A Re-Introduction

[Rabbit]

Evening Rangers, Veterans, and everyone else,


I figured today would mark an appropriate time to resurface on this forum board as I have been away for some time due to various reasons.

It has been a long and bumpy road for me and I worked hard to be at the spot where I am at.
Some may remember, I had joined this forum board roughly around 2010 as a Cadet in Senior ROTC. I had graduated LDAC and was last here with an Infantry platoon in the Texas National guard set to graduate. Circumstances surround, I had decided to drop my commission for several reasons, as I realized this is not what I truly wanted in life, and I would never be satisfied with myself and have a feeling of emptiness and a sense of none accomplishment.

So, I did what my heart told me and separated December of 2011 from my ROTC program. From that point on, I went through a world of change, I submitted my paperwork in February of 2012 and was not released until November of 2013. In the meantime, I underwent possibly the worst experience one could go through in life. I quit, and I knew I did, and could not realistically bring myself to face this forum and say what happened. So in that time, I did not finish school, I am currently three credits shy of graduated, I went got into some trouble with the law, which I was fortunate enough to get cleared (took another long time) and roomed with an escort who I worked with at a night club being a doorman. I had become overweight, and was pretty much living paycheck to paycheck until I moved back home, working at a bar.

That's where I started to turn things around, once I was released from ROTC officialy (opting to pay back finically to the tune of 56k thinking I could get the MOS I wanted when I enlisted) in November 2012, I immediately marched over to the recruiters office and submitted my paperwork. I got it cleared, and I enlisted into the Army February 22nd 2013 as an 11x.

I had no option 40''s, no special strings attached, no nothing, I knew what I wanted still, and what I need to get, I started to condition myself, going to the gym the day after I stepped into that recruiters office in November. Once I had gotten Infantry (Which I told would be nigh impossible to get, I submitted a request in November to serve my time via enlistment), my ship date was April 23rd to Ft. Benning, GA. I started to work my butt off, conditioning, rucking, and maintain PT.

Fast forward to now, I am on my 48 hour pass, just having graduated the basic training portion of OSUT, this Friday. My PT score on my most recent PT test was 280, (60 PU, 81 SU, 1316 2 mile). I was offered an 18x contract (one of five in the company), and possibly a Ranger contract which my drill Sergeant told me was a definite, I confirm this Tuesday. I will be taking the Ranger contract. In addition, I managed to waive the 56,000 dollars, for an additional time in service obligation, which I would have done anyways with the Ranger contract.

I can never justify why I quit, only to say that I intended to follow my heart and do what I wanted to do. Always, from the point I joined the forums, to the point I dropped my commission, I knew I wanted to be a Ranger. Even if I was in the lowest of lows, I still had it in my mind I could do that. Evidence in my PT score from when I joined in basic was a 237, (52 PU, 69 SU, 1525 2 mile time). I had the spirt of drive on in my mind, and the knowledge that I can do it.

To any Future soldier, nothing is impossible. You need the right attitude to accomplish it, no matter how low you are. No matter how beaten or broken you thing you are, you aren't. There is always someone in a worse position that what you are at. I have not been to RASP yet, I still work as everyday to prove that I need to earn the right to even compete for that. I want simply to earn the spot to try out. There are a few opt 40s in my platoon, two are not meeting their pt test and one is not making the 240 standard. Do not be those people, earn your Option 40, like I will try to. Going into a recruiters office and asking to be the world is easy, but you have got to put the work in. I simply say this, because I want you to succeed and not be like those people in my platoon, who just because they have a contract, to not put the work in. For me, earning a spot to try out is just as important as making it into the Regiment.

Tomorrow, I start the AIT portion of OSUT and will be heading back out to Sand hill. I will update accordingly, from if I graduate OSUT to airborne ETC. I hope I haven't burnt any bridges here from my departure, and I hope I can earn a place amongst those here, and stand among the few to call themselves Rangers.

To Ranger Jim, Paddyman is in my platoon, and is one of my good battles with another guy who was offered 18x. We look out for each other, and he is doing great.

Always driving on,
Rabbit

[cams]

Why did you start a second introduction thread?

Point of note to me:

You were kind of a know-it-all douche the first time around. Giving advice when you had no cause to or experience to draw from. You've only now just made it through Basic Training and already you're rambling on with advice for newbs. How have you changed or matured?

All well and good that you're trying to turn things around for yourself, I can applaud that effort.

I'll refrain from further comment for now.

[Rabbit]

Ranger Cams,
I created a second introduction thread because I thought it would be the most appropriate place to reintroduce my current situation to the board.

The advice I had given was simply meant to try and help people from trying to follow how I did. Not to tell anyone what to do, but simply say "don't do what I did". But I can say I did learn a great deal of humility from being in basic and having my huge head deflated.

I simply want to do the best I can and I can promise that I will give it my best.

But from now on, I will try and let my actions speak louder than any words I type. I head back to OSUT today, and hopefully graduate and go to airborne then RASP.

[Jim]

Agree With Ranger Cams, you were a wise-ass. Well, we all have to do what we have to do. Remind Paddyman to start a thread in the Letters from School thread. Keep us informed and never, never quit!

[Dreadnought]

I for one don't give a shit about your history. If you show up to Regiment, start fresh and in the correct manner.