Why I Joined the Army National Guard

"Do you think you're trying to be a hero?" "Why are you putting you life in danger?" "Why are you a soldier?" Switch on the 6 o'clock news, read the newspaper, or, heck, even listen to your everyday radio broadcast. After listening to all the negatives, all the protests, the arguments, the attacks, and even the fear, it's not uncommon for someone in my position on more than one occasion. Being a soldier can have so many meanings to so many people. Some of those meanings are good and some are bad, even evil. Negative things continue to be broadcast all over the news about our soldiers when it comes to this war. More and more people seem to want to know, why we are even bothering continuing? "Why are our soldiers, loved ones, being put in harm's way for nothing," they say. People say it's because of greed, arrogance, stupidity or even yell out conspiracy. So I'm going to answer those questions for you. Being in the Army National Guard, I, unintentionally at first, took on many roles. I learned it was more than just being the guy who puts his life in harm's way, being called a hero, a role model, or a leader. I've had to give a lot of myself and more. But what does the role of soldier truly mean to me? I'll have to take back first to the date September 11, 2001 to begin my answer.

I remember where I was on that day. I was driving to school, unusually this time with the radio station. This was unusual because I normally I just blast loudly rock music in my car's CD player. But that day, for whatever reason, the radio was on and I heard when the first plane hit the tower. At first, I thought it was just a horrible accident such as a malfunction with the plane or something to that nature. It was enough if that was the case. But then the second plane hit, then some car bombs, then the Pentagon, and finally Flight 93. I didn't have to be told what was going on. I knew. If there is one I learned is that there are no such thing as coincidences. When I got to class, my horrible suspicions were realized. We were being attacked. Thinking of all the people who lost their lives needlessly, I cried all day that day. It was the first time I ever allowed myself to break down like that in front of others. I've never forgotten it and never will.

I knew what I had to do from then on. There was no other option. At the time, I really had no intention of ever joining the military because for one I really didn't have need the benefits they offered at the time, and two because I wasn't interested in working overseas which I knew I would eventually have to do in that type of work. But it did spark an interest in me. I love adventure and I knew the military could offer me experiences that average person could never have doing anything else. But once September 11^th happened, the decision was clear. I had done my crying and now my anger outweighed my sadness a million to one. I wanted one thing and one thing only from the Army. That was the ability to protect and save the not only the people I love but everybody. I couldn't stand by and not do nothing to help. Not just my family and friends, not just America, but also the innocent people who suffer with those terrorists on an everyday basis, dying needlessly and pathetically. Maybe some people can ignore that but I can't. I could never. People over here say, "it's not our problem." I say it is. What kind of human being are you to watch your fellow human beings die without doing anything about it? What's worst? Killing someone or being the person the stood idly by, watching as he killed someone? You don't have to agree with them, or culture. You don't even have to like them in general. But you can't stand by and let them suffer for nothing.

Therefore, I joined the Army National Guard. I joined the Guard mainly because it was part-time and I wanted the ability to also go the school full-time. I also wanted the responsible of protecting the homeland though I was full aware of the potential of going overseas. But if something happens again here in the States, I'm around to answer when I'm needed.

As it turned out, eventually I was ordered to work overseas in Afghanistan. Through the obvious ups and downs though, I can honestly say it's an experience like no other. More importantly, it's one I wouldn't trade for anything. To be honest, disliked my stay there quite a bit. I saw first hand of the terrorist work and the mind set they created for the people there. But despite all of this, what I saw was hope, a potential for peace. I believe their beliefs are misguided and even unjust but there was a glimmer in the eyes of the people there that spoke to me. That's something you don't see on the news reports. "Hope" is a word we live by. It's why we dream, it's what I keeping fighting for. Is it naïve? Maybe to some yes, but that's enough for me.

What does it mean to take on the role of a soldier? Through the good and bad, it's about fighting for a world we all can live in. It's about fighting for even the smallest glimmer of hope against all odds. The fight is far from over and who knows it could get even worse. I'll keep fighting because what I do as a soldier is not just for the military, not just for America, but as a human being, just like everyone else, in this world. You don't have to agree with you. You can even call me foolish. But what I am asking is for your support, not just for me but for those brave souls fighting overseas right now. Don't hate them or prosecute them. You don't know how lucky you are to have all those God given rights. Does everyone in the military share my beliefs. No, of course not. People fight for different reasons, good or bad. But this is my role as a soldier. Because I believe in hope, it's one that I will continue on even long after the military until the day I die.