PFC Jessica Duplantis' Journal

Private First Class Jessica Duplantis enlisted in the Louisiana Army National Guard Jan. 9, 2009, after graduating from the Guard’s Youth ChalleNGe Program. She is studying Arabic at the Defense Language Institute in California.

January 15, 2010— Well, the days have turned into weeks, and now I’m counting months. Sure, it has only been three months since I first left for Basic Combat Training (BCT), but it’s definitely a start in my new military career. I graduated BCT three weeks ago at Fort Leonard Wood, MO, and now I am undergoing my Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Fort Huachuca, AZ. It has definitely been a transition!

I’m still living in a very military-structured environment, but it’s a big step up from Basic. There’s a lot more freedom to make your own choices. Here, you’re expected to think, act and look like a Soldier without anyone telling you to. When I find myself being that way all on my own, it just goes to prove that all of that hard work (transitioning from citizen to Soldier) was a success. I can honestly say that Basic Training was not what I had expected, but then again, it never is for anyone.

I guess I went in with the Hollywood version of Basic in my mind—what you see in the movies. It’s a lot more personal than that, though. I learned quickly while I was there that I was only going to get out of it what I put in. So, I tried to give it everything I had. From marching everywhere we went, to being locked in a gas chamber, to rappelling down a 50-foot wall, I made it a point to have as much fun while learning as I could.

The training that you experience involves once-in-a-lifetime skills. Keeping my mind set on my goals—my future and military career—was very difficult at times. However, now that those 10 long, tiring and sometimes painful weeks are over, there’s a sense of pride for my country that’s been instilled in me. Knowing now that I am completely capable of defending it, nothing can take that joy away.

June 22, 2009 — Well, the months are now turning into weeks for me, and soon it will be days. I leave on August 4 for my Basic Training (BCT).

I am a 35M, a Human Intelligence Collector, and with that comes a lot of long and hard training. I get to learn Arabic as my language.

Between BCT, Advanced Individual Training (AIT) and linguistics schooling, I’ll be away from everything I know for about two years. Being only 17 and seeing something so huge that I am about to walk into coming so fast, the thought can be overwhelming.

I’m trying to get ready, though, in every aspect that I know. I’ve been training myself physically, doing as much PT (physical training) as I can. I’ve also been mentally preparing myself by gaining as much wisdom as I can from Soldiers who have walked where I am about to.

I need to be strong emotionally. Prayer has helped give me the strength and clarity of mind to be able to do what I need to do and do it with loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage. Those are the Army Values, and now that I am a Soldier, they are what I live my life by.