More Than Battle Buddies

I have been in the Army for almost seven months now.

 

Seven months sounds like a long time, but it really isn't. It's quick. It's short. It's nothing compared to the life that I still have left to live and the life I am providing for my family.

 

Is it hard to be away? Absolutely. I miss my beautiful little girl every day. I miss waking up to my husband every morning. I miss cuddling with my dogs while I read my book. I miss it all.

 

But this has been an amazing experience, for myself and for my family.

 

When I joined the Army almost seven months ago my goal was just to make it through BCT and AIT. I wasn't planning on making friends. I wasn't planning on getting to know anyone. I just wanted to get through.

 

And then I got on the plane with four of the craziest guys I have ever met and flew to Oklahoma to begin my journey. Along the way we met a couple others heading to the same place. And when we got there? Talk about a ton of people. There were about 50 of us waiting for the midnight bus. And let me just say that it was a terrible bus ride.

 

We had no idea what we were in for when we stepped off that bus. It was cold. It was raining. We had all our stuff with us. We were a mess. But we got there.

 

And then we made it through reception.

 

Reception was some of the worst days. They were long and tiring and we weren't doing anything but sitting around waiting for our name to be called for the next appointment. Oh, and there was a holiday that week so we spent an extra two days in reception. Joy.

 

But I realized during that time that there was no way I was going to make it through by myself. I started talking to the other females in my platoon and getting to know them. I learned their names, where they were from, what they did before the Army, and why they decided to join. I started making friends.

 

And then we went to the other side of the tracks and began our journey through BCT. And we met the males in our new platoon and began talking to them, getting to know them. We learned their names, where they were from, what they did before the Army, and why they decided to join. We made more friends.

 

And then we talked to the people in other platoons and got to know them. And guess what? We learned their names, where they were from, what they did before the Army, and why the decided to join. And pretty soon I had nearly 200 friends in the Army. It was crazy!

 

My platoon at BCT has seen me laugh, seen me cry, seen me angry, and seen me in pain. My platoon at BCT has been there for me when I've needed someone to just tell me I could do it. My platoon was there for me when I didn't know where else to turn. They supported me, just as I supported them. We helped each other and we made it through. We graduated from Army Basic Combat Training. We did it. And it was an amazing journey.

 

And I walked away with memories of people I will remember for a lifetime (though some of them I wish I wouldn't...).

 

Then I came to AIT with about a third of the people I graduated BCT with. And when we got here we formed a new platoon with Soldiers from another BCT. And we started talking to those soldiers and getting to know them. We learned their names, where they were from, what they did before the Army, and why they decided to join.

 

I have now spent 3 and a half months in AIT. And I have even more friends than I did when I graduated BCT.

 

And I say friends because that is what we have become.

 

These people aren't just my battle buddies. They are my friends. And some of them are my family.

 

They have seen me in my darkest days and supported me and helped me find the light again. These people have picked me up when I've been down. They've laughed with me and helped me to feel included. They have helped me understand what it means to be willing to sacrifice your own life for another.

 

I never want to see these people hurt. I never want to see them cry. I never want to see them struggle.

 

I want them all to succeed. I want them all to know happiness. I want them all to know love.

 

I want them all to feel as though they have a family bigger than just the people back home.

 

I have grown to love these people over the past 3-6 months. I have grown to care so immensely for these people that I don't know how I am going to leave them.

 

I didn't join the Army to make friends. But I will forever be thankful for the bonds that have been created during these initial months and for the people who have become lifelong friends and family to me.

 

Thank you for pushing me through and being there for me.

 

I love you all and I am so proud of each and every one of you.

I am an American Soldier

As you all know, I've been absent from the blogging world (not to mention Facebook and Instagram...) for several months now.

Thank you United States Army.

It's official.

I am a United States Soldier.

Honestly, saying it out loud still seems so unreal. I say it, and I hear myself say it, but it doesn't sound like it could even be possible.

Yes, I went through Basic Combat Training (BCT).

But it still doesn't quite seem real.

Let's talk a little bit about BCT...

During BCT, there was a schedule for everything. From wake-up at 0500 (sometimes earlier) to lights-out at 2100 (sometimes later). We even had a schedule for when we were allowed to do our laundry. If you ran out of socks on Wednesday, you were out of luck because your laundry day wasn't until Thursday. Turn them inside out and call it "good". And then, if you were lucky, you might have been back to the battery in time to wash and dry your clothes.

Now that's not to say BCT wasn't any fun... I had a blast!

I learned how to shoot. I participated in some seriously awesome, massive bruise producing obstacle courses. I learned how to move as a member of a firing team in a combat situation. I made it through a 4K, 8K and 16K road march carrying a 30lb pack. And I made some amazing friends along the way. BCT was an amazing experience and I honestly wish everyone who is physically able was required to go through it once in their lifetime.

Not only did I learn new things, I learned a lot about myself.

I learned that I can be confident in myself.

I completed BCT. Me. I did it all.

I shot 34/40 targets on the range. I passed all three of my PT tests with flying colors. I wore the uniform every day, even when I didn't want to get out of bed. I earned my position as squad leader.

I did those things.

Was it hard? Absolutely.

Did I miss my family each and every day? Hell yes.

But am I proud of what I accomplished? Am I proud of what I am still doing?

More than anything.

People have told me I am selfish for joining the military, especially with my daughter and my husband both needing extra medical care. They have told me I was wrong for leaving them to pursue my dream. They have told me I should have just stayed where I was and lived with the choices I had made.

Let me tell you something.

This isn't just my dream.

This is my husband's dream. My husband fully supports me and tells me how proud he is of me on a daily basis. He is excited for our future and can't wait to live the Army life again, even if he is on the other side of the fence this time.

This is my daughter's dream. It is important for children to grow up knowing their parents have become everything they've ever wanted to be. My daughter is witnessing me becoming the woman and Soldier I have wanted to be since before she is born. She is watching me push myself and succeed. She has seen me earn the right to call myself a Soldier.

This is my family's dream. Joining the Army is going to provide for us, keep us healthy and safe. Becoming an Army family is making us stronger, even when we are apart.

We are an Army family.

I am an American Soldier.