signals officer

military police

infantryman

human resources specialist

crew member

U.S. Army

I have been in for 20 years now, and am on my way out. I have seen the Army change a lot over the years, mostly for the worst. While the first fifteen years never even felt like a job, this last stint has really made it difficult to get up and go in to work on some days.

I fly apache helicopters which sounds like a dream job, and it is. If all I did was fly, I would have no complaints. The problem with the Army is all the other stuff that is required on top of doing your job and the "more with less" mindset that we currently have, forcing some individuals in extremely understaffed positions to output the workload of what should be two or three people. 

As an instructor pilot, my typical day includes starts with checking weather, airspace advisories, and filling out the required paperwork. This includes a flight plan, performance sheet for the aircraft, and a risk assessment which I need to get briefed and approved from various individuals in the organization. I then conduct a crew brief with my other crewmember, often focusing on the various tasks we will be training that day. From there we will preflight the aircraft and pending weather and maintenance, go fly. This is the part of the job that is fantastic. Unfortunately the cons now outweigh the pros for me.

Pros:
Comradery - Every unit I have been in has had a group of like-minded individuals that has been a pleasure to work with. By and large the majority of the people I have worked with are trustworthy and at the core good people. Being a "volunteer Army," most people want to be there or at least wanted to at some point in their life.

Job Options - The Army offers jobs that you could not find anywhere else. Where else can you fly an Apache and be paid to do it? Want to shoot a tank, they have that too! Research is required though to ensure you are actually going to get to do what the recruiter is telling you.

Job Advancement - There are several options throughout the Army to better yourself and move up not only vertically in rank, but also horizontally into other positions or jobs. If you're in a critical specialty this can often be more difficult and you may get locked in. I initially enlisted though working on PATRIOT missile systems and later applied to go fly helicopters. Other options exist to change from enlisted to officer.

Benefits - The healthcare while not the best is free and you can't beat that. The pension if you make it to 20 years is also fantastic. There are several other overlooked things that can help you financially.

Cons:
Work-Life Balance - By far the worst part of the Army. I often sum it up to people with this statistic: I only have one child and I missed four or his first five birthdays. You will spend a lot of time away from family. Sure, there are periods where you may luck out and show up to a unit on the back side of a deployment and maybe they don't send you. You might work half days or almost not at all for a short period of time, getting plenty of time with the family. However there are also 9 month deployments. There are field exercises that can last between days and weeks. There are training events that will send you TDY to other locations for a month+. Eight hour days don't exist in the Army. Most Soldiers start at 0630 for physical training and get off around 1700.

80-20 Rule - 80% of the work in the Army is done by 20% of the people. If you are a hard-charger, you will be abused. You will be the go-to guy whenever they need a difficult task done. You will have additional duties piled on to of you since people can trust that you will do it right. You will work more than anyone else and there will always be more work to do. Contrast that with the lazy individual who is getting paid the exact same amount to sham out of their duties. The Army makes it extremely difficult to kick people out for things like poor work performance and therefore you will end up working harder for other people's shortcomings.

Variables in Unit Culture and Leadership -
Some units have been absolutely fantastic, full of competent leaders and stellar people. However, you're completely on the whim of your leadership and you may get some poor leaders. Due to the shortage of manning we currently face, promotion numbers are scary. Scary in a way that terrible leaders will be promoted and take charge of people. While not always the case, it seems like the majority of the great leaders know their worth and will get out after their initial obligation to make way more on the outside with far less BS to deal with.

Standards and Discipline - When I joined the Army was a tightly run organization held together by the non-commissioned officers ("The Backbone of the Army"). You did the right thing if anything for fear of getting destroyed by said NCOs. You feared the thought of having to low-crawl through a sandy volleyball pit while they hosed you with water.  Today though, the NCO core is full of weak individuals scared of confrontation. There are exceptions of course but the sheer number of NCOs I see who do not enforce any form of standards is mindboggling. There is no discipline among Soldiers and this harms the Army in so many ways but I don't want to turn this into a venting session or make it any longer than it already is.


