Everyone has been so supportive in me joining the military
so I don’t feel like I have to explain myself.
But I have often thought about what lead me to this decision. I have always used writing as a way to
facilitate brainstorming which is where this list came from. These are some of the major factors that
influenced my decision to become a soldier:
Camp Maple Dell:
One of my favorite jobs. For two straight summers I slept in military tents, started the day with a flag ceremony and I shot a lot of weapons. I knew that the structure, pride, and honor I
experienced working at this Boy Scout camp would be similar to what I would
experience in the military. This was the first time in my life I wanted to join
the military. With the flag ceremonies
and retirements it was also the proudest I have felt for my country.
Other fitness/therapy Programs:
No one else uses exercise as
specifically as I do, but there are plenty of other exercise programs out there
to improve mental health. After reading
an article about another fitness program using exercise as a means to treat
mental health issues of criminals, mom sent me a message to get my program
going. But I didn’t know who to market
to. I am familiar with most of the
treatment fitness programs around and they all seemed to focus on the general
public, criminals, and drug addicts. But
there was not enough fitness help for veterans.
I knew that this could be the niche for my program.
P90x:
Yes the Tony Horton fitness
infomercial. On this infomercial there
is a vet suffering from PTSD that reported that after completing p90x he no
longer needs to take his PTSD medication.
This sparked the interest in how exercise can improve the lives of
veterans.
This video:
No explanation needed. One of the most powerful videos I ever
watched. Truly life-changing for me. I still can’t watch it without goose bumps
and tears.
Dealing with career criminals:
I think the
moment that really pushed me to go talk to a recruiter was after a very
difficult situation that nearly ended in multiple people’s death. After the situation was successfully diffused
I realized that it would be nice to work with clients who did not have an
extensive history of legal issues and mental illness. I discovered that those types of people would
not be able to enter into military service, making soldiers a great clientele
to have.
Military Clients:
I have worked with and have an
expertise with many different types of clients from youth to adults; addicts to
autistics. I have been asked many times
who my favorite clients to work with are.
I enjoy working with and I can learn from everyone who come into my
sessions. Though one group I might
prefer over the other I definitely have a favorite: current and former military
personnel. Of all my clients I can remember military the
most. I remember their stories and
feeling somewhat inadequate in my current ability to help them. I have an interest in working with veterans,
but not the expertise.
Heritage:
I held this job for the longest in
my professional career. I worked in a
calm/chaotic environment which I loved.
Even though as a therapist I deal with the aftermath of a crisis, I usually
don’t deal directly in a crisis. Too be
honest, I have missed the adrenaline rush that comes from resolving
altercations. I feel my sense of
adventure will be satisfied through my military service.
A life of fitness:
From college soccer to personal
training I have always been able to live a life of fitness. But I have seen it being reduced since I hung
up my collegiate cleats. All my jobs
before becoming a therapist also demanded I be in great physical health. I want a job like that again. The military has fitness standards that would
keep me in great shape.
Employment benefits:
To be honest this is also a big
factor. Insurance is expensive and money
is tight. Even though the reserve paycheck
itself is not that substantial, the benefits are. It is hard for me to only work one job. I wanted to have a part-time job on top of my
career as a mental health therapist. The army reserves will be a great
part-time job that gives me tons of experience.
Therapy has its financial ups and downs, so adding a consistent and
steady job can provide a great anchor of stability for my family.
A higher standard:
As my wife knows, I am really hard
on myself. I feel that I have very high
standards (you can tell by who I married).
Being a father, Mormon, therapist, soldier, and even a Military Police,
I am being pushed to have standards above the rest of the world. I feel this helps to lead me toward
perfection.
OTHER THOUGHTS
I have been doing a lot of studying about military training
and military life. I am beginning to
paint a picture of what it will be like and I am also creating a blueprint on
how I can be a benefit. These pictures
aren’t all meadows and sunshine. Dim
clouds of worry and doubt obscure part of this new sunrise.
My hopes:
The Military Police position was
not available when I first wanted to join the Army. There was multiple delays with entering the
military and I feel that this was because the time needed to be right so that I
could choose the best career. I hope o
not only be a soldier that my comrades can come to for help, but also the
people I may be dealing with. This
position will allow me to be in contact with those who have fallen into hard
times. I hope to gain experience helping
those in trouble find their way out.
Deployed Military police are also in danger of IEDS, RPGs, and
PTSD. As a military policeman I hope to
be a help to those who are struggling to deal with the stress of their
deployment. I also hope to advance in my
military career so that I can extend my connections and be a greater help to
others.
My excitements:
I am excited for the training, and
the physical and mental challenges. I am
excited to learn new things and develop new friendships. I am excited to grow and experience what it
is like to be a soldier. I am excited to
develop new skills and to improve my current abilities. I am excited to be
called a soldier, especially by my children.
My Worries:
I am worried about the time away
from my family. I am worried that I
might change in a negative way. I am
worried about being deployed. I feel my
words are a strong tool and I am worried that I will be in situations that
create barriers of communication to those who I want to help.
Bottom line:
I really want to make a difference
in this world and I felt like I couldn’t do that if there were people I would
have to turn away. Joining the military
will allow me to help more people in more places. I will be able to get more experience and
will be prepared for more situations.
This is not a career change, but a way to advance my career even
more. As the Army Motto states “Always
Forward!”
