“Nothing prepared me for what I am doing now,” states Corporal Puryear. The grades Puryear received, the trivial gossip he encountered in high school, and the worries that once loomed over his head now seem completely ridiculous and shallow to this former Pitman High School student. CPL. Puryear is currently stationed in Afghanistan. He enlisted in the military at age seventeen, attended Ft. Benning Georgia for training, spent eleven months in Iraq and will have spent twelve months in Afghanistan. Puryear hasn’t seen his fiancé or family in eleven months—this is an example of the extraordinary heroes who consistently sacrifice their past lives for the current War in Afghanistan.
A couple of years ago Puryear was the average high school student. He dated a cheerleader (who he is now engaged to), and wrestled for his high school. He was the average high school student; although, for Puryear, he differed from the “normal” high school student in that he never questioned whether to enlist in the military, it was a given, and an unalterable decision.
“For me it was family tradition, I knew since I was young that I wanted to (enlist),” states Puryear. The day Puryear turned sixteen, he entered the recruitment station; yet, he was told to return once he turned seventeen. And the day Puryear turned seventeen, he returned to the station and enlisted in the United States Army.
The military offers many advantages to those who enlist. An example of one of these advantages is the Tuition Assistance program which provides up to 100% financial assistance for educational endeavors, as well as the invaluable skills gained through military training (priceless when applying for a career out of the military, if desired). The heavy emphasis placed on recruitment is evident as shown in numerous high schools where the US Military have stationed recruiters and pamphlets appealing to the plethora of young potential candidates choosing their future.
The Army’s website—armydomain.com lists the bonuses and incentives luring citizens to enlist. The Buddy Team Enlistment Option (allows citizens from the same area to stay with one another throughout training) and the Army Civilian Acquired Skills program (applicants who have prior training are enabled to enlist as an E-4) provide examples of the measures which the military takes in order to appeal even more to the public.
Yet, the military isn’t for everyone.
Mental and physical fitness is a requirement one must not take lightly. The incentives and rewards are great, yet the risks and dangers a soldier may face are not for the faint of heart. Puryear agrees, “The military is not for everyone, make sure it is what you really want to do, you can’t just quit anytime you want.” Soldiers acknowledge the extreme stress that comes with the job, but Puryear states, “I know most of us (soldiers) would not trade it for anything.”
The tangible rewards provide incentive, but the pride, accomplishment, strength, and loyalty gained from the experiences in the military prove to be the real reason why soldiers chose to enlist.
A common feeling among members of the military is the fact that the general public awareness about the War in Afghanistan remains completely oblivious. Puryear mentioned, “We need to understand what kind of obstacles men and women are fighting on a daily basis.”
In reality, however, the public and media are often more engaged in Charlie Sheen’s next ridiculous move than the everyday life and struggles occurring overseas. The War in Afghanistan began October 7, 2001 after the attacks on the World Trade Center, September 11. Over 10,000 soldiers so far have been injured, and over 1,000 US soldiers have been killed. Coverage in media often portrays former soldiers returning from war changed, either mentally or physically. The actual extent to these often damaging and detrimental effects of war can never be fully understood, however.
Puryear noted, “You really have to be mentally strong and physically fit,” in order to participate in active duty, “to do what we do, it’s not an easy job.”
The public has a common generalized knowledge that the soldiers in duty are heroes. And what occurs in these soldiers every day lives exemplifies the idea that heroes do exist in this day in age. Corporal Puryear’s day starts at 3:30AM in order to participate at a four hour shift of guard. As team leader, Puryear is thus responsible for his team, ensuring that the essentials—food, sleep, equipment, and hygiene—are available in order to maintain a healthy and stable environment. Running water, something existant in households in the US, is nonexistent where Puryear is stationed. Showers are also a luxury, given to soldiers once a week due to the lack of water. Puryear’s unit faces daily attacks where Puryear is the primary gunner on a 120 mm mortar and 60 mm mortar system.
The military is comprised of thousands of individuals, such as Corporal Puryear—each with their own family, troubles, stories, and lives. When placed together however, these soldiers create an incredible group of extraordinary heroes—heroes who fight and sacrifice countless pleasures in order to protect the United States and the principles it stands for. These heroes are incredible heroes—heroes who everyday provide the power and force behind our nation.
