was afraid, a fantasy I wasn’t quite ready to live in for her or them.

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.

The struggle though basic training changed me by actually realizing that if I try hard enough and am fully dedicated to something I can do anything I want. Before I thought that was something parents told you to keep their kids imaginative. I am also more "disciplined" as the Army says. As well as, I made me realize the effect of family is. In basic you can't call your parents as you like. I may have talked to my mom three times in the eleven weeks on basic training. I didn't realize how good I had it in life until it was "taken" away from me.