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Hi, I'm Chris, I just wanted to introduce myself to all of the members and QP's on the forums. I'd also like to say thank you to everyone involved on this site, so much useful information on here! I'm 22, I work full time testing electronics, go to school part time(two to three classes a semester), I've always tried to keep up with my PT since my brief time in the Army in 2011. I attended BCT at Fort Sill,OK as a 68W, unfortunately I developed pneumonia in both my lungs and it was severe enough to be rushed to the hospital where I laid in my hospital bed for two weeks. While I was in the hospital I spent most of my time reading my Warrior book, writing letters and using the phone while I had access to that privilege. Upon returning to my platoon on the final day of rifle qualification day, I qualified with an un-zeroed weapon, never having any rifle training with a 27/40. Probably one of my greatest memories was my Drill Sgt. telling me afterwards that he was impressed by my results, telling me "Yesterday all of the Drill Sgt.'s qualified with un-zeroed weapons, you might be a future Drill Sgt. one day." I smiled saying " No Drill Sgt. I have enough trouble being a Pvt."
To make the rest of my story shorter I'll skip ahead to my final PT test. I failed the final PT test by roughly sixteen seconds. Then I reported to the FOB with the rest of my platoon, I then marched the 16k event knowing I would be sent home, as the CO and I had already discussed it. I finished the 16K with my platoon, they dawned their berets and we went to our bay. Everyone was screaming and celebrating I sat on my bunk and it hit me, "I'm going home," is what I was thinking and the weight of it really hit me like a freight train.
I learned a lot about myself those three and a half months, I learned that I don't like to lose and that I wont quit. I learned that you can go into BCT running two miles in 27 minutes, doing 17 push-ups and 13 sit-ups then come out doing 58 push-ups, 55 sit-ups, and running two miles in 16:52. I told this story in my introduction so that any other members on here planning to join the Armed Forces, can maybe learn from my experience that failure as discouraging as it may be, is a great learning experience, just keep moving and drive on.
I joined this site because I plan on re-enlisting in my future so I'm exploring all of my options. The 18X route seems challenging and something I'd like to try to earn. I'd like to make a career out of SF just because I feel like it would bring out the best in me and I would be able to look in the mirror and be proud of myself, and hopefully my son could look at me and say " that's my dad, he's in the Army." I want to show my son that life is hard but you can do whatever you want as long as you put in the effort and learn from everything you do. Thanks for reading, have a nice day everyone, Hooah! Also anyone looking to join the Army, I'd be more than willing to share more of my experience of BCT with you, but that is all I can help you with.
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