Hello everyone, I'm mostly here to read and learn and likely won't be posting too much. I just thought it'd be polite to introduce myself to the community I'll be benefiting from--and have benefited from already through a few years of lurking. This post is just me verbally committing to the below path more than anything else. Thanks for stopping by.
A Brief About Me:
I'm a 20 year old college student who's finishing up his Computer Science bachelors in the next 6 months. It's a non-traditional, state school program and it's served my situation pretty well and is an all-around solid, non-profit, and regionally accredited university. College straight from high-school was not the path I saw myself taking, ha, but it's where we're at right now.
I originally planned to enlist directly after graduation. I made it as far as MEPs, got cleared first-go, and with no hiccups. Scored a 93 on my ASVAB and was in great shape having been a boxer from 8th grade onward. I loved my nursing classes in high-school, so I signed up as a 68 Whiskey. Healthcare just felt right; I loved learning about that kind of stuff with a passion.
Then my mother got hit by a truck about a month before high-school graduation. I stayed home to help take care of her--since she pretty much raised me and two other children all by herself. Needless to say, I was unhappy about not being able to go to Bootcamp, but was way more concerned with my mother's needs at the time--personally, it was a setback to overcome mentally being a good bit more immature than I am now, but it was ultimately my choice, not something I was forced to do. She needed me and that was all there was to it. I repositioned, reassessed, set new goals for myself amid the bout of family chaos and rolled with it.
After about three intensive surgeries where she almost didn't make it twice, and a nine-month recovery she was back on her feet. It was hard seeing someone like her like that, but I know for a fact it was even harder for her to be seen like that by all of us. I fell out of fighting shape during this time, got a job doing construction work, talked myself into learning from some on-site electricians, and signed up for college. I had to do something, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't stumbling in the dark back then.
What I'm Doing Now:
Thing is, I never took my eyes off the military, though. I like my field of study--I really do--but I just don't see myself being happy with it long-term. I'm not in debt, or anything; a combination of federal aid and hard work has me not really owing anything to anyone. It's a good feeling; I'll be graduating soon and I'm really excited for my loved ones to see me walk. I'm the first one in the family to go to college--though I suspect my little brothers will be nipping at my heels; our mom always held us up to that standard and made us feel like we could get there and they're sure sharp for their age.
My uncle was a member of the Special Forces, down at Brag I believe, and his stories always made me want to try for it one day. Pretty much the dream I had since I could remember dreaming. It's also the one thing that really makes me feel a bit uneasy; from everything I've heard, it's not a thing to joke about or go into lightly. No idea if I'll be able to make the cut, but I'm sure that's the same with everyone. After I graduate, I'm pretty firmly set on contacting the same recruiter who helped me go through the process the first go-around; he's a great guy and still checks in on me from time-time. I'm honestly pretty humbled that he even cares after I chose to pull out on him last second, regardless of my reasoning I did bail on him and a commitment I'd made and I acknowledge that.
Short Term Goals:
- Graduate. I've come this far, I've gotta do it. Be letting a lot of people down if I idle now.
- Use these last few months to get back in shape. It's not terrible with the manual labor and all, but I'm nowhere near what I used to be. I could do one-hundred push-ups in a row back in high-school, great form. Now I could probably barely do forty properly and without cheating. My cardio is all blow away into smoke, as well; no way I'd even be able to handle hardcore training right now, but my coaches taught me how to train and I know I can get myself back to where I was. It'll just take time.
- Gotta diet down too. Not fat or chubby, but we're currently tee-toeing on the furthest edge of athletic right now--not a good place to be for me.
- Contact my recruiter and see if he has any 18x contracts coming soon; if not, get a job in my industry and wait it out until he does.
Long Term Goals:
- Put my head down and try my best. Not sure if I can do it because I've never lived it. I am sure I have to try, though; I have reasons and motivations and have looked into the work as far as I can via the internet and my currently serving friends and family. Still, it's more of a weird drive I can't put a finger on than anything else. I just want to do something that matters; and if I don't make it, I'd be very proud to be a member of another MOS regardless. I want to serve and no amount of thought put into really seems to be able to dissuade the idea so I think it's the right thing to do for me.
