RickawayJE's blog: "From me."

Alot of times I have been asked, "Why did you join the Army?" Truthfully I did it because I didn't wish to go to college yet, I was tired of school, I wanted to do somethign different. One of my cousins had joined the marines a few years before and I went to her graduation and I became enamoured with the lifestyle. So when i was a senior I joined the marines, long story short it didnt work out so a year roundabouts after i graduated i Joined the army and went to basic. Throughout my time in I had successes and failures. Granted my failures outweigh my successes but that doesn't overall tarnish the experience. Ultimately my successes are MY successes same as my failures are MY failures, noone elses but mine. I could always pass blame around liberally. The military, like everything else, but possibly more so, you get out of it what you put into it. If you put your heart and soul into it then you'll be a "fast tracker" and rise fast and high in the ranks. or you can be a complete "shitbag" and scrape them until someone decides to give you the boot. 

I, unfortunately, was a mixture of the two. I did a rank "wave" going up and down, up and down. Mainly cause i couldnt keep my mouth shut and let my stubborn streak get the better of me. I wish i hadnt, but hindsight is always 20/20. Not saying I wasn't a good soldier. Just my bad things were really "bad" to some people. basically it was alot of little fuckups over 5 years in that bit me in my rear. but i've learned from it, after i shoulda but at least i still learned. 

I do not regret my time served. I do not regret serving in my unit, if i had a choice and I went back in, it would be home to 3d ACR. Always. I am loyal to that unit. Its my home, my family. I spent five years of my life with them, gave them my sweat and blood. Took bullets for them. mangled my body for them. I would do it all over again if i could. 

The army can be a great place. It can show you who you are deep inside. Show you what you're capable of, things that you have NO clue you can do right now. If you're considering it. You should do it. the benefits and possible gains by far outweigh any loss. 

In closing. I love the Army. I love the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment. I love my soldiers, my friends my brothers my Family.