Who are you without your rank before your name?

Im the same guy, except I now make more than a 4 star, not to brag, but to illustrate that we dont change but our circumstances do, God blessed me, i dont forget that.

True leaders don't have to rely on their rank to influence what they can control around them. Rank helps with the job, but deep inside is what folks will relate to. Always taking a few extra minutes helping other people if needed, is recognized by all.

A civilian?

That old guy that somehow knows what I'm talking about

A father. A simple man. The rank didn't make me what I am. I defined my rank by the dedication I brought to the Marine Corps.

I am Melissa Hickman-Jackson.
I love to fish, garden, carve wood, and I have a guilty vice in the form of Elder Scrolls games.

I don't guess I care much what people call me as long as it is not MEL or C**t (this is reference to another post in which a member used the word and I had a mini-cow) .

You can call me George (looney tunes), you can call me "yo", but I prefer Melissa. I have evolved and changed SO MUCH since I was in the military. I am far older, and those of you who are also old know that with age often comes wisdom from trial and error. I look back and just shake my head at my younger self. To have THAT body and THIS brain- sans the brain injury- the things I would accomplish! I have achieved high academic success. I had a very meaningful career. I look back and feel proud at the things I managed to accomplish very much against the odds. I am also disappointed at the missed opportunities for excellence. I firmly believe that the sense of gratitude that aging and seasoning can bring is the absolute KEY to peace and contentment w/in yourself.be grateful for what you HAVE- don't mourn the things you have not.

I am retired now, and I am often content to just "be". I am making seed tapes for my carrots and beets today. Did y'all know you can make your own with a strip of toilet paper, a pack of seeds, and a light misting from a water bottle? You can get evenly-placed seeds w/o waste, and the TP just biodegrades. MUCH cheaper than buying the commercial seed tapes.

Ok- that's who I am. It rather startles me to have people call me A1C on here- I have not been called that in a very long time.

Who are you without your rank before your name? I am and always be “Felipe Mendez”. I am the same individual that stop and help anyone that needs help on the road, the store etc. During my military career, I never introduce myself using my rank first, unless it was necessary or it was a formal military occasion. At times there were some surprises when individuals find out who I was. In addition, I encourage my daughters to never use my rank for anything, I explained them that it was my rank and they didn’t need to used it for anything. After my military career, I did not felt any different when navigating the civilian life. I have seen some of my classmates still using and at times demanding to be called by their service rank.

A father and a husband. The Army has taught me a lot about life and people but it will never define who I am.
I get weird looks when I see civilians on post and say, " Hi, I'm Anthony, nice to meet you."

I'm me.

Jerome Hardaway, software Developer and Executive Director of Vets Who Code. I help my fellow veterans get jobs in software development so they can have an easier transition than I did.