If this is the reason that someone gives for joining the military, I say that this is foolishness. Those are not reasons. Those are incentives. An incentive can be a powerful motivator for enlisting, but it is not a reason. If these incentives were the sole motivating factors that drew you to the Army, you will be a poor soldier. You do not understand what the Army will ultimately ask of you.
My reason for joining the Army is simple: I wanted to be a soldier. A defender of freedom. I love my country, and value all the freedoms and liberties that we enjoy here in the States. Ironically, freedom is not free. Freedom carries with it a great and terrible price: it must be fought for, must be defended. I wanted to do my part to fight for it, to defend it.
Ever since I was young, I have had an appreciation and fascination with the military. Stories of honor and great bravery inspired me. Who were these people? Ordinanary people. Ordinary men, ordinary women. Made extraordinary by acts of courage. And terrible sacrifice. Ordinary men and women, refusing to surrender.
I suppose I am somewhat of an idealist.
Shortly after the events of September 11th, I knew it was my time to do my part, to defend against the newest enemy of freedom. We have endured worse before; we will endure this burden and those that come after, because that is what ordinary men and women do. Because the future belongs to ordinary men and ordinary women, and the future must be built free of such acts as these, must be fought for. In such days as these are heroes born.
The true heroes of the twenty-first century.