PROS
1.Job Security. When you join the Army you are put in a certain job, if you tested well you are put into the job you wanted according to availability. Then you go through Basic Training and upon passing this you continue on to Advanced Individual Training (AIT). Upon completion of these two courses you become qualified for that job you were given. The job will be yours, there will be no lay-offs. Note: Only after completion of both Basic and AIT is the job yours. If failure of one or both of these training courses is a result, then you may lose your job and you would most likely be assigned with a less than desirable job. Transferring to another job is possible based on various and widely ranged circumstances. My fiance transferred to a different job just recently, and I can transfer to another job if I'm willing to give up the enlistment bonuses I was given. If I don't want to give up my bonus, I can pick another job when I enlist in a few years. There are options. 
2.Income annually adjusted for inflation. Based on inflation we get a pay raise every year. 
3.Dependable Retirement Benefits. It's not a question mark. 
4.Learn and train in new skills. The Army prides on the constant and consistent learning of its soldiers. It's definitely a pride of mine, the Army assists me in my goal to always keep learning. 
5.Stay in shape and Stay Healthy... and get paid doing it! It's a joke in the army, but a reality also, that we get paid for doing something we would do habitually even if we weren't in the Army. 
6.Gain lasting friendship bonds. The Army is its own community and as a community it has its own experiences. It's a great thing to know when you can count on a buddy with your life. 
7.Learn more about yourself. With the extreme training environments the Army puts you through you tend to learn a lot more about yourself than you would working at your local movie store or internship etc. The Army places its soldiers through extreme training so that the soldier will be ready for anything and thus more likely to come home unscathed. I learned more about myself and my abilities in six months of Army Training than I have in 10 years of my life. 
8.Skip out on the Routine Life. Army Life is definitely different. Training is constantly changing, something different always needs to be done or learned. It's great for people who don't like to stand idle. 
9.Take a break from school/work. With the choice of joining the military comes the outcome of your decision- if you're Active Army you have the life of a soldier on a base and possibly a deployment in the future, if you're Army Reserve you will have a deployment on your hands and if it's a break from school or work you want, then more power to ya, you'll get it. (side comment: debt free!) 
10.Educational benefits. The Army promotes Learning. It may take you out of school or work for a year or two, but learning and becoming a better person is always #1 so that you can do your job to its utmost effectiveness. So take a break from school or work and work as a medic or intel analyst for the Army, and let the Army help you expand your mind and your life. 
11.Full-Time Pride in the job that you do. One of the reasons why some join the Army, or just military in general, is because they are not interested in working in corporate offices. To them, and me, the 9-5 shift working in cubicles represents an empty, hollow, and meaningless way to live. By joining the Army we gain the meaning and the knowledge that we are serving our Country in a way that we can be proud of. 

CONS
1.If the Army's not for you, you'll hate it. Think carefully before you join, do your research. You always have time. The Army's maximum enlistment age is 42. Don't rush your decision.
2.Separation. My fiance is also in the Army and he's already been to Iraq and back. I had to endure the separation of that time and it's no small thing to ignore. Separation from your loved ones, whether you are in the military or you're a family member, is one of the aspects of military life that can make or break a person. 
3.Political Party of the President. No matter what, you must be willing to follow the orders of the current President, no matter the political affiliation. 
4.Early wake-up
5.Less predictable and controllable schedule
6.Army Food, depending on where you're stationed, will be either enjoyable or edible. Endure it and drive on.
7. From day one: no whining, no complaining and NO EXCUSES.
8.Possible injury or death. The risk is real, think before you act.
9.At times non-military personnel will be ignorant as to what you do in the Army and will act out against you with some sort of self-righteous display. Not everyone supports us, and every soldier needs to deal with that. Everyone is entitled to their opinions.
10.A lot of running. Deal with it soldier and drive on.

MILITARY BIOGRAPHY
RANK,STATUS: SERGEANT, DISABLED COMBAT VETERAN (AFG-2011)

ENTRY
Enlisted in May 2009 as an Army Reservist.
35F / 37F MOS Qualified (Intelligence Analyst and PSYOP Specialist).  


COMBAT DEPLOYMENT
Combat Deployment in January 2011 to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Operated in multiple provinces and conducted key missions to eliminate threats against United States of America and her allies. My combat deployment experience was extensive in working in direct conjunction with NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), ISAF (International Security Assistance Forces), CF (Coalition Forces), and other elements in both lethal and non-lethal operations. 

Returned home safe in March 2012 and completed additional military and civilian education. Graduated with Bachelor of Science degree in August 2012. 

