The United States military became one of the largest fighting forces in the world during World War 2. The U. S. Armed Forces consists of the five armed service branches: Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy. There are three general categories of military people: active duty, reserve and guard forces, and veterans and retirees. Joining the military has been an influenced decision by our country for decades. Although entering may not be everyone’s first choice, the United States offers the greatest lifelong benefits.
Even though one’s life may be successful, being in the military can leave a devastating impact on a person physically and mentally for the remainder of their years. Lt. Col. Dave Grossman stated in his novel “On Killing”, “I am sick and tired of war. Its glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, for vengeance, for desolation. War is hell. ” After experiencing 10 years in the armed forces, I have now been able to understand the connotation of that quote. Attempting to sleep is the worst.
While lying down at night, all I can be reminded of are my Marine brothers being blasted apart one after the other. I constantly prompt myself of how lucky I am to be alive, but some nights I can hardly stand to be alive any longer. Adapting to civilian life again is much harder due to burdensome times in the field. Just a simple routine airplane flying over my house at dark can send petrifying flashbacks into my faint slumber. Being in the military has taken its detriment on my mind more than I would’ve ever imagined. Out in battle an endless amount of scenarios can happen, at any moment.
Granted that I was blessed and kept all my limbs while surviving 10 years in the military, others were not so fortunate. The deafening frequencies of airplanes and choppers were not enforced as much as they should’ve been. Hearing loss is now definitely a physical factor that has impaired my daily life drastically. I was unconcerned of my future while fighting for my life and now I face the consequences for not wearing earplugs when I should have. On the other hand, the military career improved my physical appearance and provided me with an everlasting work ethic.
Now in the best shape of my life, I am able to continue working out with drive and motivation that I never seemed to have control of before enlisting. When you look good, you feel good; and feeling good is a variable that is very much needed when coming out of the military and maintaining an ordinary lifestyle. Being physically prepared for battle never seemed to be a problem when out in the field, but staying physically strong was another story when it came to the family I had back at home. Family is all some people have. It was all I had. Leaving them again and again was the hardest part of staying consistent to the military lifestyle.
Nevertheless, when you love your family, you do everything for them. The military gave me this option. Going out to serve my country to keep them free and pay the bills made it everything I wanted to do. With the best benefits in the nation, the military supplies my family and me with more than enough to get by. Free housing on base, free medical care, adequate retirement funds… etc. are just a few significant attributes to the successful life the military paved for me. To imagine not being able to buy what I wanted to buy or not go where I wanted to go is frightening.
If I had not joined the military and set out on a different course, my life may not be as prosperous as it is today. Being a part of my countries Armed Forces has given me life lessons and experiences that I could not have acquired anywhere else. Michael Connelly quoted, “You can’t patch a wounded soul with a Band-Aid”. Nothing can change what happened back in my career. The disgusting memories will always linger and the hearing will affect me until I decide to seek help, but it has become a part of me. A lifestyle I chose to live by and will stand by forevermore.
