First off, I am a 20-year retired Army Veteran. I was a 19D Cavalry Scout. I joined right after High School. My experiences during my career were so different than my battle buddies next to me. Some of them inspired to become Command Sergeants Major (CSM), some wanted to become Warrant Officers, some Officers and some just wanted to do their time and get out.

Every person I encountered had plans of what they wanted to-do. Thats what made their experience different from each person that does join the Army. Een though you were trying to do something else, sometimes the Army had other plans for you based off your Military Occupational Specialty (MOS). There are different milestones you to meet in order to advance.

On top of trying to take care of your career, if you had a family, you also had to make sure they came first and sometimes the needs of the family outweighed what you wanted for your career and that’s where time management came into play. Time management is something you do automatically when you’re in the military anyway because everything you do is on a predetermined timeline and planning is one those skills you development without even knowing it while you are serving.

One of my favorite things about being in the military was the people i would meet but, working out every day and staying in shape. Working out just made me a better and healthier person. Physical fitness is important regardless of what MOS you do in the military. It helps to develop a few other skills that you don’t realize you’re learning. The biggest one is discipline as it helps to shape your mind and mindset and just makes the day so much better. Especially over time as you start to feel more energetic and can do so much more.

It is just the nature of serving but you are going to get injured while you’re in. Everyone does and being injured should not derail your plans. Take care of yourself when that happens and overtime taking care of yourself will pay off.

One of the biggest stigmas in the Army is that going to sick call when you are sick is a bad thing and it is not. You have to take care of yourself when you’re not feeling well or when injured in order to move forward in your career.

But please feel free to drop some questions.

Hope you have a good day!