Met A LOT of awesome people throughout my proud and dedicated Army career. I enjoy and take personal responsibility and accountability for taking care of EVERY soldier in my command.


RECOMMENDATIONS 
This job will prepare you for all avenues and directions of your life. The United States Army is a great resource for job skills, training, and networking. It way take care of you as long as you follow simple directions, know when to speak and when to listen, take all directions from leaders and especially respect your NCOs - whether you agree with them or not. WE are the BACKBONE of the Army. It is our job to train, guide, teach, mentor, and prepare juniors/peers/superiors alike for combat. 

This job is NOT for the following:
Faint-hearted
Soft in character or morals
Weak in physical or mental strength
Sensitive or easily offended  
Incompetent
Self-absorbed
Ignorant

The Army's job is to promote peace. We accomplish this by protecting our citizens. The best way to do that diplomacy. When diplomacy fails, it is our job to ELIMINATE the enemy, whoever that enemy is, whenever we are told to (by the President all the way down the chain), and we do it very well as long as we don't have those Seven (7) "Deadly Sins" listed above. 
If certain words or phrases bother the recruit please find another career or job or path in life...WE DON'T WANT YOU and WE DON'T NEED YOU.
The U.S. Army operates and assists many peoples and countries. We are in over 100 countries, including the U.K., Germany, Italy, Bahrain, Brazil, South Korea, Australia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Japan, etc. I have met people from ALL OVER THE WORLD and it is pretty incredible to hear other people's stories, if you "unplug" long enough to... 


DUTY. HONOR. COUNTRY. 

I am a Disabled Combat Veteran. I have served proudly since 2009. I am part of a time-honored corps. My mind and body have been sacrificed so peace can be maintained, encouraged, and prominent in OUR country. I will always face demons, whether real or not. I am pending Medical Retirement because I cannot continue the fight against OUR adversaries like the Army needs me to and that's OK. I have a beautiful, patient, loving, caring, awesome wife that many times over I know I don't deserve. We have and will continue to have beautiful children and pets. I get to stay on the home front and raise babies, help soldiers (serving or not). and participate in changing the things that are going on in this Country by aligning myself with fellow VETERANS and working to change this for the next generation of Soldiers/Sailors/Marines/Airmen/Coast Guard.   


CONCLUSION
Take Care of Each other, Look Behind You But Keep Your Eyes Forward, Stay Motivated/Hydrated/Well-Fed/Rested, Prepare for the NEXT rotation...it is already set in motion. I will miss serving alongside my comrades in combat, as awful as that reads but I got very proficient at my Warrior Tasks and Drills. I will miss saving someone's life by just encouraging fundamentals of war. Complacency kills. Keep moving. 
“Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live. Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you. Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, again understanding. Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you. She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.” ~Proverbs 4~   
    
It is time for more pain management...OUT.

I joined the Army Infantry at 18, eventually earning the rank of Sergeant and serving as a Rifle Team Leader in heavy, light, and mechanized infantry units. Overall, my time at Fort Carson and other duty stations including overseas time was rewarding, but there are a few key issues that stood out, particularly concerning the quality of life for soldiers.

The Army is an excellent place for growth, especially for young soldiers who are ready to take on responsibility and leadership roles. The experience you gain as a soldier is invaluable, teaching you how to take care of yourself, your uniform, your rifle, and even millions of dollars' worth of equipment. The Army instills discipline, responsibility, and a strong work ethic, and the leadership opportunities are exceptional. It’s a great foundation for anyone looking to build a successful future.

That said, there are serious shortcomings when it comes to the quality of life, especially for single soldiers. The Barracks are basic, and the food at the DFAC (Dining Facility) is subpar at best. As a single soldier, you're stuck with a meal card and no real option to opt in or out of it, which feels like a raw deal when the food is consistently bad. It’s frustrating when you’re already dealing with the physical demands of the job and then have to face poor nutrition. This issue is made worse when you realize that politicians and the Army may have been mismanaging funds, including the money allocated for food – no wonder the quality is so low. It’s disheartening and leaves a bad taste, literally and figuratively. 

