What Things Did You Learn About Yourself That Were Unexpected or Surprising During Your Military Service? Login & Share to Win!

That I really, really hate 0600, but I can still roll out and PT every day. Perseverance and the triumph of dedication over impulse

I learned I could go much further than my imagined physical limits, and that I could actually be wherever I was supposed to be with time to spare. And I learned an incredibly larger-than-life portion of self-respect and self-worth.

Learning how to lead others gave me a chance to grow and help make my assigned unit the best it could be. Being deployed to Iraq gave me a better understanding of how good we have it in the USA. I'm grateful to have served this country and would do it again if I had the same choices. Proud to be an AMERICAN!!!! U.S.A.

That I could get thru fear and still do my job. I could inspire those under my command.

At 17, when I joined the USAF, I had No idea that there was a much bigger world out there than I ever imagined AND that I had the skills and support to succeed, thrive, and then mentor the future to do the same. I look back and can’t help but smile and think, “WOW!” at all of the things I’ve seen and done.

I learned that a small town kid who never went hunting, I could hump a heavy rucksack and a m 60 with 300 round bandoleer through the hills and jungles of Viet Nam. I didn't like the killing but enjoyed my time there. I still don't hunt or even own guns. I had enough of that crap back then to last a lifetime. I'm not for gun controul. Everyone has the right to have guns except criminals. I just don't think I went one.

The thing that surprised me the most was the difference in boot camp from when I went through (1960) and when I was a Drill Instructor (1972 - 1974). The physical demands where about the same, but the mental stress on the recruits was much different. I think several factors played into this. In 1960 we lived in Quonset Huts with 12 to 16 recruits to a hut and were not under the continuous watch of the DI, where as in 1972 the recruits were housed in 3 story barracks with 4 squad bays per floor. Each recruit platoon was housed in one squad bay and were almost constantly under the eye of the Drill Instructor. Another factor was the higher education of the recruits in the 70's. Most recruits were high school graduates. When I was a DI the Marine Corps was no longer receiving draftees which, I think, added to having better educated recruits.

I found that Mind over matter gets you through. Your mind allows you to do things you had always been told you couldn't do.

I learned that if I applied myself I could be above average. All thru grammar school, Junior high, High school and junior collage, my grade average was in the middle of the class. When I joined the Navy Seabees, I attended Builder A school, and again in the middle of my class. After making BU2 I reenlisted. At that time I decided to really put all my potential into this career. Upon entering BU B school, I studied a minimum of 2 to 3 hours after school every day even if I had no homework. Making my self stick to this routine, I was able to achieve first in my class. At that point I knew I could do anything I put my mind to do and not just be average again.
After my military service I applied that lesson to everything I worked at. That lesson to work just a little harder, study the subject more than the rest, taught me to succeed.

That I was far more patriotic than I had previously thought.