essay on being an army officer
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I WANT TO BE AN ARMY OFFICER
The first time I considered joining the army I was a homeless teen who was also an undocumented immigrant in court proceedings trying to adjust my status. It was 2004 during my attendance at the Borough of Manhattan Community College; I would walk pass the recruiting station located on Chambers Street thinking to myself when I become a legal resident of the United States of America I am going to join the army. It was the most selfless act I could do for my family and the country that had allowed me to continue to be a member of its society. Recently I have decided that I’d like to be an officer in the army because I would love to be able to help promote an environment that fosters good sound judgment, positivity, team building and personnel interactions amongst our future soldiers. I also desire to commission as an army officer because I believe that I have demonstrated my ability as a person who can lead, accept responsibilities, and adapt to an ever-changing organization and world. These are all positive traits and values that everyone one should possess when serving ones country as an officer. Four years ago I joined the army because I wanted to show my appreciation to our great nation, today I would like the opportunity to do something even greater. I love serving my country; our country, but now the time has come where I feel as though leading from the front is something that I can be great at.
I’ve always believed that I had a strong sense of leadership skills, but being a Soldier has truly helped me realize what it means to be a true leader. Although I am currently a Specialist without any Soldiers my peers always look to me for guidance. It is my belief that all soldiers in the army are leaders and that in order for anyone to be a great officer they must also be able follow directions. Being an enlisted Soldier there’s a great deal of knowledge that is learned through experience in order to gain leadership skills that an officer should poses. To me being an officer also means that one must also be a great follower; being an enlisted Soldier for the last four years have had a positive impact even more so on that belief. When others hear me make this statement there’s always a reaction that seems to be negative, but I always remind them that officers are not born they are made; officers are made and shaped by life and its many experiences. What makes a great officer is how he or she uses their experiences to become better leaders and how they apply that knowledge gained from their experiences to shape future leaders.
I’ve always believed that one must truly love doing what they do in life in order to be successful at it, be it cleaning the sewer or be it leading a nation. I love serving my country, but now I would love the opportunity to lead from the front. Life for me as a soldier and a civilian has been a lesson of great resilience and profound opportunities from being homeless to becoming a member of the greatest family of one in the world the United States Army. So when asked, “why is it I would like to become an officer in the army?” ultimately my answer is rather simple. Why wouldn't I want to be a member of an elite few, a member of the most valuable one percentile? Why would I not want to be a leading member of the greatest army, the greatest nation the world have ever seen and will ever see? Most of all when asking this question to myself the answer ultimately lead to the irrefutable fact that I love to lead and one can only lead from the front. I would love to be afforded the opportunity to be apart the personnel that is responsible for making the decisions and implementing the plans and policies that guide all soldier personnel. There’s no greater purpose in life than to serve ones people, family and country. I by no means feel that I have all of the answers, but I feel that I do have the drive for knowledge and the ability to make good decisions with authority and leadership. I do believe that it takes a great leader to pool the strengths of others and to that I feel called. It is the by far the most selfless act anyone or I can do for the comfort of freedom.