Why

I suppose it's time I address the age old question that may or may not be sitting in the back of your mind. Now that I've had some time to contemplate it myself, I shall attempt to answer that.


First off, I've always had this fascination with ships. I'm talking older ships, not these floating resorts people take cruises on. Yes, there's one particular ship that sparked this interest, but that's a bit irrelevant. And though I've never been on one, or been out to sea, I've always imagined it to be a rather freeing experience, like being on a motorcycle. This appeals to me. And so somehow my interests brought me to, at a rather young age, wanting to join the Navy some day, so I could satisfy the desire to, well, go out to sea. Tied into this is the fact that military service seems to quite literally run in the family. My grandpa was in the Army, an uncle served in the Air Force, and I've been told that my ancestors on my grandmother's side fought in the Revolutionary War. How true that is I don't know.

Second, I'm finding it difficult to advance where I work. After nearly 2 years of working there, and after all the things I've learned since being hired, all that has gotten me is a position in which I find no satisfaction, nor is there a career path I could follow. Of course, it doesn't help that I'm not on management's "Favorites" list, either. I know I am capable of much more than I am doing, and it frustrates me that I am not able to see just how far I can run with it. Also, things just aren't the same around the place, and I don't like the direction things are headed. Sure, I could look for a different job, but the situation is always the same: Everybody wants experience, but nobody wants to train. I don't even know how good the chances are of getting a full-time position that pays at least what I make now. Given the state of the economy, it looks as if I've gotten as far as I can go, and that is sad.

Thirdly, I want to be able to say I did something with my life. I want to do something to make myself and my family proud.

Lastly, I would be lying if I told you that 9/11 didn't play a part in my decision. I love my country. I love what we stand for. For a terrorist group to attack that, for me, was unacceptable and almost offensive. By doing this, hopefully I can help make the world a little bit safer, not for me, but for who I care about.