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

Learning that one has not yet achieved their full potential. Learning that one can be responsible to a team and also be counting on their team. Lessons that served me well in life.

giving others the chance to either succeed or fail, can improve their becoming a better soldier. not giving them a chance only causes a loss of that soldier.

I was 44 yrs old when I decided to join the Air Force and was commissioned. Within my first year of being active duty, I was deployed. That was something completely out of my comfort zone and quite surreal at the same time. Once I arrived to my deployed location, it took almost a week to get acclimated to my surroundings and work environment. Once acclimated, I quickly learned that I was a much stronger person than I gave myself credit for. Had I not been newly married when I deployed, I would have extended my tour. My husband wasn’t dealing well with my absence, so I decided not to extend. There’s not a day that has passed since my return that my experiences haven’t crossed my mind. I love to tell people my story and how much my time in the service and my deployment changed me. I’m still very proud of myself for having made that decision to join. The experiences will forever live on in my memories.

Communal latrines and showers were actually no problem to me. There were some who were taken aback by these situations...but eventually some were able to overcome their qualms. Those who couldn't soon found ways to leave the military, which was okay because the first war we went to had wooden 5-seaters (or at least 2-seaters when we were forward)!! Fun for all!!

I learned that People are not always what they claim to be and how to deal with difficult situations and be able to overcome adversities. Army training, Sir. Hooah!

I learned how to be more assertive and confident in myself and my abilities.

To be a leader of people.

there is an unlimited amount things that you learn about yourself. If I had to choose then it would be the "you can do it" it may take time and unlimited tries but you can do it

I was surprised by how good a leader I could be. My last years in service were as 68W instructor. I was surprised at how much I loved being a full time trainer. It was very satisfying to watching students perform as skilled medics during the final FXT.

I was completely shocked at how totally out of shape I was at the age of 18!