Nine years ago yesterday, I raised my right hand and joined the PA Army National Guard at the bright, young age of 17. Coincidentally, it was also my sister's 19th birthday so every year since then I fondly remember and celebrate the day. I was going through my junior year of high school when a recruiter by the name of Sgt.J.P. Karpovich gave a recruiting presentation in my history class one day. He had previously called my house looking to talk to me about the benefits of joining the Guard but I wasn't home at the time and said he'd call back. He didn't before the presentation and I called him out on it when he asked if any of us had received phone calls. He gave a good sales pitch in the class that intrigued not only myself but my good buddy and classmate Ed Brown, who joined and served with me. Sgt. Karpovich did finally call me and the next thing I knew I was taking the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test to determine if I was eligible to join. I did. My mom and dad gave the parental consent and I signed an initial six-year contract. As it did then and as I look back now, the decision to join made sense for me. I was always interested in the military. I used to watch old war flicks and talk about the military all the time with my grandfather, an Army Vet who did a tour in Germany in the 50's. I also wanted to go to college but not burden my parents with the cost or put myself in debt from college loans. By being a soldier in good standing in the PA Army National Guard, you have the opportunity to continue your education at many colleges in Pennsylvania tuition-free, and many others at a much lower cost than the average college student pays to go there. You also get a monthly stipend called the G.I. Bill for your living expenses. Count Me In!!! I couldn't tell you how many times during my college career someone said to me how fortunate I was to have this benefit. It required a commitment that initially took me away from my friends and family for two summers. The first summer was after my junior year when I went to Basic Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. The second was after my senior year for Advanced Individual Training (A.I.T) at Fort Gordon, Georgia. This was for the job I'd be doing one weekend a month and two weeks every summer in the Guard for the duration of my contract. After returning at the end of August, I originally had planned on attending Temple University in the spring of 2004 to study sports journalism. Little did I know by the end of October 2003, my unit was being alerted of a pending deployment to the Middle East at the beginning of 2004. My section chief called to tell me the news while I was working at Schiel's Family Market. They were initially looking for volunteers. It gave me a very nervous feeling at first but we talked about it and by the end of conversation I was telling him to put my name on the list. My reasoning was that I'd rather see myself go then a guy who had a wife, kids, and a full-time job. I was a soon-to-be 19-yr-old kid who really didn't fully understand what I was committing myself to. As it turns out, I probably would've have been picked or as we call it "volun-told" to go on the deployment anyway. They needed a certain amount of troops for the mission and I was a young, fit, healthy, and trained soldier with nothing that might hold me back. I tell everyone that my tour of duty in Iraq was a real learning experience for me. It made me appreciate life more than ever before. I learned to treasure the little things in life that so many others don't have or don't even have access to. I learned to cherish every minute with my friends and family and just really enjoy life and make the best of any situation. Whether you are for or against the war, the support for us was overwhelming and something those of us who have served overseas will never forget. One of my favorite pictures and one that gave me more inspiration while I was over there was this pic I found in one of Saddam's palaces. Just like in high school when I went to Honduras to help build schoolhouses and other buildings for Honduran children and later in college when I volunteered to help with the Penn State Dance Mara(THON), which raises funds to help kids fight cancer, I can say that my service there was for a better future for those kids we saw every day waving and cheering for us along the roads of Iraq. Now that our presence there is slowly coming to an end, I just hope that the investment we made in money, troops, and time and the toll on everyone involved especially those who lost loved ones in the line of duty and our veterans who didn't come back the same whether physically or mentally, will lead to a better, brighter, safer future for Iraq and the rest of the Middle East.
By the time I returned home, I had become very interested in government and politics and decided I wanted to study political science. I was also being lobbied by friends from home who were studying at Penn State to go there too. I always loved Penn State but wanted to go away somewhere to school and didn't want to start at one of their branch campuses. While I was finishing up my time in Iraq, I applied to Penn State's Main Campus and with a great recommendation behind it from my high school guidance counselor and friend, I was accepted and started in the fall of 2005. By this time, my friends attending Penn State were all juniors and here I come starting my freshman year as a 20-year-old Army Veteran. Honoring my commitment to the Guard, I made the two hour ride home from school one weekend a month and two weeks every summer to serve with my unit. Although many times it took me away from my new friends, my fun life as a student, and my second home in Happy Valley, I was also able see my family and friends at home more than many other students away at school. During my time at Penn State, many soldiers in our unit deployed again multiple times with other units. They looked for volunteers again but this time I said no. I wanted to finish my college education before committing myself to any kind of tour of duty that would further delay my education and my life.
Prior to starting at Penn State, I went to the Primary Leadership Development Course (PLDC) early in the summer and earned my promotion to Sergeant. I'll always thank my recruiter and great friend J.P. for putting me in a duty position where I could move up in rank very quickly. I have a been a Staff Sergeant since late 2006 and cannot thank my fellow soldiers, peers, and unit leadership enough for their guidance, tutelage, and patience with me during my career. While having been a non-commissioned officer (NCO) for almost six years now, there's still plenty of room for me to learn and grow as a leader and soldier. People always ask me if there's a chance I could get sent on another deployment. The answer is always yes as long as I am still serving in the Army National Guard. While I was in the middle of my junior year at Penn State, my six year enlistment was set to expire. I decided to re-enlist for three more years because I wasn't ready to move on from the Guard and I wanted to continue serving with the band of brothers in my unit and enjoy those education benefits for two more years. I graduated from Penn State with degrees in Political Science and Security & Risk Analysis in May of 2010. In October, unit leadership wanted to know where I stood with the expiration of my contract coming up again. I gave them my word then that I would give them another year. My contract would have expired on this past Saturday had I not decided to extend for a year. With it comes another year of service, commitments, and then another decision to make this time next year. Recently, I was offered another opportunity to work with kids. It sounded like the perfect starter job for a guy with some experience working around kids and looking for his first real full-time job. With weeks of training with my unit coming up in each of the next three months, they couldn't give me the job and I totally understand why. How can you develop a relationship, mentor, tutor, and guide kids when you're going to be away so much? I'm not bitter about it. It's just frustrating like this whole job hunt has been since I graduated. But you know what? I'm not going to piss, moan, and complain about it. I'll get up tomorrow and keep trying like I've been. I'm the one who raised his right hand and signed the dotted line to stay in. Hopefully that decision will turn out to be rewarding like it has been twice before and all this training and whatever else my future in the Guard holds will be worth it. I have no regrets. I hope it eventually leads to the career and life I want. Until then, if you or anyone you know is looking for a military man with limited availability for next few months but much more time to work hard for you in the summer months and beyond, send them my way! I'll be on this National Guard roller coaster ride for the near future but don't let it deter you from me. I can't believe it's been nine years already! Thank you so much for all the love and support through it all and in the future!
Cheers to more service, camaraderie, friendship, family, and fun!
BMart
