BravoMachine
Unverified
Hello all. My name is Zachary Fino.
Out of high school I wanted to be an infantryman. A relationship with a girl diverted my focus. It was not long into the relationship when I resumed thinking of nothing but being an infantryman. I attempted to join the US Army but was rejected by recruiters due to hand tattoos (My knuckles read "FREEDOM" and my right hand has an image of a wolf). I never made it to MEPS or any further than 'Get those hand tattoos taken care of and you're good to go'. I scoured the internet for information on tattoo waivers and likelihood of the tattoo standards relaxing. I watched every conflict evolve and anticipated a change in recruitment. I knew my time would come. I felt entirely sure I would get in, but accepted I would have to wait. To bid my time I started doing demolition work as I waited for things to change. I grew tired of waiting and wished to gain momentum.
I moved to the mountains of Western North Carolina to work harder and make enough money to pay for laser tattoo removal. I started with hardscaping and roadside/lawn maintenance then eventually found myself doing tree work as a tree climber. I did this 70 hours during the week for a company and approximately 10 hours most weekends for myself for 2 years. During this time I had tattoos on my leg removed via laser and had my entire left arm tattooed solid black in order to cover tattoos that lasers failed to remove. Attempts at removal on my hands were futile due to the particular ink used. I waited for SMA Dailey to influence a change. That change happened but hand tattoos were left restricted. I went to another recruiter to ask about waivers. I got the same response as before. I did not feel like it was over, but I started to realize it may be years until my time would come. I had already dedicated my vision to service years before. I knew I may be in my late 20s when I finally get a chance to enlist. I did not want my entire youth to be spent waiting so I went to school for EMS as I identified this as one of the only ways to get satisfaction in the civilian world.
I had just finished and became an EMT-B when a hometown friend who had joined the Navy told me about the tattoo policy change. Initially, I was mostly uninterested. The Navy had no jobs I would ever enjoy I thought. This did not stop me from inquiring. Just as I reaffirmed my opinion that the Navy was not for me, it dawned on me. Every Marine unit has a Corpsman who is an enlisted sailor in the Navy! I knew this but somehow it never clicked. I immediately learned everything there was to know about Corpsmen and how to be a field Corpsman versus working in a clinic setting etc. My recent experience in emergency medicine gave me full confidence and affirmation that treating trauma and working bodies is for me. I continued being an "extra-curricular" EMT and soaking up every bit of knowledge I could find. I signed up for an EMT-Advanced course. I promptly started a regular schedule of rucking, running, and otherwise working out. I planned to visit a recruiter in the upcoming month.
The upcoming month became the upcoming week. My perpetual interest in combat, military, emergency medicine, firearms etc. really created a strain on my relationship with my now ex-fiance. In all honesty it began many years ago immediately after the first-few-weeks-in-love feeling subsided. We simply grew apart. The day after she left me I went to the recruiting station.
I am currently waiting for some paperwork to arrive in the mail that I need in order to schedule a trip to MEPS. I am 100% firm/job-locked on enlisting as a Corpsman despite my recruiter pushing for me to enlist under a SEAL Challenge Program contract. I will wait if I have to, but I am going to MEPS and telling everybody I want Corpsman and nothing else. My plans are as such: Enlist as an HM. Screen into SOCP during A-School and enter the pipeline for SARC.
I am sure everyone has their own reasons for wanting to enter special operations and I can respect the different views. As simple and blunt as I can say it, my own reasons are as such: I have always had an inherent desire to fight. I never grew out of my childhood dreams of being a warrior. I have always pushed myself to achieve and break odds. I consider my drive to be my strongest quality. I have high standards for myself and strive to be the best person I can be. I'm not an arrogant child who thinks he is the greatest simply because he has not yet failed. I have had my fair share of beatings and failures. I always grow from them. My confidence comes from having been tested and seeing myself step up. I find it hard to connect with the majority of my peers because they are so selfish and shortsighted. I know my true peers and the people I wish to live my life for are in the military and specifically, the special operations community. This is where I will find others like me. This is where I can utilize the qualities that define who I am. This is where I can be truly needed and satisfy my desire to give. One day I can rest easy knowing I lived my life for men I can respect.