That said, single soldiers get the short end of the stick, especially regarding the DFAC (Dining Facility). Not only was I paying $400–$450 a month for meal deductions, but the food was so bad not just taste wise, I mean the nutritional and caloric value is less than what a regular person might need to function let alone soldiers. So, I decided, and I ended up cooking in my room—against regulations—just to meet my nutritional needs. I even submitted a DA Form 4187 requesting to get my money back and stopping meal deductions, but it was never approved. Over seven years of service, I spent tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket just to eat properly, and I never got reimbursed a dime.
 The finance office, run by incompetent civilians, made it deliberately difficult for soldiers to opt out of the meal card system, even when my entire chain of command supported me. That’s why I never got in trouble for cooking in the barracks—everyone knew the system was broken. I’m not trying to sound entitled, but soldiers deserve better, especially considering how much they sacrifice. A lot of the hardships we face are part of the training and the job itself, which is understandable. But when it comes to something as basic as food and living conditions, that’s where the standards need to be raised. The quality of life should match the level of commitment soldiers give to their service.

An investigative report revealed that of the $225 million collected from junior enlisted soldiers through the Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) program, only $74 million was allocated for food. The remaining $151 million was redirected for other purposes, raising significant concerns about financial transparency and the adequacy of food services. - Military.com

Despite these issues, I still recommend the Army as a career path. The skills you learn, the leadership you develop, and the opportunity for personal growth are invaluable. The pay may not be great at first, but the benefits—like the GI Bill for education and the opportunity for a pension after 20 years—are solid. If you're willing to put in the work, the Army will help you succeed in the long run.

In conclusion, US Army is a place where you can grow, but the living conditions, especially food and barracks for single soldiers, are lacking. If the Army improves these aspects, it would make a world of difference for the soldiers who dedicate their lives to the service. 

My experience with the United States Army has been nothing short of exceptional. As someone who has had the privilege to serve, I can confidently say that the U.S. Army is an institution that profoundly shapes lives, instills values, and fosters a sense of purpose and belonging.

Professional Growth and Development

One of the most significant aspects of my time in the Army has been the professional growth and development opportunities. The Army's commitment to excellence is evident in its comprehensive training programs, which have equipped me with invaluable skills and knowledge. From leadership training to advanced technical courses, the Army has provided me with a solid foundation to excel in my career and beyond.

Sense of Purpose and Duty

Serving in the U.S. Army has given me a profound sense of purpose and duty. The Army's mission to protect and defend our nation is a noble and rewarding endeavor. Every day, I am reminded of the importance of my role and the impact I can have on the safety and security of our country. This sense of duty has been a driving force in my life, motivating me to strive for excellence in everything I do.

Camaraderie and Brotherhood

The camaraderie and brotherhood I have experienced in the Army are unparalleled. The bonds formed with fellow soldiers are deep and enduring, built on shared experiences, challenges, and triumphs. These relationships have provided me with a support system that feels like family, offering encouragement and camaraderie in both good times and tough times. The Army community is a tight-knit network where everyone looks out for one another, fostering a sense of unity and belonging.

Diverse and Inclusive Environment

The U.S. Army's commitment to diversity and inclusion has been another highlight of my experience. The Army brings together individuals from all walks of life, each contributing unique perspectives and experiences. This diversity not only enhances our ability to tackle complex challenges but also enriches our interactions and understanding of one another. The inclusive environment has allowed me to learn and grow alongside people from different backgrounds, broadening my horizons and fostering mutual respect.

Resilience and Adaptability

My time in the Army has taught me resilience and adaptability. The challenges faced during training, deployments, and daily operations have strengthened my ability to persevere in the face of adversity. The Army's emphasis on mental and physical resilience has equipped me with the tools to navigate difficult situations with confidence and composure. These lessons in resilience have been invaluable, extending beyond my military career into all aspects of my life.

Opportunities for Advancement

The U.S. Army offers numerous opportunities for advancement and career progression. The merit-based promotion system ensures that hard work and dedication are recognized and rewarded. This has motivated me to continually strive for excellence and take on new challenges. The Army's support for further education and professional development has also enabled me to pursue advanced degrees and certifications, setting me up for success both during and after my military service.

Conclusion

In summary, my experience with the United States Army has been profoundly positive. The opportunities for professional growth, the sense of purpose and duty, the camaraderie, and the inclusive environment have all contributed to a fulfilling and rewarding career. The lessons in resilience and adaptability have been invaluable, and the opportunities for advancement have allowed me to continually grow and succeed. Serving in the U.S. Army has been one of the most impactful and rewarding experiences of my life, and I am proud to be part of such an esteemed institution.

