[21BravoInDaSand]

I enlisted in the Marines in '99 because I wanted the hardest, highest level of training the military had to offer. Because of a blown out knee (ACL, MCL & meniscus) a few years earlier, I got the boot at MEPS when I was in my skivvies in front of the doc right at the cusp of completing the mind-numbing process. Spent the next decade waiting tables & bartending, going to school for criminal justice & partying with stupid people & paying the consequences (lesson learned the VERY hard way).
When I was 27 I had an epiphany of sorts that I was wasting what little time I have on this planet & needed to pursue my destiny of serving in the military. I tried to go in the Marines again but that didn't work, then I tried to go active Army but they wanted me to ship out several months later so I got passed off to a Guard recruiter who told me that he could get me shipped out in a hurry. He told me that I could volunteer to deploy & be activated then go active duty after I satisfied the TIS in my contract.
When I saw how unmotivated most of the guys in my Guard unit are & how little we do on drill weekends I knew I needed more...a LOT more. Then my active duty battle buddy in Iraq tells me how they really don't do all that much either & I got quite discouraged. I prayed to God to use me as a tool for good, to put me on a path that will help good people & punish evil people. Fast forward several months & I'm doing pre-deployment training at FT Stewart & come across some SF pamphlets.
Next thing you know, I'm PT-ing with a small group of guys in the heat when other soldiers are relaxing. I'm running 1st thing in the morning around the mock FOB when others are sleeping or eating chow. I'm leading PT with the guys in my CHU doing push ups while wearing an IBA & stacking up other guy's IBAs on top to add another 40lbs each (I'm the lowest ranking soldier-PFC-& there are 2 E-6s among the guys following my lead). When guys ask me "When are you going SF?" my reply is "As soon as we complete our mission & I get a little time for R&R when we get home".
I hope that my intro/life story isn't too long, I just had a strange path that finally is coming to fruition & I want you gents to get a picture of me. Saying "I went to FT Lost in the Woods in Aug. '07. I transferred from MA to NC in April '08..." would be boring & not really say much about me. I will be an 18C after completing SFAS & joining a unit.