The start of the NJROTC Career...all because of the word NO.

It all started with a little girl being told she couldn't do it. What is it, you might ask? Well, it is her going into a little program at her school that made a big difference in her life, That program was NJROTC (Navy Junior Reserve officers Training Corps). In my small hometown when someone tells me I can't do something it is like shoving it in my hand and telling me you better try this and succeed to prove a point. When my mother told me I couldn't do NJROTC because it wasn't really a girl thing and she didn't think I could tough it out, at first I said O yes I can...and I am going to prove it.

My first year was tough, I am not going to lie. I hated being told what to do by people my own age.   That was also the era where other students who were higher rank than me could give me push ups.  Lets see why could I crank out push ups for a PFT my senior year...because I spent my first and second year doing so many push ups for the upper class it was ridiculous.  I couldn't do anything right.  I was always doing a push up for some reason. O and don't worry if you broke your wrist (like I managed to do) they dish out Wall-sits. :) There are many times I thought about quiting but I didn't want to give ANYONE that satisfaction. I had to succeed, I always had before. That summer I went to boot camp.  I knew it would be hard but I had to do it.  I wanted to prove I wasn't near as girly as some thought and that I wasn't going to follow in my brother's foot-steps (he dropped out of NJROTC).  I rather LOVED boot camp.  There were moments I hated but that is just like life. My second year still felt pretty hard, I was trying so hard to prove I was good enough to be at the top. I wanted everyone to know that I could overcome the obstacles that were put in my way.  We had two very great instructors. Lt. Ostergren and Senior Chief Tippery. They were both great men. Lieutenant Ostergren was a great teacher. He never once let us think we could do the bare minimum and he always made us fight for what we wanted. He drove me to want to become a great leader. Senior Chief was kind of my run to guy at first. When I ever needed anything I would go to him. He started a bible study group in the mornings before school started and I would go every single Tuesday, this is also how I totalled my first car (dark rainy morning). Senior Chief taught me a lot about God. I was confused a lot about God and he cleared some of it up for me.

 My Junior year (third year) of NJROTC was like nothing I thought it would be.  Lieutenant was gone.  He retired and Senior Chief was trying to do it all by himself.  You could tell it was all really hard for him to do alone.  We had two girls and me in and out of the office trying to help him as much as possible, but there are still some things the students can't do.  I was given the 3rd in command position, at the time, our chain-of-command has been changed now.  I was happy for that.  I knew I had proved myself worthy of being a leader.  However, I still wanted to be at the top.  It was partially to prove that I could do it but I didn't want to just get there and give up.  I wanted to be that leader that was at the top but could still relate to everyone and be friends and joke around with them.  I kept trying to prove I was worthy of everything. We had our awards banquet.  I presented Senior Chief with a quilt that his wife who had passed away started, and I finished so he wouldn't have to give it away like he was planning.  I also made him a scrapbook.  We had all the cadets sign it.  He will always be remembered by me no matter where I go, he goes, I do, or he does.  That summer I was sent to Leadership Academy.  I was determined to do my best there as well.  I had some great friends and overall loved the place.  I would go back today if I could. 

O NOW THE BIG YEAR.....New blog. :) Read about my Fourth, Senior year, of NJROTC in my final NJROTC blog. :)