My perseverance has gotten me past high school and through Army's basic training. The tragedy of September 11 and the War with Iraq have drowned me with a sense of reality; that in this world and age, war still happens and people do suffer. Since my return home in February last year, I realized how lucky I am to have not been deployed overseas. I, now, more than ever, devote my energy and time to my education and future. Knowing what I know today, I resent not participating in as many school programs and volunteer work as I could of, but for the amount I did have, the reward was very satisfying and enriching. The window of opportunity for me still has not closed, the Army has proved me that age and background does not limit, yet only strengthens, to one's potential.
Emotional Roller-coaster. My achievement of surviving boot camp only fuels my ambition further more of being a soldier. As I moved to California in search of purpose and education and satisfaction, the fantastical imagery of being a soldier still taunts me. As a member of the Army Reserves, my ideologies often circulate around the military community and its officers. The ROTC program offered by many nearby campuses is the perfect ingredient in my educational recipe. In a city as diverse and multicultural as Los Angeles, ROTC provides the perfect arena for scholars, students, and soldiers like myself; to appreciate the beauty of pursuing human excellence and harmony. As I found out, the military offers students and soldiers alike, many different paths to pay for college, and different ways to develop leadership skills and self-confidence crucial to the vitality of today's workforce. There are so many good things in the military for both men and women. The act of joining the services, itself, stands out considerably among common people. Sure, many people may choose to be a doctor or an accountant, but my hardships through the Army has toughen me in so many countless ways.