Out of high school I wanted to be an infantryman. A relationship with a girl diverted my focus. It was not long into the relationship when I resumed thinking of nothing but being an infantryman. I attempted to join the US Army but was rejected by recruiters due to hand tattoos (My knuckles read "FREEDOM" and my right hand has an image of a wolf). I never made it to MEPS or any further than 'Get those hand tattoos taken care of and you're good to go'. I scoured the internet for information on tattoo waivers and likelihood of the tattoo standards relaxing. I watched every conflict evolve and anticipated a change in recruitment. I knew my time would come. I felt entirely sure I would get in, but accepted I would have to wait. To bid my time I started doing demolition work as I waited for things to change. I grew tired of waiting and wished to gain momentum.
I moved to the mountains of Western North Carolina to work harder and make enough money to pay for laser tattoo removal. I started with hardscaping and roadside/lawn maintenance then eventually found myself doing tree work as a tree climber. I did this 70 hours during the week for a company and approximately 10 hours most weekends for myself for 2 years. During this time I had tattoos on my leg removed via laser and had my entire left arm tattooed solid black in order to cover tattoos that lasers failed to remove. Attempts at removal on my hands were futile due to the particular ink used. I waited for SMA Dailey to influence a change. That change happened but hand tattoos were left restricted. I went to another recruiter to ask about waivers. I got the same response as before. I did not feel like it was over, but I started to realize it may be years until my time would come. I had already dedicated my vision to service years before. I knew I may be in my late 20s when I finally get a chance to enlist. I did not want my entire youth to be spent waiting so I went to school for EMS as I identified this as one of the only ways to get satisfaction in the civilian world.
I had just finished and became an EMT-B when a hometown friend who had joined the Navy told me about the tattoo policy change. Initially, I was mostly uninterested. The Navy had no jobs I would ever enjoy I thought. This did not stop me from inquiring. Just as I reaffirmed my opinion that the Navy was not for me, it dawned on me. Every Marine unit has a Corpsman who is an enlisted sailor in the Navy! I knew this but somehow it never clicked. I immediately learned everything there was to know about Corpsmen and how to be a field Corpsman versus working in a clinic setting etc. My recent experience in emergency medicine gave me full confidence and affirmation that treating trauma and working bodies is for me. I continued being an "extra-curricular" EMT and soaking up every bit of knowledge I could find. I signed up for an EMT-Advanced course. I promptly started a regular schedule of rucking, running, and otherwise working out. I planned to visit a recruiter in the upcoming month.
The upcoming month became the upcoming week. My perpetual interest in combat, military, emergency medicine, firearms etc. really created a strain on my relationship with my now ex-fiance. In all honesty it began many years ago immediately after the first-few-weeks-in-love feeling subsided. We simply grew apart. The day after she left me I went to the recruiting station.
I am currently waiting for some paperwork to arrive in the mail that I need in order to schedule a trip to MEPS. I am 100% firm/job-locked on enlisting as a Corpsman despite my recruiter pushing for me to enlist under a SEAL Challenge Program contract. I will wait if I have to, but I am going to MEPS and telling everybody I want Corpsman and nothing else. My plans are as such: Enlist as an HM. Screen into SOCP during A-School and enter the pipeline for SARC.
I am sure everyone has their own reasons for wanting to enter special operations and I can respect the different views. As simple and blunt as I can say it, my own reasons are as such: I have always had an inherent desire to fight. I never grew out of my childhood dreams of being a warrior. I have always pushed myself to achieve and break odds. I consider my drive to be my strongest quality. I have high standards for myself and strive to be the best person I can be. I'm not an arrogant child who thinks he is the greatest simply because he has not yet failed. I have had my fair share of beatings and failures. I always grow from them. My confidence comes from having been tested and seeing myself step up. I find it hard to connect with the majority of my peers because they are so selfish and shortsighted. I know my true peers and the people I wish to live my life for are in the military and specifically, the special operations community. This is where I will find others like me. This is where I can utilize the qualities that define who I am. This is where I can be truly needed and satisfy my desire to give. One day I can rest easy knowing I lived my life for men I can respect.
