Why I Serve My Country

MAJ Chantal-Anne Fieldman
Student, Command and General Staff School
U.S. Army Combined Arms Center
Fort Belvoir, Virginia

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.

When I left home for college in autumn of 1995, I had no idea that joining the military was in my future. As a young 18-year old, I was focused on beginning my college experience at a private school in western Massachusetts, making friends, leaving my parents (the ball and chain of authority and discipline!), and generally having as much fun as possible. Although I had some aspirations to be a state trooper and study Criminal Justice, I was still open to other opportunities, and frankly, not altogether positive of either my choice of a major nor my intention of being a law enforcement officer after college. I innately knew, however, that I wanted to be a leader, to see the world, and be part of something bigger than myself, my small town and small school.
My college experience began just as I’d hoped: plenty of friends, tons of partying, and a plethora of activities. Unfortunately, my report card did not reflect what I had hoped- my grades were less than stellar. I knew that if I wanted to stay in college, not only would I have to pay for my tuition, but I needed to earn better grades than I was receiving. A friend of mine who was involved in the Reserve Officer Training Program (ROTC) invited me to attend a class with him and experience what ROTC and the United States Army had to offer.
I was promptly introduced to the cadre and told that we would be repelling the following week off of a 90-foot dam approximately 30 minutes away by Chinook and was I interested? Over the course of the next several days, I met other students who were motivated to be part of something exciting and different, and be part of a team. When I attended Physical Training (PT), the other students and cadre supported and encouraged me to run faster, climb higher, and lift more. After attending classes for two weeks, I decide to sign up for the program. I realized that the program offered a level of discipline that I had lacked since leaving home. It offered me the opportunity to be self-disciplined: to get up early for PT, achieve the grades and GPA I needed to obtain a scholarship, and to maintain my field equipment. The program began to teach me how to become a responsible adult, a leader, and a follower.
As I became part of the ROTC team and conducted infantry tactics in the woods near my college, I thought of the men and women who had fought for the freedom of our country. I thought of the wars that the USA had been involved in, the campaigns that our military served in, and the type of person who sacrificed his or her time, energy, and life to protect and keep the freedoms that we as Americans hold so dear. I realized that I wanted to be part of our history, to do something honorable, and to be part of something bigger than myself. I wanted to serve our country! I believed that the military would provide me the opportunity to learn self-discipline and shape me into a leader, while providing direction for my future and developing in me the honorable values that I respected and expected from our men and women in uniform.
The following year, I applied for a scholarship and became active in the monthly Field Training Exercises, the PT program, and the ROTC classes and labs. During my sophomore year, I was granted a two-year scholarship to become a commissioned officer and serve in the U.S. Army for four years. The scholarship covered my tuition, housing, and even provided me with a monthly stipend for spending. I realized that not only did the ROTC program afford me a chance to grow as a student and a leader, it also was a financially sound decision to continue my college education. Joining ROTC and ultimately the United States Army was one of the best decisions I have made in my life.
Now, with eleven years of service under my belt, two tours to Korea, and two deployments to Saudi Arabia and Iraq, I really can say that I have seen the world, become a true leader, and shaped the lives of American Soldiers. Now I understand that the units I have been part of, and the Soldiers I have helped to train, have protected the freedoms of America and contributed to making other countries more empowered and safer, while helping to establish and protect their freedoms.
I initially served our country to satisfy the drive in me: so that I could be part of something bigger, so that I could see the world. Looking back, and now facing the future, I serve for us: I serve for my family, alongside of and for my fellow Soldiers, and for the citizens of America, all of which I am proud to be a part of. It has been an honor to serve this country, knowing that every day, I and my family live in the best country in the world: the United States of America, land of the free, home of the brave.