A sequel to my thread "What's your reason?", I got to thinking about this yesterday while jogging. This question is mainly directed to those who have not made it to MEPS yet. For me, what keeps me motivated, and it probably sounds weird, but I'm staying with a friend and her 3 daughters. I am settling into my new job, but this place is a madhouse! So my reasoning is get in to get out...lol. Anyway, I figure life is about making good decisions based on options. If I get DQ'd in the end, I'll have a job to fall back on for the next ten years (assuming that I don't lose it to the buy out...but thats another story). O.K. lurkers...time to say hello...What keeps you going?
"Whats my reason?" Well the way I see it is I live the American dream, good job,big house,hot wife,healthy and happy son,but the way it seems we are going to be at WAR for a long time to come. And maybe if I go off to fight the good fight, maybe my son won't have to. Not that 1 soldier can fix it all, or that I dont want my son to serve his country. So my motivation?....Its making sure my son gets the same opportunity I did to live the Dream.
Although I am already in, and finished with WTC, I know there are times when I wonder what I am doing in the CA-ARNG????
I keep my new dress blues out in the open, all setup with my bling-bling. You can see the blue pants with the gold stripe down the legs, you can see my ribbons, my ESWS, the nice round U.S. pin, those cool service stripes that look like the old cavalry uniform, my staff sergeant ranks, the regimental crests. I look at that and want so badly to put it on. Its mine now, it is who I am now. Behind it on the bedroom wall, are pictures of my four kids. I want them to know I didnt sit back and let tons of young men go off to war and not me. All those young men and women who didnt sign up, or wont, those who hate the war so much they hate the president, all the misinformed... I am motivated to want to put on that shiney new dress blue uniform and know one thing for certain...
I am an American Soldier. I am a warrior and member of a team. I serve the people of the United States and live the Army values...
I serve so one more young man can go home from Iraq in one peice and not return. So he can get on with his life, and get married and have kids like I did. I serve for him. Yep, thats pretty motivating to me.
one person can and does make a difference....thats what I have always believed in. Also, there is no greater honor than serving ones country and the friendships you develop in the military stay with you for life.
Well said OlderVet. Would gladly stand with you any day, any time, any where.
maybe if I go off to fight the good fight, maybe my son won't have to
You do realize that folks have been using this reasoning since the first time some guys deployed to fight some other guys.
And it has never started to kick in, in well over 1000's of years.
Wars are fought for lots of reasons. Sometimes even good ones. But most when you look back from the perch of history solved nothing all that worth while.
In fact many like WW1 just laid the ground work for future fighting and slaughter.
I have many reasons to put the uniform back on but the main one is my 18 year old son. He started college this week on an ROTC Scholarship and I have promised him that I will be at his commissioning ceremony in uniform, so that the first salute he receives as a commissoned officer in the United States Army comes from his very proud Dad.
There are many things that have motivated me to make this decision. First off, I have a 13 y/o daughter who deserves the freedoms and opportunities I had when I was growing up. Second, and probably most influential, is the fact that since I left the Air Force in 1997 I have always felt that I left something undone or that I still had more to give to my country and fellow soldiers. I have never had a job before or since that I took more pride in and was proud to tell anyone what I did for a living. I work in customer service now and I hear many people complain about things that don't make a difference to anything in the world or about things they have no idea what they are talking about. In the military we did our job, wether good or bad at the time, and could sleep at night knowing we did our part to help people live the life they live. I want my wife, daughter and mother to be proud of the man in their life doing his part to keep americans safe from all enemies.
I originally joined the AF to serve my country. I remember when I was studying tech manuals and the other Airmen in my shop were leaving at noon to go to school! I have always loved my country and wanted to serve it selflessly.
I got out of the AF in '05 b/c I had a recording contract offer (I'm a musician as well) and I had that 'the grass may be greener on the other side' kind of idealism. I figured I might be able to get to more people and do more for my country as a musician. I was DEAD WRONG. As soon as I started in they were pushing drugs, bad deals, trying to rip off the rights to my music...and they even asked me to keep quiet about my service!
After much thought I realized that I actually had a LOT more fun playing gigs when I was IN the military. Being a satellite tech by day and then playing in the Officer/NCO clubs at night was a blast.
What it all came down to was that I love serving this country and am ecstatic that the ARMY is giving me the opportunity to go back in and do just that.
I'm new to this forum and have learned a LOT from you all over the last few days! It motivated me to open an acct and join the team!
I'm headed to the career counselor in the morning...I'm shooting to go into 25s since I was a 2E151 in the Air Force...then go out for 18E once I'm in and ready for the Q course.
My "final" motivator came when I was sitting in a meeting at work. I work as a mortgage banker for a pretty decent company. However, really tuning in and listening to the selfishness and how money hungry my associates sounded made me sick. Yes, it's been 10 years since I've served on active duty, but being out this long and seeing that mentality made me realize how much I miss the military.
This week I lack in motivation..(Don't hurt me John...). There are times that I get pretty tired of the bland meals,ect..yep I actually can't wait for those MRE's...Anyway, I see myself as something like a Rocky Balboa. After you all stop snikering, hear me out. I get angry. Yep, full blown pissed at myself and then I go into a full focus, nothing can stop me now, attitude. It generally happens after I've been starving myself for a few weeks, then allow myself a few treats (which put on a few pounds). But you can see what I mean. My motivation to go back comes from the total and complete disillusion that civilian life is any better or worse than the military was/is. It's just life. You live it or you don't. Pretty basic. I don't care one bit that we are fighting on two fronts..(anyone happen to know what's in the middle, BTW?..) I would reenlist under any circumstances. It's about people. Those you live with and those you work with...which would you prefer? Civilians or vets?
3rd recon doc...just to add my 2 cents..my wifes' family are holocaust survivors so just to illustrate a point that was trying to be made above, yes, sometimes taking care of the fight at hand does prevent it from happening to your own kids. Anyway, my motivators are many, but the obvious ones are love of country and freedom and a beautiful little autistic girl i love more than life itself named hanah. she keeps me grounded and focused always.
) I would reenlist under any circumstances. It's about people. Those you live with and those you work with...which would you prefer? Civilians or vets?
