5 Life lessons I learned in the ARMY
That is a PATRIOT Missile firing in good Old El Paso, Tx. I worked with them in the ARMY. I joined the ARMY half way through my senior year of high school back in 2000. My boot camp was completed at Ft. Sill in lovely Lawton, Ok. If you are looking to change your whole outlook on life-join the ARMY! They truly strip you of your civilian ways and rebuild you as a Soldier. After boot camp, my AIT (Advanced Individual Training), and first duty station were located at Ft. Bliss in El Paso, Tx. Then, a day so detrimental, we all remember exactly where we were and what we were doing: 9/11. Upon news of the second tower being hit by another plane; we were placed on lock down. A short time later we were on a plane to support our allies in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sorry, no war stories today, just a brief history of my military career. My time serving as a young proud Soldier has had an effect on my whole life. I would like to share with you the top five life lessons I learned in the ARMY.
- Never put your faith in a coward
This harsh lesson was instilled in me before I even got on the plane to go to boot camp! Half way through my senior year my best friend approached me with a great question: what are you doing after we graduate? I fumbled some words then confidentially declared: college. Up to that point I had not pursued college in any way, or cared enough about my grades to get into a good college. My friend, knowing this, told me he was talking to an ARMY recruiter and that we could join together in something called the “buddy program.” That guarantees that you go to boot camp and your first duty station with your buddy. Without a though, I told my friend “I had his back, where do we sign up?” So we signed up together, in the “buddy program”, in December of 1999 with a leaving date of August, 15th 2000. About the first week of August I call my friend to see if he wanted me to pick him up for a basketball game we were in. He told me he wasn’t going, I said “alright, see ya tomorrow.” He cleared his throat and said he wasn’t going to the ARMY… “What?!? This was your idea!” I said, confused. He blamed it on his Grandmothers health… Well, that was a surreal lesson to learn. You could be best friends with someone for years and when it’s time to man up, you could lose them completely.
2. True definition of Loyalty
Loyalty is a key ingredient in making something bigger then you successful. Immediately after losing my best friend and embarking on this journey by myself, I was hesitant on letting strangers get close. That didn’t last long… The bond that you make with your fellow Soldiers is so beyond friendship that “Brother” is the only word strong enough to describe it. In a situation where you work, eat, sleep, play, fight, and live with the same people day in and day out it truly creates a comradery that is hard to describe in the civilian world. Don’t get me wrong, there is always an underlining patriotic loyalty to your country as a Soldier. Until you are in a country that breeds people that hate and want to kill you-your loyalty is immediately for the Soldier standing next to you. That is a big factor in the loyalty for your country-we fight as one. It has been a little over 13 years since my Honorable Discharge and I am proud to declare that I am still in touch with most of my brothers and sisters in arms who fought in Echo 3/43 11th ADA “Imperial” Brigade with me. Now that’s loyalty.
3. Always have good Attitude and Habits
Have you ever heard the term “Embrace the suck?” Those three words are some of the heaviest I have ever had to bear. It basically means: don’t deny what life is giving you, embrace it! If you can grasp this simple term and utilize it when the going gets tough, your attitude with shine over your peers! There is no worse cancer then somebody with a bad attitude. I would say a large percent of the time it sucks to be a Soldier. Having the mental toughness and intestinal fortitude to keep pushing and have a good attitude is the most priceless gift the ARMY instilled in me. At a close second is habits. One word, two syllables, yet practicing good habits can literally transform your life. In his 2014 commencement address at the University of Texas, Admiral William McRaven shared why it's so important to make your bed every morning. For those who haven’t heard Admiral McRavens’ speech, it’s definitely worth watching. He states that by attacking the day with this simple accomplishment you are already ahead of the game. This easy habit can help trigger other habits and, once conquered, can become routine. I carry this practice to this day and it really means the difference between a good day or a bad day. Life is too short for bad days…
4. The art of Discipline
This quote by Sun Tzu sums up military discipline: “The more you sweat in peace time the less you bleed in war.” You had to of seen this coming. Discipline; by definition is training to act in accordance with rules; drill. This is the backbone of being a Soldier. Every move you make from the time to get up and make your bunk, to buffing the hallway, to formation, and ending the day with Taps boils down to discipline. This proud structure takes a while to learn. It’s weird though, while you are in, the whole “discipline” of being a Soldier can get on your nerves and is the brunt of a lot of complaining. Yet, out now 13 years, as a civilian I yearn for that discipline in my everyday life. To the point where my wife has to periodically remind me that my sons are not in “boot camp.” “Yeah, yeah” I reply. As a Soldier, you constantly reflect of your ETS date (Estimated Time of Separation) with a countdown: “90 days and a wake up!” My ETS was extended with the war so I was “stoplossed.” They kept me in almost a whole year, oh well. Needs of the government. It reminds me that as a Soldier you are just a number. Discipline was the vehicle that helped me push through being stoplossed.
5. Respect
My interpretation of respect is kind of cliché. I view respect as the “Golden Rule”: do on to others as you want others to do unto you. The beauty of this rule is that it literally costs you nothing, yet can shine brighter than any watch, shoes, or tailored suit. This can be as simple as holding a door for someone, or as complex as taking a tongue lashing for something that wasn’t exactly your fault. In the military you are sworn to respect rank and the chain of command. This is tragically absent in the civilian world. The solution; respect everyone that you encounter as if they out rank you. This has actually helped me acquire a General Management position for a multimillion dollar company. In business they say to “treat the janitor with the same respect as the CEO.”
This is my ARMY family. 11th ADA "Imperial" Brigade Echo Battery 3/43 2003