A Brief About Me:
I'm a 20 year old college student who's finishing up his Computer Science bachelors in the next 6 months. It's a non-traditional, state school program and it's served my situation pretty well and is an all-around solid, non-profit, and regionally accredited university. College straight from high-school was not the path I saw myself taking, ha, but it's where we're at right now.
I originally planned to enlist directly after graduation. I made it as far as MEPs, got cleared first-go, and with no hiccups. Scored a 93 on my ASVAB and was in great shape having been a boxer from 8th grade onward. I loved my nursing classes in high-school, so I signed up as a 68 Whiskey. Healthcare just felt right; I loved learning about that kind of stuff with a passion.
Then my mother got hit by a truck about a month before high-school graduation. I stayed home to help take care of her--since she pretty much raised me and two other children all by herself. Needless to say, I was unhappy about not being able to go to Bootcamp, but was way more concerned with my mother's needs at the time--personally, it was a setback to overcome mentally being a good bit more immature than I am now, but it was ultimately my choice, not something I was forced to do. She needed me and that was all there was to it. I repositioned, reassessed, set new goals for myself amid the bout of family chaos and rolled with it.
After about three intensive surgeries where she almost didn't make it twice, and a nine-month recovery she was back on her feet. It was hard seeing someone like her like that, but I know for a fact it was even harder for her to be seen like that by all of us. I fell out of fighting shape during this time, got a job doing construction work, talked myself into learning from some on-site electricians, and signed up for college. I had to do something, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't stumbling in the dark back then.
What I'm Doing Now:
Thing is, I never took my eyes off the military, though. I like my field of study--I really do--but I just don't see myself being happy with it long-term. I'm not in debt, or anything; a combination of federal aid and hard work has me not really owing anything to anyone. It's a good feeling; I'll be graduating soon and I'm really excited for my loved ones to see me walk. I'm the first one in the family to go to college--though I suspect my little brothers will be nipping at my heels; our mom always held us up to that standard and made us feel like we could get there and they're sure sharp for their age.
My uncle was a member of the Special Forces, down at Brag I believe, and his stories always made me want to try for it one day. Pretty much the dream I had since I could remember dreaming. It's also the one thing that really makes me feel a bit uneasy; from everything I've heard, it's not a thing to joke about or go into lightly. No idea if I'll be able to make the cut, but I'm sure that's the same with everyone. After I graduate, I'm pretty firmly set on contacting the same recruiter who helped me go through the process the first go-around; he's a great guy and still checks in on me from time-time. I'm honestly pretty humbled that he even cares after I chose to pull out on him last second, regardless of my reasoning I did bail on him and a commitment I'd made and I acknowledge that.
Short Term Goals:
- Graduate. I've come this far, I've gotta do it. Be letting a lot of people down if I idle now.
- Use these last few months to get back in shape. It's not terrible with the manual labor and all, but I'm nowhere near what I used to be. I could do one-hundred push-ups in a row back in high-school, great form. Now I could probably barely do forty properly and without cheating. My cardio is all blow away into smoke, as well; no way I'd even be able to handle hardcore training right now, but my coaches taught me how to train and I know I can get myself back to where I was. It'll just take time.
- Gotta diet down too. Not fat or chubby, but we're currently tee-toeing on the furthest edge of athletic right now--not a good place to be for me.
- Contact my recruiter and see if he has any 18x contracts coming soon; if not, get a job in my industry and wait it out until he does.
Long Term Goals:
- Put my head down and try my best. Not sure if I can do it because I've never lived it. I am sure I have to try, though; I have reasons and motivations and have looked into the work as far as I can via the internet and my currently serving friends and family. Still, it's more of a weird drive I can't put a finger on than anything else. I just want to do something that matters; and if I don't make it, I'd be very proud to be a member of another MOS regardless. I want to serve and no amount of thought put into really seems to be able to dissuade the idea so I think it's the right thing to do for me.
