“Everyone, rest on your packs and sip water; don’t chug it!” yelled Staff Sergeant Lathan, one of my drill instructors. “I know your asses are cold, but we can’t let you overheat during this movement,” he continued. “At this time, you’re gonna remove that cammie blouse and warming layers. It’s just going to be that … Read more
I had never been away from my children until I joined the military in November 2002. My youngest was only a year old when I went to boot camp in Lackland Air Force Base. This decision was very tough, being a mother of two toddlers and a preschooler who might be gone from her family … Read more
She had never been away from her children until she joined the military in 2002. It was a beautiful evening in St. Paul, Minnesota, and I needed to drop her off at the recruiter’s officer. The recruiter would be taking her to the hotel where she would spend the night before leaving for basic training. … Read more
Off in the distance I heard a distinct sound — the metallic blades cutting through the air. Could this finally be it? Was this really happening? I touched my face to make sure that I wasn’t dreaming. I was 20 years old, and I was nearing the end of my first deployment. As the helicopter … Read more
When I first arrived in Saudi Arabia, I didn’t know what to expect. I was fresh out of the Air Force and starting my new job as a private military contractor. Because of my background in aircraft fabrication, I had been hired by the Royal Saudi Air Force to help support their jet fighter program. … Read more
My mother sat across from me at her kitchen table. The kitchen table had always been the location where we talked and shared the things going on in both of our lives. When I was fourteen years old, she was sitting at the kitchen table when I shared with her that I had had my … Read more
In September of 2010, I shipped off to Marine Corps basic training in San Diego. I was in the best physical shape of my life, as I was a cross country runner in high school. I was ready for any PT that they would throw at me. However, I was not ready for the mental … Read more
The three of us had become best friends during our deployment and we had just arrived back home. Everyone wanted something from us– phone calls, hugs, stories, presents, the list went on. We decided to go camping because we just wanted to be left alone. Although he was the same age as Dan and three … Read more
“Aye, Aye Officer Frankki!” Dan called from the other end of the store, with a playful grin. His hand was placed on his forehead as if to block his eyes from the sun. He was trying to salute, and it looked completely wrong. It felt completely wrong. Dan was engaged to my cousin, and both … Read more
Before I got out of the Marine Corps my biggest fear was losing the friends I had made there, because I knew that most people moved back to their hometown and moved on with their lives once their service was over. Once I got out, though, I had a different feeling. While my friends did … Read more