Joining the United States Military

             In addition to the general respect that most earn, a few decide to go above and beyond the standard call of duty. Even fewer of these individuals go on to make an impact on the military in general, even our country as a whole, moving into positions such as Sergeant Major of the Army, General of the Armies, Admiral of the Navy, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. More often, someone who goes above and beyond the call of duty, mainly earns the respect of their peers and veterans for actions that saved others' lives, such as rendering medical aid to someone during a firefight. .
             Second, joining the U.S. Military, particularly in the last decade and a half, has helped many people grow on a more personal level. From supporting others in their military duties while they fought overseas to supporting their families while both home and abroad, many like myself have matured significantly during our time in service. Throughout my entire time in the army, many things happened to make me grow and mature as a person, from the scared and naive teenager who barely understood what military service really stood for, to the bolder, more confident, and self-disciplined adult I've grown into today. During my service I had to deal with many things, such as the terrifying experience of not only being away from home for the first time in my life, but doing it from a combat zone. Later in my career I also got married and had children and I now thank my former supervisors to this day for the lessons that they and my parents taught and reinforced in me. Without those lessons, I would have never been able to handle both a new wife and children while deployed. Many of these lessons included how to motivate myself so I could keep going through the stress and anxiety of being separated from my family.
             Other personal improvements that can be made while in the military are a little more obvious. It is commonly assumed that most, if not all, active members of the armed forces are both physically fit and have a firm grasp of how to defend themselves in a violent situation.