Personal Narrative: Joining The Army

Personal Aspect
I joined the military in December of 2003, it was something that I wanted to since I was a kid. I believe in honor and respect, which the military is a perfect place for those traits. My parents had to also sign my initial contract because I was 17 at the time. If I had waited until I was 18 then they would not have to sign because I would have been legally an adult. I joined into a split op program at the time because I still had to finish high school. My grand pa had been in the navy, so I guess I also wanted to keep the military in the family. Not saying that I would push the military on my kids, but if they wanted to join like I did when I was 17 then I would be honored to let them. I went to MEPS in December where I signed my contract and sworn in under oath with the military creed. When I did that I felt like a new person because I was doing something that was an honor, and a privilege to do. I chose 21B as my primary MOS, which is not a common choice amongst other soldiers. We are the same thing as Infantry, but the main difference between Combat Engineers and

As soon as you step of the Cattle Truck the Drill Sergeants surround you saying anything and everything they can to mentally break you. They make you feel small and meaningless because you do nothing until they tell you to do it. As the hours pass and the days count up they get worse with their tactics of breaking you. They run you from dawn to dusk giving you very little sleep. You have weeks that feels like days from being sleep deprived, physically weak because all they do is push you trying to make you quiet, and mentally tired and giving you the sense of frailty. It does not get any better until AIT, which once I was done with basic training I came home and finished high school. About 6 months after I graduated, I received my orders for my second part of training called