Hooah, Soldier!

So yes, I am an American soldier. I graduated from Basic Combat Training & my Advanced Individual Training. There has been a lot of mixed emotions about my whole experience. The emotions come mostly from feeling torn between the ideals & the reality of what it means to be a soldier.

The Soldier's Creed describes the ideal & yet we tend to fall short on that. It's a constant struggle to live up to ideals (of course!) but I constantly feel that it will always be worth striving for. What I've reflected on the most are the Army Values: Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, Personal Courage. They say that you can't have one without embodying the rest. I feel like words have finally been put to a lifestyle I've always imagined living.

I am proud to wear the uniform. I am proud to stand beside those who believe in justice; those who fought & died for it. The mentality of the Army is constantly changing. What it means to be a soldier has even change over time; but what remains still is the camaraderie & the chance to banish terror & oppression across the world.

During Basic Training, our platoon name was the Skull Crushers. We were asked to come up with a platoon motto. By the end of our cycle I came up with this:

We serve as the

Keepers of justice,

Protectors of freedom,

Guardians of the helpless.

We stand united with valor & might.

We are the Skull Crushers.