A Job I Can Take Pride In

This past Friday, I took my final trip to MEPS in Springfield, Massachusetts to put the finishing touches on my contract and I took the oath to swear into the Connecticut National Guard.  This process took me a few months to complete due to my MOS (Military Occupational Specialty).  After taking the ASVAB test, filling out a long and tedious National Security questionnaire, being violated during a very thorough physical examination, writing a 4 page autobiography, and passing a final OCS review board, I have finally signed my papers guaranteeing me a spot in the Connecticut National Guard Officer Candidate School.

I leave for basic training in Fort Benning, Georgia in early April, so do not be surprised or discouraged if this ends up being my final blog post for a while.  It's kind of weird, but I'm actually excited about leaving the civilian world behind and seeing what army life has to offer.  It's hard to believe that in the fall of next year, I will (hopefully) be a commissioned second lieutenant.

It wasn't an easy step for me to take.  It took months of planning for me to get this far.  I graduated from Gettysburg College in May of 2012 and had been getting frustrated with the unemployment scene.  My cousin who didn't even go to college left for his basic training in August of the same year and came back from Missouri with a different sense of self about him.  It was refreshing to see this.  I thought that maybe the army could do the same thing for me, so I decided that I'd like to talk to someone about the kind of opportunities the National Guard had to offer.  My cousin gave me the business card of his recruiter and so the process began.

Contrary to what most people hear about, my recruiter didn't lie about anything and put everything right out on the table.  It was nice to be able to ask him about anything from life in the Guard to what kind of shoes they make you wear at basic.  After spending two and a half hours at the recruiting office with my notebook full of questions, I knew that joining would be the right fit for me.

I made three trips up to the MEPS in Springfield.  Each time I waited for a long time for something.  The first time I went up, it was to take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery.  This is a test that measures ones aptitude in 10 different areas ranging from math to verbal to mechanical to electrical knowledge.  I waited after my test for a good 45 minutes for my recruiter to pick me up.  I finished the test in an hour and a half when it takes most people two to two and a half hours.  I was a little worried about that, but I scored really high and was able to qualify for what I wanted to do.

On the second trip up to MEPS, I stayed overnight in the Sheraton and had a great meal and went to bed at 9:30 p.m.  The next morning, I awoke at 4:30 and we were at the processing station by 6.  I felt thoroughly violated by 11.  I came out of my physical with a clean bill of health and was approved for service.  The whole ordeal ended at 1 p.m. for me and my recruiter said it's the longest he's ever had to wait for anyone to be done with a physical.  Crap happens when your the last one to be given your chart.

I stayed at the hotel again that final time I was sent up to MEPS.  Same deal... bed early, up early, sworn in at 11.  I enlisted as an E-4 (Specialist), and am already a higher rank than my cousin.  But he's been through Basic already, so it's all technical.

I am excited to finally have a job that I can take pride in and a position that my country can take pride in me having.  I leave for basic combat training soon and can't wait to come back a stronger, more dependable, and more capable man.