My Life Experiences
John Winkel
My Life Experiences "I, (state your full name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.” This is the oath that every person joining the military has to recite and abide by. Reciting this Oath of Enlistment was possibly the biggest turning point in my life. It was April 14th 2004 when I first recited that Oath of Enlistment. It was not until July 14th 2004 that those words actually hit home for me. The day I left for Army Basic Training, July 14th 2004. When I said those 74 words for the second and final time before leaving my home and shipping out to basic training, I then realized that my life was in for the turn of the century. I did know what to expect of the Army, I didn’t know how I should feel; nervous, excited, scared, or calm. But I did know one thing, that this plane ride to Kentucky will be the most important plane ride of my life. And to this day I have not had a more important plane ride. Most people see the military as getting talked down on, going to war all day every day, violence, blood, guts and gore. But honestly there is more to being in the military then people actually see. Not only does it help the most immature teenagers turn into a respectful adult, but it also helps young girls turn into strong independent women. When I joined the military back in `04 you could say that I was the typical 18yr old male. I was not the stellar student my mom wanted me to be, I wasn’t the typical role model for my brother, I had no responsibilities that I care about, and honestly I hate authority. But little was I to know, that was all going to change in a matter of weeks. The next 8
My Life Experiences "I, (state your full name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.” This is the oath that every person joining the military has to recite and abide by. Reciting this Oath of Enlistment was possibly the biggest turning point in my life. It was April 14th 2004 when I first recited that Oath of Enlistment. It was not until July 14th 2004 that those words actually hit home for me. The day I left for Army Basic Training, July 14th 2004. When I said those 74 words for the second and final time before leaving my home and shipping out to basic training, I then realized that my life was in for the turn of the century. I did know what to expect of the Army, I didn’t know how I should feel; nervous, excited, scared, or calm. But I did know one thing, that this plane ride to Kentucky will be the most important plane ride of my life. And to this day I have not had a more important plane ride. Most people see the military as getting talked down on, going to war all day every day, violence, blood, guts and gore. But honestly there is more to being in the military then people actually see. Not only does it help the most immature teenagers turn into a respectful adult, but it also helps young girls turn into strong independent women. When I joined the military back in `04 you could say that I was the typical 18yr old male. I was not the stellar student my mom wanted me to be, I wasn’t the typical role model for my brother, I had no responsibilities that I care about, and honestly I hate authority. But little was I to know, that was all going to change in a matter of weeks. The next 8