Wearing Army Green: My Journey into Military Service
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I grew up in a small town in Alabama, where life was slow and opportunities felt even slower. After high school, like so many others, I found myself working factory jobs. These jobs were dangerous, the kind of work where you clock in knowing you’re putting your body on the line day after day. I watched my coworkers—good, hardworking people—give their all for a paycheck that barely kept the lights on. I saw the toll it took on their bodies and spirits, and it didn’t take long for me to realize that I couldn’t stay on that path.
I wanted more. I wanted something different. But in a town like mine, “different” didn’t exactly show up on your doorstep. But my Uncles, Aunts, and Cousins all talked about the “different” they encountered by leaving and joining the military. It wasn’t until I saw an Army recruiting office that the idea really took hold. The military felt like an escape hatch, a chance to rewrite my story instead of waiting for my circumstances to change on their own.
Walking into that recruiting office was a mix of fear and determination. I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into, but I knew it had to be better than what I was leaving behind. I signed up for the Army not just because I wanted to escape, and pay for college, learn about life outside of my city and state. I wanted to chance, something bigger than the factory floor.
When I joined the Military Police Corps, I didn’t know what to expect. The transition wasn’t easy, I missed home, and all these new people were strangers and worlds away from the rules of my community. So daily, it tested me in ways I’d never been tested before. But every time I pushed past my limits, I discovered strength I didn’t know I had. It wasn’t just about physical toughness; it was about learning people, experiencing why discipline is so important, and learning to trust myself under pressure.
One of the most pivotal moments of my service came at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, where I worked at the nation’s only all-male maximum-security prison. Talk about a trial by fire. It was here that I truly learned the importance of discipline, justice, and compassion. Every day brought new challenges, and every decision mattered. It wasn’t easy, it changed me in ways I can’t fully put into words. It taught me to be human in all situations and see the bigger picture.
The Army didn’t just teach me how to serve; it taught me how to lead. It gave me tools and opportunities I never would have had otherwise. Thanks to the GI Bill, I was able to pursue higher education and lay the foundation for a career that was meaningful to me. But even more than that, it gave me a sense of purpose. A belief that I could shape my future and teach others that they were in control of their future too….a reminder that none of us had to wait for the future to happen, we could build it with teamwork.
When I left the military, I carried those lessons with me into everything I did. Whether it was advocating for fellow veterans, working on public policy, or championing data and technology in my career, I leaned on the resilience and focus the Army instilled in me. I became determined to lift others up, just as the Army had lifted me.
Looking back, joining the military wasn’t just an escape from factory work—it was the beginning of my transformation. It was my way of stepping into the unknown and taking control of my destiny. The military didn’t just change my circumstances; it changed me. And for that, I’ll always be grateful.