Personal Narrative: Joining The Army

Growing up the daughter of an Army Basic Training failure was an embarrassment for quite some time. My father went to Army Basic Training straight out of high school, and came back shortly after leaving. He was discharged for injuries of his knees; he was weak. One would not assume a child of someone who failed Basic Training would be eager to go, however I knew it was my time as soon as I received a call from a recruiter asking me to come in. It was my chance to show my dad the person I am without him, as well as fight for my country. I conquered Basic Training the summer in between the summer of my junior and senior year at the age of seventeen. There are four easy steps to Basic Training: two flights, reception, training,

The day my brother joined the army was extremely exciting, until several months later, when he left for his basic training. Cameron packed his bags and walked out the back door on a Tuesday, headed for his new home, a base in Oklahoma. I bit back tears as we dropped him off with the other fresh recruits being shuttled to Fort Sill the following morning. He was completely oblivious of the changes about to take place in both of our lives. His would be more physical, and mine, more emotional. Not only was I losing my older brother, but I was also bereft of my ride to school, my link to amazing music, and one of my primary confidants. It would take me an extensive amount of time to learn how to function without the only constant male figure in

Smoke and fire is all I can see. The hot air is thick with dust that burns your eyes, creating a stinging sensation that won’t go away no matter how much I rub them. Gunshots from both sides resonate even over the flat terrain. Mud is splattered all over my face, and I’m so thirsty. This is war, I tell myself. You shoot, you live. This is what I tell myself everyday. I woke up this morning on a steel bunk expecting more training, but instead got called out to the front lines of battle. You’re a soldier, you’re strong, you don’t back down, you show no fear. Every day, over and over, a million times, out on the battlefield, this is what I tell myself, because all I want, is to survive. I don’t want to kill anyone. I don’t want to be responsible for taking someone away from

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.

How a young lady like me came to join the military. To start, this was not generally the way I had gotten ready for myself. If somebody somehow managed to have asked me before I graduated secondary school, I would have disclosed to them I would go to school to end up noticeably a Registered Nurse. Moreover, because of the bearing my life was moving towards the military was my answer, additionally would give the structure that was absent from my life. In view of this, when I sat every one of my loved ones down about my life choice on joining the Army National Guard, most were energized for my news, and had the standard question on why. At that point, there were the few that did not need me joining and communicated their assessments and disclosed

My role in the military has not had the advantages of going to school as often as I would have liked. My final push to complete my program was abruptly interrupted last year. I was notified on March 2014 that I would deploy to Afghanistan on May 2014 to support SOCOM for 12 months. This was a similar setback on top of others in the past.

I was born in Birmingham, AL and raised in a Mayberry type town called Ragland. Like Mayberry, everybody knew everybody and gossip spread like wild fire. We had one red light, 2 gas stations, an elementary school and a high school, in which I attended and graduated from with an advanced diploma.

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.

Jared’s response to my question, “Why did you join the military and why did you pick the branch you’re serving?” was very honest and straightforward. He explained to me he wasn’t going anywhere in life and decided to follow in his family’s footsteps and chose the military. When I asked him what his first days working were like and if it was different than training for it he immediately snapped and said “It was the hardest work I’ve ever done in my life.” He thought it was very different than training for the job because once he meant his boss they would teach him something different. I would say his favorite topic from me was when I asked him to tell me about Boot camp. He explained to me what he learned and it was you have to play as a

When I joined the military I never thought I would have to repel from a 50 foot structure. The day we went to warrior tower was one of the must terrifying days of my life. I didn’t think I was going to be able to repel from the top because of my fear of heights. Many factors from that day have changed who I am like mini warrior tower, repelling down the tower, getting to the ground and what I learned from this

After dropping out of college in sophomore year, I went to work for a sushi restaurant near a busy shopping plaza. Work was not satisfying and I was seriously lost in life. On the way home from work, I decided to stop by at the Air Force recruiting center. Fortunately, I met a great Master Sergeant who was able to explain everything I need to know about the Air Force and he put me up in path for my new career. The longer I have been in the military, the more I appreciate for the training and responsibility it is teaching me. Now, I wish I did join the military right after the high school. I strongly recommend my younger friends to join the military after the high school. Military can give them professionalism, experience and many more. The

I’m born in country which to be have fallowed the religion, culture we never can step up from those things. Important from this we have social life not an Individual life at the most part of our life we have to follow our adult our family members. At the beginning 2002 one of my brother went to army, I was waist sometimes when he was in training, I try so many to go inside the training area but I was not allowed to go inside. Finally one day I went inside of the Kabul military training center, when I saw the role and discipline that was to interesting for me then. I decided to join the military in 2003.

I recall a few leaders that I have worked for. Unfortunately, not all of them were pleasant to work with. Some abused their powers for their benefits. Or, Some hardly ever showed any affiliation with me and my peers. I want to become a leader who can present a better standard to soldiers. I believe this scholarship and skills that I have been acquiring from my current military career will help me get there.

A week before my eighteenth birthday, I enlisted in the United States Army. Often people ask, "What made you join the military?" This is a loaded question for me, with various reasons. First off, I could have gone to a university straight out of high school on an

My prior military experiences push me beyond my personal limits and shape me into a dependable and discipline person, which play an enormous part of who I am today. Over the years, I appreciate every bit of various challenges attribute to the military trainings whether working under extreme climate of 100 degree Fahrenheit in Cuba or enduring the rainy cold weather while standing watch in the foxhole. I love that we often watch out for one another under these unpleasant environments without saying “we care”. Moreover, I acknowledge how the military brings out the best of me as I develop problem-solving skills upon facing obstacles. Above all, countless positive qualities I have gained from the service contribute to my decision of being a military