What things do you remember about adapting to military life?

Having my haircut. I know most people wouldn’t think that would be so much for a woman but I am Catholic And it was a big deal to me. I beg my company commanders to not let them cut my hair.

First adjustment was there was no more summer off from school. I think that really hit me halfway through boot camp.

The time of day that a military life assumes is not the easiest to transition to. I was a night time security guard, working 9pm-6am before I came in. Getting to experience first hand, what I saw in my grandparents generation of that early bird gets the worm mentality was rough to say the least. I think you are both the worm and the bird in this saying when you come into the military. You see a lot of people crack, due to just this dramatic change of life. Some can’t handle the beginning and they wash out. Then there is school, some just wanted to join and not take on the responsibility of having to learn a career. So they washed out or figured it out. Then there’s your actual first duty assignment. It’s like you’ve made it through the chum and are about to breathe air at the surface and you then get dunked back in the water repeatedly until you truly adjust your way of lifestyle that is truly only comprehensive when the utterances of the military owns you, doesn’t hurt to think of!

What I remember was initially it was losing your identity and becoming a part of a bigger cause, everyone had the same haircut, the same clothes and the same name "Cruit" or dirtbag.

It was a culture shock for me. I was raised in a small farming town. Life was nice and slow paced, in the militares it was hurry up and wait.

Realizing I would have to work twice as hard and endure harassment for half of or no recognition due to gender.

As a very young person, from an extremely small town, going into the military was a SHOCK to say the least. I had more people in my platoon than in my high school graduating class. And people of all colors and races. To learn about their cultures and relate to them was a big learning curve. The physical part of military was easy for me as I grew up on a farm. The rules and regulations was not always easy for me. Learning about ranks and that meant was hard. I got a dressing down a time or two.

I thought the feeling of family started pretty early...although in basic we were all in the same unknown boat, floating out on an mystery sea, in the dark and wondering what would happen when the sun came up...I felt we had to depend on one another to make it through. During 20+ years, that feeling of brother-/sisterhood continued.

Wearing a uniform every day

In the Navy, I found out they want you for your brain not your muscles, and it's easier to ask for forgiveness than ask for permission