We're at our MOB (mobilization) station and we were walking back to the barracks from the DFAC (dining facility) and I snapped this photo really quick with my iPhone.
It made me think about getting ready to leave for Afghanistan soon. I'm excited to go and achieve our mission. :)
LIFE
I had an unfortunate interruption in my life that literally took all of the energy that I could muster within my being to move forward. A really, really stupid decision was made by me far, far back in 2011 that came to bare later in the fall of the same year. I paid a heavy price for my choices and bouncing back to focus on this documentary project of my Army career was sorely neglected, to the point that I was ashamed to even come back to it. But here I am taking a deep breath and continuing mission. What has happened since I fell off the radar? Honestly--and I'll keep it short--DO NOT EVER, EVER, E-VER pursue a relationship within a year's time of deploying! To do so is to simply welcome pain and suffering into your own life. Push relationships aside and remain single! Just don't do it or else I promise, I will say "I told you so" and then give you a big hug because you'll definitely need it. LOL
PREPARATION
Up to now my unit has been very busy with so much paperwork for every soldier. Prior to deploying we have to go through SRP (Soldier Readniness Processing). This is basically to ensure every soldier within a deploying unit has alll personal affairs in order, primarily medical, dental, legal and spiritual/mental readiness. So far I have gone through two levels: SRP I and SRP II. I am blessed that I have no physical injuries, nor health issues that would prevent me from deploying because I absolutely need to do this. My friends don't see it this way, but I certainly understand and appreciate their concern. But it must be said that service members enlist knowing full-well the risk they are volunteering to take. Suffice it to say, there is no such thing as blind enlistment in an all-volunteer military. Threat to life and limb are always at the front of my mind, among other things. I just don't talk about it. ...who wants to amyway?
There are still so many things left on a long list of items that I need to get taken care of before leaving the US. When I am asked if I am nervous or afraid, my only and honest answer is that at present I am not concerned about what may happen in Afghanistan right now. I am not in Afghanistan. Rather, I am concerned about what may happen in the US concerning my family while I am away. My heart is here, not over there. I will focus on one hurdle at a time, and that is making sure my personal affairs and my family are well-taken care of in my absence for a year, and possibly longer--if you get my drift. If I take care of as much as I can now before leaving, then I can focus on my mission and what comes my way once I am overseas so that I may come home in one peace. Until then, I just need to make it happen.
TRAINING
At this point the only major training on the horizon is RTC (Regional Training Center) where combat support and combat service support units are given pre-mobilization training. I am excited to get to focusing on our training and then get to our mobilization station afterward. From what I have been told by one of my battle buddies, who has already gone through RTC, it can be a fun time for a unit to come together. I am looking forward to it all.
For those that aren't familiar with what annual training is all about, to put it simply, US Army Reserve soldiers live predominately civilian lives in their home cities. However, one weekend out of each month they attend drill at their respective reserve units. Additonally, one particular month out of each year, reserve soldiers attend annual training, which can last two weeks or more, depending upon the closeness of a given unit's time to deploy (usually every five years, more or less). That should bring you up to speed on what the frenchfry I have been talking about for the last month.
I returned home Saturday evening on August 6th and couldn't have been happier to get back. I definitely learned a bit about my MOS as I stated in an earlier entry, but also learned a lot about my unit's overall function and it's members. Working and living in close quarters with soldiers you like and dislike for a long period of time can be stressful, annoying and strangely beneficial all at once. Annual training is deployment-like where you are not in control of what goes on around you nor what you are tasked to do, but you suck it up and get the work done. I guess what I'm trying to say is annual training was boring, frustrating and afforded me the time to do a lot of soul searching about what I want to do and where I want to be in my army career. Dear God! If I could change my MOS today, I would do it with such a quickness that I'd leave a trail of fire behind me on my way to see a career counselor.
I have been asked on many occasions whether I am afraid, anxious or excited to go to Afghanistan. Up until June my answer has always been to some effect, "I don't know." But now I must honestly say that my answer has changed. I dread deploying to Afghanistan as an 88N, transportation management coordinator. Going to Afghanistan doesn't bother me so much, but the MOS and the unit with which I am deploying leaves me very unhappy and unfulfilled as a soldier. Be not confused, as I am quite capable of doing my duty with motivation, albeit false. But deep down I am uninspired and less interested the longer I spend with my unit. I have found myself praying for a way out almost entirely unaware--so much that my dreams reflect my feelings.
