Leading yourself to a better future

By U.S. Spc. Kara DavyAugust 29, 2013

Leading yourself to a better future
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan " U.S. Army Capt. Meghan Ederle reads the oath of enlistment to U.S. Army Spc. Stevie Stephens from Cairo, Ga., assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, Task Force "Golden... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Leading yourself to a better future
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan " U.S. Army Capt. Meghan Ederle congratulates U.S. Army Spc. Stevie Stephens from Cairo, Ga., assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, Task Force "Golden Dragons" currentl... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Each Soldier who decides to continue to serve their nation has their own reasons. Some say they see the Army as a place of substance, a place they feel more secure about their jobs than in the uncertain civilian sector. Others decide to reenlist for goals they'd like to achieve while still in the military. And for others, it's the prospect of going to college and earning a degree, or finishing one they've already started.

As one Soldier put it, "the Army has long been a family for me, and since I started a family of my own, I'd like to continue serving so my kids will grow up in this extended family."

U.S. Army Spc. Stevie Stephens, a native of Cairo, Ga., and a human resources specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, who recently reenlisted, March 10, expressed a similar idea, "My choice to reenlist was to better myself and to set a good foundation for my future children, so they will have a positive, professional role model to emulate".

The thought that the Army is more than a job is one that resonates with many. They see, on a deeper level, that the Army has more to offer than what's on the surface. All they have to do is be willing to go beyond following orders and learn to become leaders.

U.S. Army Sgt. Erika Francis, from Mt. Vernon, Ind., is a supply sergeant with Echo Company, 210th Brigade Support Battalion, who also recently reenlisted. "There are many opportunities as a civilian to reach a certain level of leadership, but the problem is that you have to have the skills already to reach that level," she said. "The Army takes you from your lowest, and builds you up into a great leader, providing you experience along the way. You can't really get that as a civilian without some form of formal education."

For many who choose to reenlist, it is not only job security or opportunities for further education that influence their decision. It is often the opportunity to become more than an individual with a job, but an important piece of a larger machine.

The Army can take a Soldier from any field, develop them into a leader who is not only capable, but eager to lead and teach. These leaders will teach their craft and share their knowledge with newer, younger Soldiers, who eventually will replace them in the future.