Yep you hear right 11 years!
Its crazy to think that around my 17th birthday I listened to my father talk up the benefits of joining the military. I signed on that dotted line and decided I wanted to do something with my life, gain discipline, and college money!!
It has been quite the ride, let me tell you. Basic Training taught me that I wasn't the cool, cocky, pain in the ass I thought I was. AIT taught me how to be a medic, and how to party harder than I had learned in high school. The FA unit I first belonged to taught me awesome ways to be a slacker, but also taught me how to work as a team. Deployment taught me MANY MANY thing, some good, some bad, but mostly good. C Med has taught me that it pays to have good friends in high places, how to be more of slacker, and how to not gain rank very quickly.
I have developed quite a few lifelong friendships. I have gained a 2nd family. I have gained lots of knowledge, and had many life experiences that not a lot of people can get with just college.
I would definitely recommend the military to people who feel they need to do something with their lives, who may be a 'troublemaker', who would like help with college money, and people who feel they can make a difference.
I would most definitely tell them to explore their options, because the Army is pretty cool but so are the other branches...well maybe just the Air Force and Navy, not to sure about those jarheads. *wink wink*
I have enjoyed my many years in the National Guard. We do some pretty awesome training: like using paintball guns; rappelling; water survival training; certain medical training; and many more things.
Deployment wasn't exactly awesome, but it was an experience I will never forget. It definitely made me a different person and helped direct me to which direction I want to go. It introduced me to some of the best friends I have in my life. It gives me a sense of pride to have done something significant in my life.
The military has made me a very Type A/OCD/anal retentive type of person, which bugs the crap out of some people but brings me a sense of control in life.
Here are some of my pet peeves about the military though:
-Hurry up and wait
-Good Ole Boys club
-Officer's who haven't spent any time as an enlisted person
-New soldiers nowadays have to have their hand held through everything
-The promotion system
-The HT/WT program
-APFT
-Cleaning Weapons
-PMCS
-The fact that it is taking me 3 times as long to complete college than it should
-Common Sense doesn't exist
-Being labeled as a deployment ditcher because one gets pregnant (yes I avoided deployment so i could have a baby and being financially effed rather than make 5-6000 a month tax free) ***see below***
...there are more to list but I could be here awhile.
I sit here thinking about the military and I think about the duties I could be doing. It's hard to see all your friends on deployment, I sit here enjoying time with my family and it makes me feel guilty about that. My friends wives are hear and sometimes I feel like I can't visit because I keep thinking they wonder why I'm here and not their significant other. I keep getting told it's a boring deployment and that it's not worth it, but it's still hard. I miss them like crazy and it makes things not quite the same a drill or at work. I can't wait for them all to come back.
I love the Army, but there are just some days I want to punch it in the face. Biggest example I can provide is the fact that soldiers nowadays when they go to Basic and AIT are handed cards so when they are stressed they can tell the Drill Sergeant that they need to back off. Because in real life while in Afghanistan the Taliban or whomever is shooting at them they can call a time out, AS IF! So I deal with a lot of soldiers that feel that everything gets handed to them on a silver platter, and that at the snap of a finger they get what they want. Plus they don't know how to act like adults. Discipline is not as prominent anymore.
I'll say it again, love the Army, but some days I just want to shake my head. That's life I guess huh?
***I do love my son more than anything, and I am glad that we are blessed with his presence in our lives. I wouldn't trade him for anything in the world.***
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