The day I raised my right hand....
The day I raised my right hand and swore an oath to protect the constitution of the United States of America from all enemies foreign and domestic. This day, in particular, was August 18th, 2008. I was young, I was excited, I yearned for adventure. All these thoughts ran through my head. "How proud my parents are going to be of me," I thought. I am going from being a college drop-out to become a US Army soldier, what a day of smiles. Later on that day I returned from the MEPS center to my home, to find my household was so quiet. Everyone seemed so deep in thought. A sense of a tension and depression lingered in the air, it could have probably been cut with a knife. "Where is all the excitement I wondered, where is all the joy that I am feeling?", I thought to myself. This was something that I would dream of as a child, and now it is becoming a reality and yet no one seems to share my enthusiasm.
I walked up to my father and I asked him, "Dad, aren't you proud of me?, I am going to become something more than the nothing I feel that I am now." My father looked at me, eyes so sad, and heavy with worry. A stare so distant as if thinking of a loved one that has recently passed. It was that stare that I realized what I had not known. The horror of a father or mother, watching their first born, willing to go off and fight in a war. The fear of losing your child, or a sense that you may never see them again. That was the stare I saw in my father that night. I told him, "Dad, I am going to be ok." "This is something I have to do in order to better myself as a productive member of society," I said. "I need this in my life. I need to see what I can become." I continued.
With that my father gave me a hug, my mother too. "we support you." they said. "It's not easy to let you go." my thoughts were confirmed. I assured them I would be all right. We had supper as a family that night, my baby brother he couldn't have been more than 5 years old at the time. Two younger sisters that were in high school and my parents. All of enjoying our meal, and laughing. Making as many memories as we could that night, for the next morning I would have to depart to the airport. My orders had already been drawn. All my official government paperwork ready to go in thick yellow manilla folders. The next morning it all sunk in. It was the hardest thing I had to do. My father helped me with my bags as I hugged my mother goodbye.
Oh, how horrible I felt to watch my mother weep with such a passion. She looked so helpless, and I felt so horrible. A deep feeling of sadness hit me right in the chest. She hugged me so hard it made me feel worse. I knew I had to do it now. Not for my mother, not for my father, nor the rest of my family. But for myself. Had I not done so who knows where I would be today. Granted that being a service member on active duty has so many pros. But at the same time, it also has so many cons. This primarily falls on the type of MOS you qualify for, as well as you choosing it. Mine leaving that day I see my family now years after my service I see how much they have also grown with being away. My younger siblings making their great choices without big brother being there. I am proud of how far my family has come. However as a former, 12 - Bravo, Combat Engineer with the 23rd Airborne Sapper Co. 6th Engineer Battalion, stationed in Fort-Richardson Alaska. Years after my service and deployment. I continue to fight my own battles and trying to make it out here in the civilian sector. After suffering two TBI's, multiple IED strikes, as well as trying to overcome or cope with PTSD. I do not regret my service. However, I wish I could have done more. There is so much that I am leaving out for now but maybe in the future, I will be able to let my friends here on Steemit know a little more about MightyMon6. Until then this is MightyMon6, thank you all for reading. Thank you all for your support. Till next time.
All pics are from https://pixabay.com
"For those, my brothers and sisters in arms that never made it home, we honor your ultimate sacrifice. For my brothers and sisters in arms still in the fight, we thank you for continued service. And to those who have served thank you so much for your dedicated service."
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