I had signed up to join to Navy during my
junior year of high school. My father, ever the voice of reason, had given me
an ultimatum of sorts: I was allowed to have the summer after I graduated
high school off, but by that fall I had three choices.
1) Start going to college full-time.
2) Be working full-time somewhere.
3) Join the military.
My grades in high school were decidedly average and I had honestly not even really looked into the prospect of higher learning opportunities. Also, my parents didn't have the means to support or help me in any way. At the time, college just didn't seem right for me.
Even though it wasn't the right time for college, it CERTAINLY wasn't time for me to up and join the workforce either. My mother had a high school education and my father had gone to automotive technical school but eventually opened his own janitorial business and then a janitorial supply company. I had no interest in joining the family business, or the civilian workplace right away.
While my father had never served in the military on account of a knee injury sustained during a Boy Scout camping trip, both of my grandfathers had served during World War II. And my only, older brother had signed up right out of high school and was close to finishing up his four year tour.
For me, the Navy held a tremendous amount of allure. Not only would I have the opportunity to honor my grandfathers and their service, but I could also travel the world on the government's dime, save a little money for college and hopefully make my family proud.
All I had do now was make it through the physical and mental screening processes and boot camp (you know, that place where they make you "drop and give them 20"). Little did I know what kind of fun was in store for me there.
1) Start going to college full-time.
2) Be working full-time somewhere.
3) Join the military.
My grades in high school were decidedly average and I had honestly not even really looked into the prospect of higher learning opportunities. Also, my parents didn't have the means to support or help me in any way. At the time, college just didn't seem right for me.
Even though it wasn't the right time for college, it CERTAINLY wasn't time for me to up and join the workforce either. My mother had a high school education and my father had gone to automotive technical school but eventually opened his own janitorial business and then a janitorial supply company. I had no interest in joining the family business, or the civilian workplace right away.
While my father had never served in the military on account of a knee injury sustained during a Boy Scout camping trip, both of my grandfathers had served during World War II. And my only, older brother had signed up right out of high school and was close to finishing up his four year tour.
For me, the Navy held a tremendous amount of allure. Not only would I have the opportunity to honor my grandfathers and their service, but I could also travel the world on the government's dime, save a little money for college and hopefully make my family proud.
All I had do now was make it through the physical and mental screening processes and boot camp (you know, that place where they make you "drop and give them 20"). Little did I know what kind of fun was in store for me there.
- Scott Kaminski
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