Age: 19
Time in service: 3 months
Hometown: Sanford, Florida
Unit: M Company, 266th Quartermaster Battalion
Military Occupational Specialty: She is attending the 92M Mortuary Affairs Specialist Course. These Army professionals “draw upon specialized medical training to deliver the upmost respect and compassion while handling the remains and personal effects of Soldiers who have fallen in the line of duty,” according to www.goarmy.com.
Why she joined the Army: “I really wanted independence. I want to be able to make my own decisions, and I want to travel. I feel like I’m finally doing something where my parents aren’t always on top of me saying what I need to do. I’m making my own adult decisions. I already feel like I’ve done so much I haven’t done before.
How she has changed personally since enlisting: “I feel like I have a lot more patience. I’ve learned how to work with a lot of people. It has taken me out of my comfort zone because I usually don’t talk to people I don’t know. I’ve become more open and more comfortable around others. I think I’m more disciplined as well.”
What she assumed about the Army that is different: “I thought it was join the Army and go to war, period. Now I realize there are so many different roles that people play. There is a big world of possibilities in the Army. I also didn’t know that I would be this tired all the time [laugh]. But it’s worth it; it’s all good.
How the Army has changed her perspective: “I think I’m in a better place mentally because I feel like I’m thinking about my future a lot more and always planning a few steps ahead. Before [enlisting] I didn’t really know what I was going to do. Now I have a set future for myself, and I’m really hoping to make a career out of this.”
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