Army Strong?

If you knew me back in high school, you knew as someone who would have slapped you in the face for even mentioning me and military in the same sentence. I had no desire to go to the military, no reason to...no reason whatsoever. Being who I am now, I had no business being in the Army back then as it was. I was very arrogant, self centered, self sufficient, emotionless, and driven. I had my mind made up on what I was doing next after I finally got out of high school.

In college, I learned many things. I learned a career, I learned how to live, I learned how to use my own money to pay for things, I learned how to save that money to make sure I could survive later on into the month, I learned how to be a good room mate, I learned how to know which friends were healthy for me to be around, which ones to steer away from.

I learned how to love.

I learned what a relationship with God looked like, I learned how to lose weight, I learned how to hold myself accountable, I learned how to find friends again, I learned how to get involved at a church, I learned how to put my friends before myself, I learned how to love my friends, I learned how to love my friends in Ohio, learned how to know who my real ones were, learned about my faith and why we as Christians believe what we do, I learned what love means, I learned how to better study my bible, I learned the fascination of Martial Arts, I learned what it felt like to be punched in the face.

I learned how to be in relationship with people the way Jesus was in relationship with people. Not to get them saved, but to show them there is a God who loves them.

I'm telling these things to prove a point. That since what I was in high school as changed drastically, who I was then has also been changing in this past year in Atlanta. Most of you who will probably be reading this blog didn't even know who I was in high school yet alone even know who I was in college. I've made a lot of new friends in some of the stages of my life.

My thoughts about the military really started happening maybe a year ago, maybe a little less than that with movies that I grew up with one of my favorites being Braveheart, and then movies such as 300, Gladiator, whatever, those types of movies being movies where I admire the character of the characters. I want to possess this type of character. This can be easily dismissed though. I then started thinking about the military again when I met a friend of mine who is in the Air Force Reserves down here (or up here depending on where your from) and what he talked about with what he's done, where he's gone, whatever. It's interesting though, because he's not even particularly fond of the military. I just found it interesting. But again, I dismissed it because that is not my career field. I wouldn't have any reason to join the military.

I then met another friend who was in the process of joining the Army as a camera operator. He told me about how the Army has careers in Audio, and that is when I really started thinking about it. This was probably beginning of the summer this year. We talked a lot about things because we spent Monday's at the pool being that Monday was our weekend. Thats when I started doing some research, and kind of secretly checking it out.

I haven't told anyone, not even my family, my interest until this week. I'm kind of embaressed to say that, but I was seriously scared of what everyone would think. I was scared of all the oppinions everyone would have to try and pursuade me to do whatever and when I finally told my Dad I was thinking about the military on Monday this week, he surprisingly didn't react the way I was expecting. Neither did my mom. Or my Aunt...for the most part, or my grandma. OR MY GRANDMA. I don't care when we've become friends, if you know me, you know that my grandma's oppinion matters SO much to me. I love her more than anyone. And she was supportive. Her husband, my grandfather was a veteran in the military and for an army wife to be supportive of her grandson being interested in the same career choice, that has really given me some confidence.

A lot of my close friends have been supportive as well. I have had some people freak out, but nothing to the extend as what I was scared of happening. But, with all this, let me speak of the position I have been offered in the United States Army...

I have been offered the position of Army MOS 25R Visual Information Equipment Operator/Maintainer.

You can search for that on youtube and find a description video speaking briefly on what this positions tasks would be. It looks very beneficial to my career as well as pretty fun to even do as a stable job for most of my 20's. I've been offered to have most of my student loans paid off, I've been offered an impressive sign on bonus, as well as full coverage health insurance, housing expenses, food allowances, and then after all that, they will still pay me to do my job for them. Because I have my bachelors degree, I will be promoted upon enrollment to an E4 which is an Army Specialist. Most start as E1's and I will be starting with two promotions before I'm even done with basic training.

I will get to learn how to get into shape, I will get to learn how to defend myself, how to shoot guns, how to grow up in general. They will completely rid me of my old habits and replace them with discipline and courage. As one of my favorite quotes in Fight Club go, "It is only after we lose everything that we're free to do anything." I feel I will be closer to accomplishing this which is honestly very important to me. I see a lot of spiritual truth in that quote.

Not only this, but I will have the chance to travel with money not being the issue and experience things that most people never get to experience. As for the danger in it, yes, there is the danger of the position, but my whole life has been based on being careful. I haven't done too much in my life so far that has been very adventurous. I want to experience that. I want my story to be as interesting as what I can make it, and I feel like the Army can be a very good step in this direction in my life. To use another Fight Club quote, "I just don't want to die without a few scars."

So I know this has been a long post and I hope that some have read it in its entirety before messaging me or texting me with questions about this when I think I've addressed most of it in here. And the one thing I am asking for is prayer. I NEED prayer for wisdom in these next few weeks to be able to decide whether this is for me or not. I don't have much time to decide before the position isn't available anymore. Thank you for your support and I hope that you will keep me in your prayers.