All I want to do is be a photographer for the Army. The only way to do this is to get an MOS in Combat Camera or Public Affairs (the Army is doing away with Combat Camera and blending it with Public Affairs). At any rate, I have come to realize in the last two years that videography and photo journalism is where my heart is. I wake up every single day, grab my camera and take photos of something or someone. The sheer joy, fulfillment and sense of purpose couldn't be more fervent within me. I still want to be an officer, but if it means giving up commissioning to be a camera on the ground, as it were, I'd do it! There is a reason for everything and it took a month of simulated deployment with my unit to Fort McCoy to realize it. This epiphany that I have experienced in July has altered my focus and how I will go about shaping my future for the remainder of my Army contract.
To be continued...
Today I finally got a chance to see the forward operating base in all of it's desolate glory. I got a short class on the operations that my unit will need to accomplish for the remaining 24 days and set up a place of operation as well. From what I have been told there are only two showers for hundreds of people and small sleeping space in the tents. Although there is a possiblility we may stay in the barracks and just commute back and forth to the FOB whereupon some in my unit complained that it's a very long drive from the barracks to the FOB. I figure no matter how you shake up this situation there is simply going to be some major discomfort and we have to push through it and accomplish our mission. As I said in my last post, this annual training will prepare us for deploying to Afghanistan next year. We won't have definitive word on where we'll be staying until tomorrow, so this may be my last post for a while even though it was my hope to journal every so often while at annual training. I guess I'll write it all down and scan it in later to post here afterward.
Stay tuned.
The following are mostly frequently asked questions with a few additional lesser questions I feel should be answered and shared. If you don't see a question that you think should have been added here please comment on this post and I will review your request. Thanks!
UPDATE! I just added a FAQ page above where more questions have been added.
What is your MOS?
I am an 88N (spoken "eighty-eight november") -Transportation Management Coordinator.
Where did you go for AIT (Advanced Individual Training)?
I went to Fort Lee, Virginia for AIT where my MOS required 6 weeks of training.
Is basic training hard?
Hell to the yeah! ...with one caveat however. Basic training used to be much harder in a number of aspects, but has since been changed (some would argue this by saying it was "watered down"). What should be realized is that the vast majority of new soldiers in the Army are very young and are apart of the generation that grew up with cell phones, internet, personal computers and video games (at present I had none of these conveniences for half my life and I'm only 29 years of age). What does this mean? This means that the many new soldiers are viewed as weak, lazy, fat, crazy, and hyper-sexually active couch potatoes COMPARED to all of the generations of soldiers before them. And when it comes down to Modern Army Combatives Instruction, a lot of young Americans have hardly been punched in the face, let along slapped. And yet when future soldiers arrive to basic training they experience culture shock. I know I did.
Why didn't you join the Navy or the Air Force?
The other military branches didn't have an appeal to me. I don't really get a kick out of heights and flying, nor do I like nor want to swim (obviously this rules out being a Marine). I have nothing against the other branches, but like all preferential things in life it's a prerogative.
Are you afraid you'll be deployed to Afghanistan?
Yes and no. Yes, because safety is always a concern no matter what your job is overseas in a combat zone. No. I feel somewhat indifferent right now. I am however, looking forward to saving a lot of money during my deployment. ;)
What is basic training like?
I get this question all the time and frankly, it's so broad and open-ended a question that it would literally fill a book if I even attempted to answer it. The short and simpler answer is, it was one of the most exciting, scary, shocking and physically grueling experiences of my life. And as a person who came from a poor physical lifestyle as a public school teacher to running several miles and firing weapons meant to kill other human beings (albeit the enemy), it goes without saying that basic training was life changing for me.
Are you happy that you joined the Army?
Absolutely! The one major setback I am faced with, however, is the demanding time requirement, and as an Army Reserve soldier, this is saying a lot! I couldn't have imagined the amount of additional time and travel that would be required beyond one drill per month and two weeks active duty out of the year.
What kind of camera do you use?
When I first started making videos for my YouTube channel, I was using my Canon Vixia HF10. Lately, I've been shooting my videos using my Canon 5D Mark II (DSLR camera).
When are you going to make another video?
Simply put, when my job, the Army and family permit me to make another. There is not set schedule. I make one when I have the time and energy. That's the honest truth.
As I'm sure all of you know by now, I am an Army Reserve Soldier, and so I attended drill earlier this month at the end of which I received my permanent orders. It appears that it is safe to say I am being deployed to Afghanistan indefinitely. Obviously, to observe Operations Security (OPSEC) regulation, I clearly cannot reveal further information. However, I just wanted confirm what has already been shared via my YouTube videos and basically provide my thoughts on the matter.
