Why I joined the US Army...Why I stay in the US Army.
In a live journal comment to my last post on Live Journal alicefanclub asked:
Why did you join? I am sincerely curious why you signed up for all of this, or if you honestly didn't know it would be like this. Did you used to have a different vision of the government and what service would be like? Or did you need the "security" offered? Were you compelled by duty/honor to serve your country?
My journey into the military occurred over twelve (12) years. 1988 was my first brush with the military. In a way I grew up around the US Army. It seemed that over half of the men in my family served in the military at one point or another in their lives. Having know men that have spent several years in the military, I had always known that it was a possibility for me as well. However, there were several factors against me. First my recruiter, who had previously retired from the Army, was about to retire from being a civilian recruiter. Not only was this guy older then most of the people that I knew at the time, but he was slow and did not seem all that interested in helping get the paperwork through the system. The second factor was my being young and impatient. "Hey," I thought, "I don't need this crap. I'll just go to college."
Luckily for me, college actually happen. In college I saw all those ROTC guys and gals running all the time. Since I detest running I figured that I had made the right decision. Four years later, after college was Howard University School of Law. During Law School I saw the Army JAGCorp recruiter. I laughed. Me? The Army? No way.
Three years of Law School were followed by some hard times and four years of working inside the DC Beltway in a small two attorney firm. Unfortunately I was severely underpaid. As time past my wife and I managed to get our financial house rearranged. At least there was a light at the end of the dark tunnel in which we found ourselves. Being able to breath easier I took some time to reflect on our life.
After discussing the possibility of the military, and with my wife's blessings, I enlisted in the military. The worst that would happen is that we would take a temporary pay cut, but be back at the same financial level within three years. The best that would happen is that I would enjoy my job in the military, earn a retirement check after 20 yrs, and do some good for the world.
Did I have a different vision of our government? No, I can't say that I did. A good number of politicians suck. They always have, and they always will. There is very poor voter turn out in the US. The country needs help. The fact that a nut can be elected twice is only a good thing because 1) the constitution allows it; and 2) he can't be elected three times. But whatever failings that Bush may have, what disgust me are the majority of voting Americans that elected him the second time. Those are the ones that need a serious reality "bitch slap".
I joined after the US had gone into Bosnia, but well before September 11, 2001. And you probably wonder wonder why I stay since I have seen combat and this is my third tour of duty. Here are some of the things that I have done:
Represented the entire United States of America before a International Claims Tribunal;
Mentored children/survivors of ethnic cleansing in the Balkans;
Helped the Russians start paying Bosnians for the damages the Russian caused in their Bosnia;
Negotiated with armed Warlords in Afghanistan;
Been the main drive in doubling the size of the largest US base in Afghanistan, in a way that did not cost money or lives;
Prevented ham-fisted negotiations that would have lead to the death of multiple people;
Written contracts that provided jobs to poor families devastated by over a decade of war;
Turned the lives of young families around after they felt crippled by debt;
Helped battered women escape the cycle of abuse;
Put child abusers, drug dealers, and rapist in jail;
Stopped soldiers from being abused by their commands;
And much more.
I have worked with people from places that include Korea, UK, France, Egypt, Spain, Russia, Belgium, Turkey, Denmark, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Croatia, and Hungary. I can say that I have actually changed the course of some events around the world.
Is this what you imagine when you think of serving in the United States Army?
Thankfully, I have not had to serve in Iraq for a stupid war, started by a stupid president, voted into office (twice) by stupid people. But, I do not regret my service in the War in Afghanistan, Operation Enduring Freedom.
I could get out of the Army and make more money then I make now. I would not face being deployed for a year+ at a time. However, I like the opportunity to impact the lives of others. And I can say, "Yes, I am making a difference." Being upset with the many poorly made choices of our president does not make me want to run away from the army. In a year and a half the country will be on the campaign trail again and we will see how my vision of the government will change.
Why did you join? I am sincerely curious why you signed up for all of this, or if you honestly didn't know it would be like this. Did you used to have a different vision of the government and what service would be like? Or did you need the "security" offered? Were you compelled by duty/honor to serve your country?
My journey into the military occurred over twelve (12) years. 1988 was my first brush with the military. In a way I grew up around the US Army. It seemed that over half of the men in my family served in the military at one point or another in their lives. Having know men that have spent several years in the military, I had always known that it was a possibility for me as well. However, there were several factors against me. First my recruiter, who had previously retired from the Army, was about to retire from being a civilian recruiter. Not only was this guy older then most of the people that I knew at the time, but he was slow and did not seem all that interested in helping get the paperwork through the system. The second factor was my being young and impatient. "Hey," I thought, "I don't need this crap. I'll just go to college."
Luckily for me, college actually happen. In college I saw all those ROTC guys and gals running all the time. Since I detest running I figured that I had made the right decision. Four years later, after college was Howard University School of Law. During Law School I saw the Army JAGCorp recruiter. I laughed. Me? The Army? No way.
Three years of Law School were followed by some hard times and four years of working inside the DC Beltway in a small two attorney firm. Unfortunately I was severely underpaid. As time past my wife and I managed to get our financial house rearranged. At least there was a light at the end of the dark tunnel in which we found ourselves. Being able to breath easier I took some time to reflect on our life.
After discussing the possibility of the military, and with my wife's blessings, I enlisted in the military. The worst that would happen is that we would take a temporary pay cut, but be back at the same financial level within three years. The best that would happen is that I would enjoy my job in the military, earn a retirement check after 20 yrs, and do some good for the world.
Did I have a different vision of our government? No, I can't say that I did. A good number of politicians suck. They always have, and they always will. There is very poor voter turn out in the US. The country needs help. The fact that a nut can be elected twice is only a good thing because 1) the constitution allows it; and 2) he can't be elected three times. But whatever failings that Bush may have, what disgust me are the majority of voting Americans that elected him the second time. Those are the ones that need a serious reality "bitch slap".
I joined after the US had gone into Bosnia, but well before September 11, 2001. And you probably wonder wonder why I stay since I have seen combat and this is my third tour of duty. Here are some of the things that I have done:
Represented the entire United States of America before a International Claims Tribunal;
Mentored children/survivors of ethnic cleansing in the Balkans;
Helped the Russians start paying Bosnians for the damages the Russian caused in their Bosnia;
Negotiated with armed Warlords in Afghanistan;
Been the main drive in doubling the size of the largest US base in Afghanistan, in a way that did not cost money or lives;
Prevented ham-fisted negotiations that would have lead to the death of multiple people;
Written contracts that provided jobs to poor families devastated by over a decade of war;
Turned the lives of young families around after they felt crippled by debt;
Helped battered women escape the cycle of abuse;
Put child abusers, drug dealers, and rapist in jail;
Stopped soldiers from being abused by their commands;
And much more.
I have worked with people from places that include Korea, UK, France, Egypt, Spain, Russia, Belgium, Turkey, Denmark, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Croatia, and Hungary. I can say that I have actually changed the course of some events around the world.
Is this what you imagine when you think of serving in the United States Army?
Thankfully, I have not had to serve in Iraq for a stupid war, started by a stupid president, voted into office (twice) by stupid people. But, I do not regret my service in the War in Afghanistan, Operation Enduring Freedom.
I could get out of the Army and make more money then I make now. I would not face being deployed for a year+ at a time. However, I like the opportunity to impact the lives of others. And I can say, "Yes, I am making a difference." Being upset with the many poorly made choices of our president does not make me want to run away from the army. In a year and a half the country will be on the campaign trail again and we will see how my vision of the government will change.
posted by Zanla | 11:13 AM
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