See The World (A Soldier's Perspective)

A Soldier's Perspective blog ^ | July 1st, 2005 | CJ

[ajolympian2004]

You know, a lot of people join the military to see the world, only to get disillusioned and get out because it didn’t happen. Since joining the military, I’ve been to Mexico, Canada, Panama, Ecuador, Ireland, Germany, Kuwait, and Iraq (not necessarily in exotic order). With that said, even if a soldier never leaves the country, I’m willing to bet they’ve seen things and been places they hadn’t been and seen before. Now, listen to the story of the boy from Texas (although, I’m a military brat myself and had already seen the world as a teen):

For instance, I had never been to Missouri when I reported to Fort Leonard Wood for basic training. Granted, I didn’t exactly get to go and see the sights, but I got to experience weather I’d never really experienced before. Never, in the 20 years prior to joining, had I ever had the opportunity to do push-ups in a foot of snow. I had never showered with another man before, fearful of dropping the soap. I had never gone so long without sleep, giving me the ability to see how days become nights and nights become days (it’s actually quite a complicated process). I also learned that the sun actually arose in the morning and didn’t just appear sometime during the day.

After basic training, I had the experience of going to northern California to attend a language school. There must have been a shortage of Spanish speakers from Texas, because that was the language I was given. While there, I got to attend the Laguna Seca races and participate in the Boys and Girls Club as a volunteer. I lived in my first house on Fort Ord that overlooked a bay, Monterey Bay. I tasted some of the best clam chowder I’d ever tasted (prior to my trip to Maine - more on that later). Being in Monterey, I was able to vist the Grand Canyon and hike all the way down to the Colorado River. I got to visit San Fransisco, where I think there were a lot of jealous people that I had showered with other guys for 2 months. Indeed, I learned to shower with my eyes closed and figured out ways to hold soap that prevented it from dropping.

My next assignment was at Goodfellow Air Force Base in Texas. Goodfellow is situated in the town of San Angelo, not your run of the mill metropolitan area. But, because I was sent there, I had the opportunity to jet ski on the lake and take part in a hot air balloon contest, in which I worked on a balloon crew as a chaser. Fun stuff I may not have been able to do had I not joined the Army. Other than that, San Angelo was boring, sorry. Although, the Air Force dining hall is to this day the best dining hall I’ve eaten in (not counting the one in Kuwait just before you leave to go home, but that may just be because I hadn’t had real food in a year).

After Goodfellow, I was sent to Fort Huachuca, Arizona. By this time I think the Army has it out for me. Living in Monterey, I thought the Army had all these exotic bases. Since then, I’d been sent from one desert training base to another. But, like anything I’ve done in life, I made it fun. I hiked the Huachuca mountains. I visited the hippy capital of Arizona at the little town of Bisbee. Bisbee used to be a mining community, but is not home to people who haven’t discovered shampoo or body soap yet. I also had a chance to go to the OK Corral at Tombstone, which is just minutes from Huachuca. I also got my first taste of Mexico while on my way to Huachuca, getting lost in Ciudad Juarez. Luckily, I spoke Spanish now and could talk my way back out of the country.

Elated that I had finished all my training and had seen the last of any deserts, I was sent my first assignment: Fort Irwin, California!! IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT!!! But, I didn’t mind it so much. I was actually supposed to go to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX, but my orders were diverted. I didn’t want to go back to San Antonio, I was from there. Thanks to that assignment, I was able to visit Ecuador and Panama. I was on the Price Is Right twice. I got to interview Arnold Schartzenegger, Eddie Furlong, and George Thorogood. I was sent by the public affairs office to cover the grand opening of the T2 ride at Universal Studios and got free admission to the park. I’ve been to the San Diego zoo, one of the best zoos in the country in my opinion. I went to Vegas for the first time (and many times after that).

Then, there was Fort Stewart, GA and the 3rd Infantry Division. Finally, I was out of a desert!! The 3rd would send me to exotic locations in the Middle East. I went to one of the richest countries in the world and enjoyed all the bottled water I could consume in Kuwait. Then, I was given a tour of Babylon! The birthplace of civilization. Mesopotamia!! Iraq? I had experiences there that a life at Taco Bell and Blockbuster Music could never provide.

I’ve been sent on temporary duty to places like Indiana, Maine, Washington State, Washington DC, and San Diego. I’m from the south. If I hadn’t joined the Army, I’d have never known there were even states up there.

So, when you hear a soldier complain that they joined the Army to see the world (or if you are one) and haven’t been able to, it’s their (or your) own fault. Stop being a barracks rat and go see things!! So what if it’s an hour drive. And for those of you that wanted to see the world by joining the Army, yet asked for the base closest to home, you have nothing to complain about. You brought it on yourself.

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[ajolympian2004]

Responses to “See The World”

1. Tony Diana Says: July 2nd, 2005 at 12:10 pm

Great Blog CJ….and I agree. When I was stationed in Germany I was constantly in Austria, Spain, Amsterdam etc. I took every opportunity I could get to see the world and had a blast doing it. I remember we would get a group together and drive 2 hours to Kitzbuhl Austria to go skiing and we would run into Americans that had paid thousands of dollars to travel to the same place from the states. Maybe they will let me go back in as a guitar player ;)

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2. Michael Churchill Says: July 3rd, 2005 at 6:59 am

Great Post CJ… The problem also ensues with their choice of Military Occupation Specialty (MOS), because TDY is much more prevelent with our Job. Yet, a Paper Pusher will hardly see the outside of the Orederly Room for their three years of Service at Fort Jackson (or elsewhere). I won’t go into why I think retention is bad, because I might have to investigate myself for Subversion. Have a great Forth of July weekend, and remember… “Fireworks are a Silent Killer”.