What Enlisting Means to Me

Many may wonder, why would someone risk their life for a job some people don’t think it’s worth it: “the economy is bad,”  “I don’t want to work for this president,” “I’m not going to risk my life for people that don’t care and are disrespectful.” 

I’m already enlisted and before I did it there were only a couple things that I needed to think of: is it worth leaving my family? And can I get a decent job that is going to help me in civilian life?

As for my family, everyone leaves their family at one point in life, so I know I don’t have to be there for them. But I live for them, I want to at least try and protect those that I believe are family and I want them to know that the things that decision I made was not only for myself.

In all honesty, I’ve never been a school person; yeah I played softball and could have gotten somewhere from that, but to me enlisting was more than just getting somewhere with my life; it was a chance for me to defend others and give others the chance to do what they want to do.

The best way to think about it for me was through the song, “If Not Me,” by Craig Morgan. The song talks about a 17-year-old kid that was expected to go to college and play football but went down to the recruiting station to enlist. The lyrics say, “If not me, then who… If not this then what else can I defend?” 

I’ve also never been the one to just complain about things going on in our world; I’d rather get up and do something about it. So if this country goes to war, I feel I’m someone that can do that. I’d rather have myself do it rather than someone who doesn’t want to. 

I also think about the others that are already enlisted and I want to be there to help them if someone has a family and gets sent off, has to go to war, I want to have their back and try my hardest to let them get home to their family. 

Sure I might die if I go into the field, but that doesn’t bother me. Nowadays people can die just walking down the street, so why would I let that stop me from doing something that I think is a great thing.