Today I start my venture into blogging (I know, I know, welcome to 2006). Please join me as I take you down my memory lane, with the tales of my life, family, friends and change. I don't know where this will take us, but Here we go...
Let me introduce myself, I am a mid-30's father of one 8 year old boy. I have been married to my wife (& mother of my son) for over 17 years (yes we were high school sweethearts) and work for a wireless communications company as a microwave engineer. I am currently in the process of moving from the Omaha area to Tulsa, OK. So I will start with this move, career change and all that is going on with it.
Communications-
When I was a teenager, I wasn't sure what I was "going to do with my life". I thought about college, but financially, I wasn't going to be able to afford it. Sure, loans, grants and etc. were available, but I just wasn't "feeling it".
As a child, I was always impressed by my father, putting on his Army uniform to go to drill on weekends and spend his 2 weeks for annual training, usually in the summer. I guess I was destined for it, to this day I am not sure how much of it was fate, destiny or decision. Doesn't matter. I met with the National Guard recruiter, started the paperwork to join my fathers unit but I was approached by the regular Army recruiter about the same time. He talked to me, showed me my options and took me to my ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) test. Basically an IQ test. When my results came back, my recruiter was thrilled. I had scored at the top of the charts, there was no career field that the Army offered that I didn't qualify for. I could pick what I wanted to do.
As I went through my options, a few jobs caught my eye. Network Switching Systems Operator and Network Radio Systems Operator. I had no idea what they were, neither did my recruiter. Ultimately, I decided on the Network Switching Systems Operator, they had air conditioning and heaters in the description, the Radio Operator description did not mention either. So basically, I based my decision on whether or not I had air conditioning. Hard core, huh?
Turns out, that not only was I destined for Army service, but maybe even communications. My grandfather (Mother's side) had been a radio operator in the 1920's and I am in possession of his Dept. of Commerce license as radio operator as well as his training manuals. Just to be clear, I was not aware of his history as a radio operator until I joined the Army. Maybe genetics can play a role in your future career.
So, as excited as I was about my choice, there was an equal and opposite reaction. My girlfriend (to become my wife later) was not happy about my decision. She knew I was going to join, but she thought I was only going to be in for 2 years. Turns out, the US government wants their more technical soldiers to commit to a longer term. I guess they wanted some return for their time spent training us. So, two years was out. Four was the only way to go.
At 18 years old, 4 years is at least a lifetime, if not more.
In family tradition, my first commercial flight was to Army BCT (basic combat training) at Fort Jackson, SC. This tradition was established by my father in 1962, carried on by me in 1992 and recently my cousins' daughter as she took her first flight to Annapolis as a Sea Cadet.
Basic Training was awesome! I loved it even when I hated it. I look back on the experience and remember it very fondly. Name are slipping now (its been 18 years) but the memories are not. I took all kinds of advice before going, but none more important than to just do what you are told. Sounds simple, but as an 18 year old male, not many people knew more than me (at least that's what I thought). 2 months later, I emerged a stronger, more self aware person. I grew up a lot in 2 months.
Next up was AIT (advanced individual training), this was to take place at Ft. Gordon, GA, just outside Augusta, GA. Here was where I was to learn how to be a Network Switching Systems Operator.
That's enough for now. I will "carry on" tomorrow.
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