I am the only man in my family not to go into the US Military. In some families this could’ve been a major obstacle. I think my family saw that my talents where in other areas and were definitely supportive of the path I chose to take. I will say, being from a military family, I have the greatest respect for those who have served, do serve and will serve.
My family covered all of the branches except Coast Guard. My dad was a Naval Academy graduate, however both my grandfathers served in the US Army. I was about to sit with recruiters in the Army the last couple of weeks and it was such a great time. Also, pretty enlightening.
I really had no idea about all the benefits the Army specifically offers its soldiers. Everything from hefty signing bonuses to health care, housing, education and more. Essentially, if you go into the Army, you aren’t really paying for anything. You would think this would make recruiting one of the easiest jobs in the military. Well, unfortunately that’s not the case. In recent years, recruiting across all branches, across the nation has been down.
There used to be a sense of patriotism and duty that led young people to serve their country, but that notion is very rare these days. We are in a very divided place politically, and the idea of putting in work has definitely diminished. When you look at things in a big picture, we are all very lucky to be living in the country we do. Yes, there are issues. Big ones. But there is also a lot to be celebrated.
If the military is something you think is for you, I encourage you to reach out to your local recruiters. If not, I would still say it’s worth looking into. There are civilian versions of almost everything you can do in the Army, and the training you get is the best in the world. We live in a beautiful country, and our country and the people living in it deserve protection. Consider it. It could change your life.
Hear my full interview with the US Army below:
