How the Military Taught Me About Race Relations

Being born and raised in a small coal mining town did not prepare for the culture shock that joining the military would bring. I grew up poor but did not know it, we were cleaned, clothed and fed. We had family and extended family under one roof, cousins ended up being referred to as brothers and sisters and we were all that close.

I had not been ten feet from the county line when I joined the military. I could not afford college and my only other option seem to be to have kids and end up on welfare married to some loser. Well, I knew that option would always be there, so I decided to give the military a try.

I remember my first experience with an African american, it was at the MEPS station in Pittsburgh, Pa. She was screaming at me for saying "yeah" instead of "Yes Ma'm", She said you just wait till they get their hands on you at basic training. I was scared to go before I stepped foot out of Pennsylvania.

When I hit Fort Dix, New Jersey, reality set in. I thought to myself, "What the hell have I done?" I did not want to get off that bus to those yelling, screaming uniforms waiting for us.

Once the dust settled and we were in our own companies, I felt like I was in a foreign country. There were girls there that were from Islands I had never heard of, they did not speak English very well, nor did they understand it. I encountered my first Hispanic drill sergeant in the mess hall, as we were gulping down our food. This little four foot something came in, with a glare from hell and when she opened her mouth the devil himself spoke, she was mean. The entire mess hall of about four hundred of us felt the wrath of the four foot something soul that was there for the next eight weeks to make our lives a living hell.

As the weeks went by, I became less traumatized by the whole charade and proudly became a soldier with the rest of my company, turns out, we were all green in the end. After serving thirteen years, I am glad to have had the introduction of race and culture through the military. There can not be a more even ground or a better place to find out that no matter what a persons culture, background or color, we can all come together in the right situation.

I would wonder what type of person I would be today with out my military exposure, I am back home and am sometimes appalled by people's ignorance to each other, especially when it comes to race and culture. I confront anyone who uses a racial or cultural slur in my presence, it is irritating. I think the lack of exposure to each others differences can be just as damaging as everyday all out racial conflict.

Growing up as a sheltered poor white girl, raised by coal mining relatives, we were as back woods as you could get, no runny hot water, an outhouse out back and hand me down clothes. I guess the biggest factor that would have influenced my thoughts would have been the lack of education and involvement with anyone outside my little community. I am a much more well rounded person for the exposure that the military gave me. I am great full to have served in the military with my brothers and sisters, no matter what their race or background.