Hello Future Soldiers, my name is Alex Buckley and I would like to take this opportunity to tell you about my decision to enlist in the United States Army. At 28 years old, I am a little older than most people who enter the Army. The thought of serving in the military started at a young age for me. On my mother’s side, my grandfather served as an officer in the Marine Corps and my grandfather from my father’s family served in the Army during World War II. In addition, many of my other relatives served in the military. Instead of enlisting in the military after graduating high school in Fairfax, VA in 2002, I decided to move to Germany for a year as an exchange student. After returning back to the states in 2003, I enrolled in a community college where I struggled to complete my Associate’s Degree. I finally completed my two year degree in 2007 and transferred to Schiller International University in Heidelberg Germany. In Heidelberg there was a large American military presence so many of my friends were either veterans of the Army or had parents serving in the Army. It was during my time at university where I became more interested in joining the Army.
In 2009 I completed my Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations and returned back to Virginia. Similar to many graduates, I had a difficult time trying to find employment relevant to my degree. I was interested in pursuing a career in the intelligence community since I lived in the Washington DC metropolitan area. Unfortunately, the majority of the agencies I applied to required previous experience or higher education. Eventually I had to accept a position in retail as a sales associate. For almost two years I worked as a sales associate and despite a few interviews with different agencies, I was still working in retail. After seeing the changes occurring inside of the company I worked for, I decided to leave for personal reasons and concentrate on finding a career which I was passionate about. In early July, I spoke with a recruiter for the Army. After I told him my weight, he asked that I come into the recruiting station for a body mass index before we discussed career opportunities. I was surprised to learn that I was 258 pounds and had a body mass of 30%. My recruiter explained to me that for my age group the maximum body fat percentage was a strict 26%. At first I felt discouraged, but my disappointment quickly turned into motivation. For two months I worked out every day at a boxing gym and made changes to my diet. All of the recruiters kept encouraging me to stay focused and never quit.
In September, my determination paid off and I reached 26% body fat. I was then handed to another recruiter in the same office who handled all of my paper work for MEPS and helped me find my MOS. Since my intentions were to make a career in the Army, my recruiter stressed the importance of choosing an MOS I felt comfortable with. The day I left for MEPS, my recruiter was waiting for me in the parking lot and insisted I go inside immediately. The MOS which I had my heart set on, 35F Intelligence Analyst came into the system literally minutes before I had to leave for MEPS. Since September, I have been in the delayed entry program and will ship out to basic training in March at Fort Jackson. Currently, I am 217 pounds and have a body mass of 20%. I still exercise on a regular basis and am very careful about what I eat. I hope to score well on Army Physical Fitness Test to improve my chances to make a possible career in the Army. I hope to use my experience to inspire other future Soldiers who are considering enlisting in the Army at an older age as well. It is never too late to make a change in yourself or start your career. I am very excited to begin my new journey and look forward to all of the new challenges and opportunities I will be faced with!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Future Soldier Alex Buckley
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Future Soldier Krista Grove
My story begins 3 years ago when I was only 17 years old. I always knew I wanted to join the military, and more importantly the ARMY, HOOAH! I was 17 years old when I first enlisted to serve this country! I was scheduled to ship out to BCT at Fort Jackson September 24, 2008. Unfortunately, that was not the case because something came up unexpectedly. A week before I was supposed to report to BCT I found out that I was 8 weeks pregnant! I was so scared and had no idea what to do. I ignored my recruiter for 2 days until he came to my house and I finally told him what was going on. Thankfully I was discharged on a good note, and that is what brings me here today! I am now 20 years old, have a 2 year old son, Champ, and was able to obtain my associates degree in the 3 years I was not able to be in. I am finally shipping out to basic as PFC Grove the end of February 2012. It cannot come fast enough. I am ready to become all that I can be in the United States Army and have my dreams of becoming an Officer and making the Army a career.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Future Soldier Denise Walker
Hi, well I am Denise Walker; I am a Future Soldier (HOOAH). I am 18 years old and was born in a life nobody would ask for. I can say where I come from, I wouldn't be where I am today if I didn't have a goal. My goal has always been the Military. When 09-11-01 took place I was 7 years old and I was so hurt to see innocent lives, to see kids my age, infants, toddlers, teenagers, adults, senior citizens, and government officials killed. I started asking different people about the Military and they would say to go to the Navy or Airforce. At the age of 12, my adopted mom passed away. I knew right then and there that I was all alone, no family, no nothing, and needed a career that could be beneficial to my future family.
I went on one of my relatives' computer and typed in US Female Marines and saw how low of a percentage were Marines and how they were the best. Then I typed the US Army and saw all of these jobs and programs and saw a video of a female Soldier, who was in foster care and I was like if she can be in the Army, then I can. I was set on my decision; my foster home was down the street from Paramount High School and I was in Army JROTC and wore the Class A Uniform with pride, but when I wore the ACU, I felt a sense of courage I have never felt before. On October 12, 2011 at 4:30 p.m myself and other Future Soldiers were called in to swear in. As I raised my right hand and said: I, Denise Walker, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of the Military Justice, So help me God.
I said those words with no regrets, no fear, nothing other than faith and hope to a better future. The Army is it for me there's no turning back . And now with me being an Army soldier, there is no sense of fear or doubt, this was the best decision I could have made!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Future Soldier Jesse Shelley
Hello! I am writing this for my husband, because he is so humble I know he won't write one. My husband is a Future Soldier, and I think he deserves to be featured on this blog. He wanted to join the military right out of high school, but never did. Now at 24 years of age, and three little girls later his job provides mostly what we need, but we struggle. My husband decided he was going to join the Army to provide better for the family. When he decided to join we couldn't get a hold of the recruiters here, in Myrtle Beach South Carolina, because they were out of the office for the weekend. We called to different cities to find out if he could even join the military, but because of having three children, he was told no several times.
Never giving up, finally Monday morning we reached a recruiter in the home office, and we were given some hope when he was told yes they will probably accept him, but he will need a waiver. We found out at this time that waivers were hard to get, but God opened doors, and after a long process he received his waiver, and will leave for basic training in a month. I am proud of my husband for following through with his dream even though it is a few years later, and also for standing up, and taking care of his family, and never giving up. He has been so dedicated to his PT, and has been making massive improvement. He started at not even being able to run a mile, since he never ran before, now he is up to 4 and a half!! I am proud of my husband, and Future Soldier!
Private Jesse Shelley
MOS: Horizontal Construction Engineer 12N
Myrtle Beach, S.C.