2ND LT. JANICE PRESTON

"I'm Janice Preston, a physical therapy student and second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. I'm en route to Fort Campbell, Kentucky from here at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. As you might guess, I've had limited experience, but it's great to see our Soldiers' motivation. They work so hard in rehab. It motivates me – keeps me going. Before I got here, I pictured the Army as this huge entity where I would have no individual identity. The exact opposite is true. The Colonels and Majors who are our professors get to know us and our families. They take interest in me; I'm not just a number.

I think it's incredible to work for my doctorate and get paid as an Officer. Our Baylor University physical therapy program is ranked number five in the country by U.S. News and World Report. There are only 22 students in the program here, which makes us a close-knit group.

But it's not all work – we do all kinds of things together. We love to eat BBQ. We go cycling 30 to 35 miles in the hill country – it's just beautiful and part of my triathlon training. I also train in the Olympic-size outdoor pool and the indoor pools in winter. We play volleyball and go to the clubs for some nightlife. . .I keep thinking if I hadn't joined I would have missed so much."