Military Life?

          The biggest piece of advice I was given in writing this blog was to write about things that matter to me. It has taken me a while to get comfortable in writing my blog, but I feel like I have a better understanding of how to do this. So, writing what matters to me begins now.

            When I was fourteen years old I was determined that I was going to join the military. I was going to go into the Navy and be jet mechanic just like my dad. I was sure that that was what I was going to do. When I told my sisters that I was going to join the Navy, they thought I was crazy. They couldn’t believe that I would want to do that. My mom really struggled when I told her. She didn’t think it was a good idea and told me so. My dad wasn’t quite sure what to think and never really responded. I wasn’t quite sure how to react to all the negative responses I was receiving. But it frustrated me.

            Being stubborn, I wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Every time someone told me that I couldn’t do it or that I would never make it I pushed harder. I was determined to prove everyone wrong; that I could do it. I started jogging on a daily bases and tried to build up my body strength. Although, I never did quite master push-ups. I just wanted to be in the military so bad.

            I have always had a high appreciations for our military personnel, and I wanted to be among the number of our true heroes. Every time I see a certain video that plays the song “It has Always Been the Soldier” I cry. It makes me so thankful for the freedom we have. And it causes me to think about the past soldiers who have fought and what they and their families have been through. Of the ones who paid the ultimate price for what they believed in. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it.

            After hearing for over a year why going into the military wasn’t a good idea and being constantly put down, I finally started listening. I listened to why people thought I wouldn’t make it. My mom didn’t like the idea of losing her “little” girl. But she also had other reasons. And among them were: she didn’t think that the military, or war, was a place for a woman, she didn’t think that I would be able to stand the yelling of orders from the superiors, and also she didn’t like the idea of me being exposed to certain things such as constant swearing. My dad agreed in that he didn’t think that God meant for women to fight in the military. He told me that if I could find a place in the Bible where a woman actually FOUGHT in battle then he would let me go. Of course I couldn’t find one. Although I tried, and even looked for loopholes. There weren’t any so, I outwardly gave up my dream for joining the military.

            Even though I am not going into the military, I still have passion for those who are in the services. I fully support women who join, just because I’m not going doesn’t mean someone else can’t go. I would like to work somehow, with the military. I would love to work at a VA or even a military base. I may have high hopes but you never know how your dreams will play out into real life.