When I joined the Army Reserve I was fresh out of high school, and I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. I decided that I needed a little more responsibility and so I decided to join the Army Reserve.

Well , for me, I thought the Army Reserve was the best decision for the things that I wanted to accomplish in life. I joined the Army Reserve to get an education. The Army Reserve introduced me into the career that I'm in right now. A lot of the things I do in the Army Reserve I can also do in my civilian job.

When I first got in to the Army Reserve I had to go to Basic Training. Of course Basic Training was intimidating at the beginning. But I knew that it was mental and not physical and I'd be a stronger person for going through it. If you're worried about Basic Training, I would pretty much tell you that there's pretty much nothing to worry about. Basic Training was fun. It was an adventure. Something just changed inside of me, I became like a totally different person. It was a difficult time but I also had a blast.

Being in the Army Reserve I actually learned how to be a leader. It gave me the confidence to go out there and show people what I can do. It really helped me grow up a lot and learn how to be a man. I've always been a strong person, but the Army Reserve has taught me how to be a leader. The Army Reserve has taught me many things about who I am and who I want to be down the road.