This is only the enlisted side.


Wake up at 5:30 AM for a formation at 6:30 AM. Do Physical Training in short sleeves and shorts in 50 degree weather. Get done at 7:30, go take a hot shower, and go get something to eat. You get an hour and a half, but that's really only great if you live in the barracks, which is usually across the street from where you work, but if you live off-post it's awful because you have to drive 15-20 minutes to home then try to do all those things and get back by 8:45, because, even though formation is at 9:00, you can be written up if you're less than 15 minutes early. (Get enough write ups and you can get an article 15 which can include any combination of pay forfeiture, loss of rank, or extra duty. Extra duty is fun, because you do all of the above, then work until 11:00 PM then still have to get up at 5:30)

You get to work and sit through a formation where you stand in one place, not allowed to move, while you listen to some Sergeant Major or Officer drone on about any number of mostly unimportant information. After this, you have to start work, which is usually doing some kind of preliminary maintenance checks and services (PMCS) on whichever equipment you may have assigned for that day, or you may have to lay out an entire storage container worth of countless items of gear for an inventory (which you usually sit around all day, and have to stay late for, because the leadership is terrible). You may get off between 4:30 PM and 6:30 PM, but you never really know for sure in most units, because it's entirely at your commander's discretion when you get off work (there are very few labor laws that apply to being a soldier). So you typically end up finishing your work at 3:00 PM and sitting around doing nothing, and getting yelled at for doing nothing (despite all the day's tasks being complete.) while you wait on the final formation of the day where your company First Sergeant has to also drone on about sometimes important, but usually unimportant topic for the next 30 minutes while you stand there with your hands behind your back. You get off and go home, peel off your uniform from all the sweating you've been doing that day, and get ready for the next day, but hopefully relax before then. This is nearly EVERY SINGLE DAY in the army, for a minimum of 3 years and a maximum of 8 years per enlistment. All of this does depend on your position of course, but this is typical.

The promotion system is awful too, basically if there are too many of the next highest rank (after you reach E-4). You will not be promoted unless you have maxed out everything you possibly can in promotion points (PT, Marksmanship, Awards, Education, etc), but it can take you YEARS to move up one rank, which usually is only about a $200 per month raise, depending on your time in service.

The army can be rewarding though, as if your commander will grant you permission, you can attend any number of schools, that would normally cost you money to attend, for free. Depending on your life choices, you can get free housing. You get free insurance, except life insurance which is about $23 per month for the max coverage of $400,000 (however, if you die doing something the army doesn't approve of they can deny your family that money, ie. drunk driving)
You get tuition assistance too, plus all the discounts that come with being military.

However, in my opinion, none of it is worth all the interminable, arbitrary nonsense that you have to deal with on a day to day basis. My advice? Use the military as a last resort ONLY. Exhaust all other options before you decide to come be miserable as a soldier. Did it for 6 years and I'm done.

IT MEANS YOU LIVE UP TO A HIGHER STANDARD
Many people know what the words Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage mean. But how often do you see someone actually live up to them? Soldiers learn these values in detail during Basic Combat Training (BCT), from then on they live them every day in everything they do — whether they’re on the job or off. In short, the Seven Core Army Values listed below are what being a Soldier is all about.

LOYALTY

Bear true faith and allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, the Army, your unit and other Soldiers. Bearing true faith and allegiance is a matter of believing in and devoting yourself to something or someone. A loyal Soldier is one who supports the leadership and stands up for fellow Soldiers. By wearing the uniform of the U.S. Army you are expressing your loyalty. And by doing your share, you show your loyalty to your unit.

DUTY

Fulfill your obligations. Doing your duty means more than carrying out your assigned tasks. Duty means being able to accomplish tasks as part of a team. The work of the U.S. Army is a complex combination of missions, tasks and responsibilities — all in constant motion. Our work entails building one assignment onto another. You fulfill your obligations as a part of your unit every time you resist the temptation to take “shortcuts” that might undermine the integrity of the final product.

RESPECT

Treat people as they should be treated. In the Soldier’s Code, we pledge to “treat others with dignity and respect while expecting others to do the same.” Respect is what allows us to appreciate the best in other people. Respect is trusting that all people have done their jobs and fulfilled their duty. And self-respect is a vital ingredient with the Army value of respect, which results from knowing you have put forth your best effort. The Army is one team and each of us has something to contribute.

