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Intro
Hello all,
My name is Aaron, I grew up at Ft Bragg and then moved to Roanoke, VA where I finished high school.
I am currently stationed on Oahu, HI as a Satellite Controller. I am married as of last year, after a very long visa process for my wife to get here from Ireland. I have a German Shepherd who gives me a steady pace for swimming and rucking up these steep island mountains.
After high school I worked with my father as a carpenter in VA, where I became more of his friend and felt like we were catching up after so many years of him being deployed throughout the years. At 19 I met a girl from NC, bought my first house in her hometown, and used the skills I learned in VA to make pretty decent cash for myself. Of course that chapter ends with the relationship not working out, and I write that period off as a learning experience.
I remember working on my house around that time, now single and the only 21 year old kid with a mortgage on block, thinking what the hell am I doing? If I learned anything in that time it was that having a steady job and having my own home doesn't mean I lived a relevant life.
Growing up at Bragg and then working with my father after school, I absorbed enough beliefs in all his conversations, and all the team guys were there enough to have been my uncles anyway.
Even at a very young age I remember thinking I was surrounded by guys I wanted to grow up to be like. They all had a sense of pride in what they did, all would always say they would do it again, and that sense of family I feel I could reach out to if needed is still there even with close to 2 decades having passed. I don't know anyone else like group, and to serve with them would be an honor I could cherish for the rest of my days.
I did join as an 18x but during my Airborne physical in the middle of 11b, my scars from chest tubes were found (again, after I had been cleared at MEPS and signed the 18x contract) from when I was 4 after spontaneous pneumothorax. I was allowed to finish 11b thanks to the Drills, who argued I performed better than most, and then was put in a non-combat job shortly after. I am on my second tour as a satellite controller, and I recently requested to remove my profile ( "211111" that states I may use an inhaler as needed, no limitation) so that I may attend SFAS. I had been told many times that pneumothorax was an instant no go for selection, but motivated to get my career back on a path more towards my original contract, a little research clearly explained otherwise as long as my lungs are tested and working normally.
In the meantime I will keep enjoying the views around here with a ruck, and the most important advice my father gave me years ago for SFAS was "make sure you have freakin Cadillacs for boots", so time to experiment with a few different pairs.
Hats off to all the long tabs, hopefully I will get my chance to serve soon.
Aaron
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