Veterans Day Ruminations

Happy Veterans Day!

It's been 5 years since my military service officially ended, 9 years since I left active duty. Apparently old habits die hard, especially in the years immediately after finishing active duty. Like the time I walked across the UCSB campus with a group of friends, and we had to cross the huge lawn between Physical Sciences South and Physical Sciences North. It felt strange to step on the grass, because for the past several years I'd had it drilled into my head that stepping on the grass on a military installation while in uniform (unless it was a field specifically designed for things like PT and ceremonies) was strictly verboten. Allan, whom I'd just met, cracked up at the notion.

I've lost count of how many times I've used military-only terms (like VTC = Video Teleconference) with Allan, assuming it was a universal term, only to be met with a blank stare. Just the other day, I posted a status that made mention of "rain gear". It was more efficient than "umbrella/rain jacket", and didn't seem out of the ordinary to me until an old ROTC colleague laughed at it with the old "once a soldier..." adage.

I've always been fascinated by different countries'/cultures' takes on the military. Here in the USA, making the military your profession is regarded with great honor and admiration. But in countries like Germany, it's actually looked down upon. Most of the "Why on earth would you choose that?" questions came from our German friends. For them, it's a draft obligation, not a career. I don't know what the British attitude toward its military personnel is, but I do know that they don't live nearly as nicely as we do. Family friends who lived in places where women aren't allowed to serve in the armed forces wondered what my life was like, and when the movie  "G.I. Jane" came out, they all imagined that that was what my experiences were like. Heh, not exactly! When a co-worker went to India to help with our efforts of opening up a new office in Bangalore, he posted a pic of this billboard, which I found fascinating, and made me wonder what India's take on the military-as-a-career is.

I often get asked why I joined the service. Well, it started out as curiosity more than anything. My senior year in high school, I made friends with some of the JROTC cadets, and they kept persuading me to try it out. Since I was about to graduate, I figured I'd give it a spin when I started college. The following year, I enrolled in the UCLA Army ROTC progam, and things just sort of blossomed from there.

I don't know how many of you have read Colin Powell's autobiography, but in it, he says that he felt rather aimless in college, when the cadets in uniform on campus caught his eye. He decided to try it out, and found that it was not only something he enjoyed, but excelled at. Well, it's pretty much the same thing with me. I found it was something I really enjoyed and became good at. But more than that, all that military and leadership training really helped bring me out of my shell.

After finishing my 4 years of ROTC, I received my commission into the U.S. Army Signal Corps, and after a few months of Officer's Basic Course at Ft. Gordon, GA, I spent the remainder of my 4 years of active duty stationed in Mannheim, Germany. (My subsequent 4 years were spent in the IRR-- Individual Ready Reserve). Being in Germany provided me a great opportunity to go back to my birth country and see old family friends, as well as tour the rest of nearby Europe.

One of the reasons I left was because all that uprooting every few years just didn't seem conducive to a stable family life. Unfortunately, I also left around the time I discovered what I truly enjoyed (my last position before finishing active duty was as the Battalion Adjutant (S-1), something akin to HR in the civilian world), and if I had stayed, I would've made the Personnel field my career track. And as much as I hated getting up at ungodly hours for morning PT, I have to admit that I did like the steady routine of the day. And I never had to wonder what I'd wear that day! ;-) So, there are days when I think about going back, and might consider it if I didn't already have a family and a pretty nice, stable life here in SB.

Was it worth it? Yes, definitely so. As I mentioned before, my experiences have really helped bring me out of my shell. I've always been very much an introvert, and still am-- but am more outgoing and sociable because of my military experience. Few jobs require as many in-depth people skills as being a military officer, so it was a very useful learning experience.

The military also possesses a unique culture-- something unparalleled in the civilian world.  The importance of teamwork and effective team-building was brought home to me every single day, since that's a large part of what makes our armed forces so great. The camaraderie and close bonds formed between you and the people in your unit, the immense pride in the work you do, the limitless opportunities for self-development and self-improvement-- all are things you rarely find anywhere else, and things I cherish.

Overall, it was a good experience: I learned so many things and gained so many skills that you just don't get anywhere else, especially in the civilian working world-- at least not until you've worked for many years and moved up the corporate ladder. I enjoyed my time there, even if I didn't like the early-morning hours :-P Plus, I stayed in great shape then! :-D

Meanwhile, hats off to our country's veterans and current servicemembers, for helping to make this country as great as it is!