SELFLESS SERVICE

Put the welfare of the Nation, the Army and your subordinates before your own. Selfless service is larger than just one person. In serving your country, you are doing your duty loyally without thought of recognition or gain. The basic building block of selfless service is the commitment of each team member to go a little further, endure a little longer, and look a little closer to see how he or she can add to the effort.

HONOR

Live up to Army values. The Nation’s highest military award is The Medal of Honor. This award goes to Soldiers who make honor a matter of daily living — Soldiers who develop the habit of being honorable, and solidify that habit with every value choice they make. Honor is a matter of carrying out, acting, and living the values of respect, duty, loyalty, selfless service, integrity and personal courage in everything you do.

INTEGRITY

Do what’s right, legally and morally. Integrity is a quality you develop by adhering to moral principles. It requires that you do and say nothing that deceives others. As your integrity grows, so does the trust others place in you. The more choices you make based on integrity, the more this highly prized value will affect your relationships with family and friends, and, finally, the fundamental acceptance of yourself.

PERSONAL COURAGE

Face fear, danger or adversity (physical or moral). Personal courage has long been associated with our Army. With physical courage, it is a matter of enduring physical duress and at times risking personal safety. Facing moral fear or adversity may be a long, slow process of continuing forward on the right path, especially if taking those actions is not popular with others. You can build your personal courage by daily standing up for and acting upon the things that you know are honorable.

A normal work day for me in the Army started with physical training, either running or muscle failure exercises. After physical training I would head to my office where we would work on upcoming training exercises, which would usually consist of creating roles for some of the individuals participating in the exercises, create reports that would be used in the excise and if needed help develop the scenario. If there was not an exercise planned we would work on our report writing skills as well as our intelligence gathering skills. This would sometimes be in the form of a class taught by our non-commissioned officers or government contractors on the instillation. 

The biggest thing that I learned during my time in the Army was how to work with people with all different personalities and how to adjust to changes quickly. Regularly during our preparation for training exercises the scenarios would change which would mean that we would have to change our reports or the roles that we had created. Being flexible is key when your working with people that are not always in the same office and that had differing ideas of what should or should not be in the exercise. My job as a human intelligence collector also gave me an opportunity to become a better public speaker and become more comfortable talking to not just my direct supervisors but non-commissioned officers and officers from other units that I would not normally talk with on a daily basis. We would have to brief people from outside of our office about our part in the exercise, some of which did may not have a solid understanding of my job. Being knowledgeable of the responsibilities of my job and how they effected  other peoples jobs, gave me a better understanding of my own job.

My leaders changed a few times and with the changes in leaders came changes in personalities and how things would be done. My direct supervisors have always helped me and my co-works adjust to the ever changing environment that is the Army. They would also offer help outside of work. If someone in my family was sick they would always ask how they could help, or if I needed anything. My co-workers were the same way. Everyone looked out for each other. It didn't matter if it was something as easy as helping someone move or as difficult as someone's loved one passing away, we worked together to help each other get through the hard times in life. 

The hardest part of the job was advancement. Moving up in the Army is based on your job and a points system. Points were earned through job specific schools, deployments, weapons ranges and physical training test scores. The highest amount of points that could be required is 798 points, which without deployments and multiple job specific schools is very hard to reach. For most of my time here promotion points have been at 798, which made it very difficult to move up in rank. The other hard part about the military is that you miss out on big events in your friend's and family's lives, like weddings, children being born or sometimes seeing loved ones before they pass. I have missed 3 or 4 weddings of real good friends, and seeing my family, due to training exercises.

The best part of my job is getting to talk with people and learning how to read people's body language. Being able to read people's body language and listening to what they are actually saying, instead of thinking about what your going to say back as allowed me to become better at defusing situations where someone was upset. I have learned that sometimes people want to feel like their issues are important even when we don't agree.

There is no typical day while in the Army, but that does not mean that there is nothing going on. The following of which i am about to mention can happen in any particular order. There will always be physical education, which usually takes place at 6:30 in the morning, but many times in the afternoon instead. Fifteen minutes before 8:00 am is when the team and i, nine at the most,  would be at work to turn on the computers, receive statuses, via satellite communication, from the warehouse on parts ordered, and then print out all other reports, which were four.

