The world is a different place now then when I joined the army so many years ago. It was 1986 and I had just turned 17 years old. The enemy in those days were the Russians and Communists then came Iraq and now it is the terrorists and religious extremists. I always told my mother and father that I was going to be in the Army in some fashion. By the time I had turned 12 years old my father no longer lived in our home and my mother was now a single mom.
For my mother it was tough going raising three kids and having an ex-husband that didn't pay much of any Child Support. My mother worked, and worked hard. She was never on welfare although the extra money would have helped us out a bit. I never really saw my father that much. At first that was his doing then later on by my choice.
I had been in the Sea Cadets for a number of years until I hit 16 when my mother saw an advertisement in the local news paper. The local reserve unit was looking for new soldiers. She took me to the Armoury and I signed the line in November 1986. I had to wait until I was 17 years old, but shortly after that, life would never be the same.
I think that my mother was relived that I had actually taken that step. Although I didnt see it then, I think she noticed that there was something missing from my life. I think she felt she couldn't teach me some of the things I needed to learn. My father wasn't going to teach me, so she had to find a way.
I grew up hearing stories of the soldiers in my family, my grandfathers and uncles and even my mother had there own stories of life in the service. I m sure there were many things that she believed I needed to know. One of the things I am most thankful for and I do owe this to a tiny INDO immigrant woman, she found a way to make me strong. She found a way to give me the tools to meet life head on and to move forward under adversity and hardship.
I also think that she knew that I wouldn't be going to a community college or university, simply because there was no money to pay for it and because I just didn't do well in school. She needed me to find my way in the world and to do that she lit the fire. It also helped that I got paid for my service, I mean a kid in High school that made his own money lived like a king. But I think mom knew that would be the the case as well, once I got the feel for the green stuff there was no going back.
She pointed me in a direction that she knew I needed to go, her picking up that paper and geting me to go to the Armoury is one of those moments that we all have in life. That moment in time we look back on and say that could have turned out different. Just a simple action can change an entire outlook on life and the things that happen in it.
Also my reasons for joining the army, are also personal. I could spend hours and hours writing about all the reasons why I am a soldier, but for now it will just have to do that it was the push of an Immigrant women that set me on this path.
For my mother it was tough going raising three kids and having an ex-husband that didn't pay much of any Child Support. My mother worked, and worked hard. She was never on welfare although the extra money would have helped us out a bit. I never really saw my father that much. At first that was his doing then later on by my choice.
I had been in the Sea Cadets for a number of years until I hit 16 when my mother saw an advertisement in the local news paper. The local reserve unit was looking for new soldiers. She took me to the Armoury and I signed the line in November 1986. I had to wait until I was 17 years old, but shortly after that, life would never be the same.
I think that my mother was relived that I had actually taken that step. Although I didnt see it then, I think she noticed that there was something missing from my life. I think she felt she couldn't teach me some of the things I needed to learn. My father wasn't going to teach me, so she had to find a way.
I grew up hearing stories of the soldiers in my family, my grandfathers and uncles and even my mother had there own stories of life in the service. I m sure there were many things that she believed I needed to know. One of the things I am most thankful for and I do owe this to a tiny INDO immigrant woman, she found a way to make me strong. She found a way to give me the tools to meet life head on and to move forward under adversity and hardship.
I also think that she knew that I wouldn't be going to a community college or university, simply because there was no money to pay for it and because I just didn't do well in school. She needed me to find my way in the world and to do that she lit the fire. It also helped that I got paid for my service, I mean a kid in High school that made his own money lived like a king. But I think mom knew that would be the the case as well, once I got the feel for the green stuff there was no going back.
She pointed me in a direction that she knew I needed to go, her picking up that paper and geting me to go to the Armoury is one of those moments that we all have in life. That moment in time we look back on and say that could have turned out different. Just a simple action can change an entire outlook on life and the things that happen in it.
Also my reasons for joining the army, are also personal. I could spend hours and hours writing about all the reasons why I am a soldier, but for now it will just have to do that it was the push of an Immigrant women that set me on this path.
