Life Altering Decision
Posted: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 04:31:00
At the ripe young age of 20, I realized that college wasn't for me. With three years of schooling already down, the possibilities of me returning another year were looking smaller and
smaller everyday. I woke up, bright and early at 06:30 to shower, eat, and be at an 08:00 class. From 08:00-2:30 I sat behind various desks learning all that there is to teach in various
classes. Japanese, Business, Accounting, and many more were all accounted for. Grades were good, A's in nearly all of my classes. But, for what? I worked a job at a local grocery store, full
time Dairy Manager. Had control of my department, two guys who worked under me, and the respect of all who worked above me.
I would work 40 hours a week and go to school approximately 20 more, and for what reason? Everyone tells me that I should go to school, stay in school, get a degree, and then become
some kind of professional. However, I see nothing there that will bring honor to my family and myself. I want to be proud of something I have done. I was a swimmer for many years, have
two state championship rings and that I am proud of. I graduated with a 3.88 GPA from high school yet I was not proud of that, nor was I proud of my grades in college. To me, it seemed to
lead nowhere for me.
All of a sudden I realized that I could no longer go to school and sit bored while the teacher's taught me everything I should know. I have always been one to teach myself things without
any help from outside sources. However, I was being spoon fed my lessons at a rate at which sloths climb trees. I was going nowhere. My job, was practically going nowhere too due to my
supervisors messing up the inventory of the store by over $150K and I was not contempt in working there any longer. So, I made quite the life altering decision last December. I decided to
buy my first weapon.
My first gun, at the age of 20, and never having shot a weapon, was a 1943 Mosin Nagant I bought at a local gun store for about $190. Now, the gun is a non-numbers matching rifle
and looks like it was assembled by many parts from other guns. Which is fine for me because of how much ammunition came with the thing. I got about 200 rounds for the Nagant and about
200 rounds of 17 Mach II because I knew that would be my next purchase. I got the Nagant home and decided that I HAD to shoot the thing. So I did, and loved it, absolutely loved it.
I then, saved up some more money, and purchased a Savage 17 Mach II, a 9mm Makarov pistol, and a Mossberg 270 rifle. After my four purchases I think I had figured out what I
wanted to do when I saw an old picture of my late grandfather in uniform. He was in his Army/Air Force uniform from World War II and I could not have been prouder to have seen this
picture. At the ripe young age of 16 my grandfather was en route to Europe to fight for his country. It was then and there, with my Nagant slung on my back going out to shoot, that I
decided I would enter the military.
I thought to myself, now what branch do I go into? Where can my swimming skills be utilized the most? When I was 12, I began swimming 8 miles a day and running the same, so I knew
something physically demanding was a must. Waking up at 4:30 in the morning to go work out before middle school definitely made me a stronger person and I thought that the military
could put my abilities to good use. As a swimmer and being in the water the Marines, Army, and Air Force were quickly eliminated. So, I called the Coast Guard and the NAVY. The Coast
Guard didn't seem to want to have anything to do with me so off to the NAVY I went to talk to them about the SEALs.
I went to the MEPS, took my ASVAB (93% score), did all of my medical background and what not, and then got turned down because of my horrible eye sight. That's fine, I thought, it will
just be a small bump in the path that I have chosen. I sent in my medical records for a waiver that would ultimately be denied. After being turned down I went to my parents, talked to them
about surgery, and ended up getting the surgery. A week ago I got cleared by my doctor to go back and talk to the NAVY and now I am waiting on paperwork from my doctor to show to the
NAVY. I am very excited and hopefully I will be able to serve with the best men and women that this country has to offer.
Sorry if this is not much of an "article" but I was just typing some other stuff and decided to post something up in here. Thanks for reading, if you actually make it to the end.
smaller everyday. I woke up, bright and early at 06:30 to shower, eat, and be at an 08:00 class. From 08:00-2:30 I sat behind various desks learning all that there is to teach in various
classes. Japanese, Business, Accounting, and many more were all accounted for. Grades were good, A's in nearly all of my classes. But, for what? I worked a job at a local grocery store, full
time Dairy Manager. Had control of my department, two guys who worked under me, and the respect of all who worked above me.
I would work 40 hours a week and go to school approximately 20 more, and for what reason? Everyone tells me that I should go to school, stay in school, get a degree, and then become
some kind of professional. However, I see nothing there that will bring honor to my family and myself. I want to be proud of something I have done. I was a swimmer for many years, have
two state championship rings and that I am proud of. I graduated with a 3.88 GPA from high school yet I was not proud of that, nor was I proud of my grades in college. To me, it seemed to
lead nowhere for me.
All of a sudden I realized that I could no longer go to school and sit bored while the teacher's taught me everything I should know. I have always been one to teach myself things without
any help from outside sources. However, I was being spoon fed my lessons at a rate at which sloths climb trees. I was going nowhere. My job, was practically going nowhere too due to my
supervisors messing up the inventory of the store by over $150K and I was not contempt in working there any longer. So, I made quite the life altering decision last December. I decided to
buy my first weapon.
My first gun, at the age of 20, and never having shot a weapon, was a 1943 Mosin Nagant I bought at a local gun store for about $190. Now, the gun is a non-numbers matching rifle
and looks like it was assembled by many parts from other guns. Which is fine for me because of how much ammunition came with the thing. I got about 200 rounds for the Nagant and about
200 rounds of 17 Mach II because I knew that would be my next purchase. I got the Nagant home and decided that I HAD to shoot the thing. So I did, and loved it, absolutely loved it.
I then, saved up some more money, and purchased a Savage 17 Mach II, a 9mm Makarov pistol, and a Mossberg 270 rifle. After my four purchases I think I had figured out what I
wanted to do when I saw an old picture of my late grandfather in uniform. He was in his Army/Air Force uniform from World War II and I could not have been prouder to have seen this
picture. At the ripe young age of 16 my grandfather was en route to Europe to fight for his country. It was then and there, with my Nagant slung on my back going out to shoot, that I
decided I would enter the military.
I thought to myself, now what branch do I go into? Where can my swimming skills be utilized the most? When I was 12, I began swimming 8 miles a day and running the same, so I knew
something physically demanding was a must. Waking up at 4:30 in the morning to go work out before middle school definitely made me a stronger person and I thought that the military
could put my abilities to good use. As a swimmer and being in the water the Marines, Army, and Air Force were quickly eliminated. So, I called the Coast Guard and the NAVY. The Coast
Guard didn't seem to want to have anything to do with me so off to the NAVY I went to talk to them about the SEALs.
I went to the MEPS, took my ASVAB (93% score), did all of my medical background and what not, and then got turned down because of my horrible eye sight. That's fine, I thought, it will
just be a small bump in the path that I have chosen. I sent in my medical records for a waiver that would ultimately be denied. After being turned down I went to my parents, talked to them
about surgery, and ended up getting the surgery. A week ago I got cleared by my doctor to go back and talk to the NAVY and now I am waiting on paperwork from my doctor to show to the
NAVY. I am very excited and hopefully I will be able to serve with the best men and women that this country has to offer.
Sorry if this is not much of an "article" but I was just typing some other stuff and decided to post something up in here. Thanks for reading, if you actually make it to the end.
.