     On Fort Carson, i would drive our materials hauling PLS to the warehouse daily to pick up ordered parts, transport them back to our motorpool to sort them out, and mark the items with the company they belong to and the destination within the company. The items order numbers would then be input into the database followed by the customers picking them up or by me transporting them to their respective unit destinations. The parts received would vary depending if i was in Fort Carson or in Iraq. Constant ordering and transportation of parts took place because of the constant combat missions. 

     Team leaders constantly came in to keep track of what vehicles are in the computer system and how much damage each vehicle has. All of the eight companies had a combined total each of eighty vehicles, trailers, and generators in the system. This is massive amounts of data input and record keeping. It was not uncommon to add and delete hundreds of lines of data over the course of a day in regards to ordering parts and closing out work orders while inputting new data such as serial and model numbers for vehicles. Although inventorying was done once every two weeks while being stationed in Fort Carson, our home base, it was done everyday during free time while in Iraq. 13 to 15 months for each of my Army tours, which i have three of and two while in the Marine Corps. Midway through the day, statuses would have to be received again from the warehouse and i would have to send them reports showing the statuses we received. Those same reports would be viewed in person by my chief or it would be sent to him. At the end of the day, the same reports would be sent out and others received in order to make sure sure that things run smoothly within the Army supply chain as a whole.

     To work at such a record pace, and we did set records during the Army's version of competitive practices in Southern Arizona, we, with the exception of non-caring and untrustworthy non-commissioned officer, trusted each other both on and off the battlefield. We were friends, brothers and sisters in arms, and not just mere co-workers. Training together the way we did brought out the best of the best in all of us to the pint to where we often didn't need words to communicate in order to get something done. We each knew what to do. During the times where the outside temperature was 140 degrees, of course people will have bad days and stresses will flare up, but we worked through it and stayed together. Whenever one of us would mess up, somebody would be quick to point it out, sometimes rather bluntly, but it would be quickly rectified. These are the type of friends i could count on with my life on or off the job.

From the experiences that I had, the realization that there are many pros and cons to possible situations. Overall, its how an individual may use those experiences for themselves, and others.

   The military has systems in place from many years of operating, which allow for many opportunities, resources, and experiences that would not typically be accessible for those outside of its supervision. The job security, health coverage, and benefits are there for personnel that reach out for it while meeting their expected obligations. Be aware that there will be times that "mission comes first" so time management is key for before, during, and after for all matters related to duties and personal responsibilities. 

   Aside from management of time, there will be resource management along with being aware for personal relations of all members supporting intended missions. At times, the people around specific situations and places, will entirely make the difference toward many aspects of being employed by the U.S. Army. Regardless of any issues. To reduce the chances of complications in the face of differing guidance, there is black and white documentation, that has been approved by the a corresponding authority relevant to each appropriate echelon's reference. Which can help adjust any foreseeable issues with personnel relations, if taken time to at least know where to reference. Even better when able to recite such guidelines when needing to make any advisable and confidant statements for what "Right looks like". Just be aware to always verify how up-to-date those guidelines may be and their sources.

   For the individual impact, there will be times when there is excellent leadership supervising those below, balancing working with others, and following their positions' requirements as well. Once you train your job skills, hone them, perform mission functions, maintain good health, keep up on physical fitness requirements, stay in compliance with personal records, that will ensure to utilize the benefits allotted to service members.
 
   The benefits and resources can extend past what a service member is initially told, but ultimately up to the individual to seek and initiate most of them. A career in the military is a malleable thing once understanding the options available to a soldier. Keep in mind that things change due to availability,compliance reasons, and financial state of resources designated within that Command/area. So be adaptable to still make the most of time within service. 

    There are plenty of professionals that are in, and supporting, the services around the U.S. Army. Which have guided those around them, when able. It is still up to the individual to do what they seek, while being able to meet all the various requirements. The military has a system in place that will help with each step, even if the immediate choices may not be ideal, there are alternate options if situations are justified. 

  Ultimately, the Army has taught me many things I lacked prior to service, which I'm grateful for. There were many opportunities springboard from my time of service as well that aren't as reachable without certain network channels, or even financial backing elsewhere. The key take is to keep the motivation's you have to propel you towards a future you desire since there is an asset that can be gained from service in most paths from American society. Stay determined while performing necessary duties and you'll be able to gain more than a standard career.

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