In a small way, I have experienced a considerably consistent time away from home, work and of course, family. I have spent the vast majority of this year dotting the United States attending schools for training and Army competitions, in all of which I have done quite well. However, I have already begun to face estrangement from my friends, who also happen to be my colleagues at my civilian workplace, as well as my 1,000+ elementary aged students (FYI: I'm a public school teacher if you didn't arleady know). In terms of the former, it's been a great year, but as for the latter, this year has sucked. I've said all this to help shape my ultimate point: a year of deployment and the time I'll have to be away from work to prepare for it means another year of becoming a stranger. It's an odd feeling and it was palpable throughout the 2010-2011 school year. I'm hoping that I can work this out, as my job situation in regards to this deployment is a unique one. That's all I have to say about this for now.
On a positive note, I do look forward to the experience of being deployed, all the while praying for my safety (lol). There is a HUGE financial benefit as well as learning more about what my MOS (Military Occupational Specialty aka "army job") will be like in a combat environment. Honestly, I don't know what to expect but I know for sure I will have a lot to share as I go along or afterward. In short, I am both excited, afraid but encouraged to do my best as my unit prepares and once we deploy.
Stay tuned!
This is a short film on my first 12 months since I enlisted on February 5th, 2010. While I have been enlisted for just little bit over a year, I've only been a soldier for two months of that time. A lot has happened--more than I was able nor wanting to share in Chapter 1 of this film. Chapter 2 may cover more of what I left out. For now this is the first part of my story and the goal is to continue this film project until the end of my enlistment in 2018. The vlogs and episodes that I make time to create will provide supplemental insight into what being a soldier has brought me.
So far this process of sharing my experiences online has been extremely rewarding in terms of the community that has begun to surround it and the feedback. All of you who have followed my journey and have even chosen to take up a similar journey, be it in the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marine Corp are amazing. I am inspired and I hope to inspire more to take up the cause for a country--although not perfect-- that remains a great light in a very dark world. America is my home and it is my country. Who will defend it, it's people and it's Constitution if no one volunteers to do the hard work? Many are called but few will answer.
On 14 January I received an email from my Unit Administrator (UA) pertaining to my army career. I would like to just post a quote of the email, and while it is an unclassified document, I don't feel it to be appropriate so I'll summarize. Basically I submitted an application for pre-qualification for a direct commission as an officer in the US Army Reserve--which I did qualify and I'm currently awaiting further direction from higher up the chain of command. However, my unit is preparing to mobilize for deployment to Afghanistan and a lot of training is forthcoming throughout this year. In fact, I already have a week of training coming up in February. Also prior to deploying we have about thee months of training in another state. The process of commissioning can be very lengthy and frankly the chances of getting commissioned and trained in time for deployment in January 2012 is slim-to-none at the rate the process is going. Ideally, it would be great to commission and finish officer school prior to deploying, but as I've already stated... Suffice it to say if I continue with the direct commission I would be placed on an order of merit, which would make me "non-deployable".
When I read all this I couldn't help but think something along the lines of "It can never be a singular and simple path, but forks in the road every so often."
So after much discussion, careful and prayerful thought on the matter, this was my emailed reply to my UA:
This may seem incredibly personal to you but I've prayed about this, sought advice from my mother and thought even longer on the matter. I can't shake the desire to deploy with the unit. I feel that in the long run becoming an officer after enlisted experience while deployed is invaluable and I'd be remiss to pass it up. I think I'll be a better officer after doing so. Therefore I've decided to hold off on going to officer training school until we return from deployment. I feel very strongly about it and believe that it is the right choice. But YES, ideally if the opportunity were to avail itself to commission and complete officer school prior to deploying, I'd do it! :)
Finally, to answer your question about attending schools for deployment, yes.
Thank you!
SPC Moore
We shall see what happens in the coming months following this.
Hooah!
I was instructed to practice and have The Soldier's Creed memorized by the next Future Soldier Training day. So I set my camera up and practiced with it recording.
This is part one of a rather long video on different aspects of going to a Military Entrance Processing Station to enlist. It is a rather long process and so I took my time to just highlight some of the more memorable and important things I experienced over the course of both my visits.I will be uploading part two of this LONG video sometime soon, as I anticipate being very busy this weekend. So it may end up being next week that I get around to editing and uploading the second half. So watch for it. Meanwhile, the question to you for this video is...What was MEPS experience like, if you've gone already?For any immediate questions please feel free to email me: godavidstrong@gmail.comAdd me:
Blog: http://godavidstrong.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/godavidstrong
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Go-Davi...Thanks so much in advance for watching and supporting!References:
USMEPCOM: http://www.mepcom.army.mil/enlistment...
USMilitary.about.com: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joinin...
Hooah4health.com: http://hooah4health.com
Color Test: http://www.archimedes-lab.org/colorbl...
