Time for Grad School

I think it is time for me to consider grad school. The thought crossed my mind when I started writing the history report for Task Force 2-121 Infantry. I recall a 120mm mortar round that had my name and many others on it. The round missed me, but caused eleven other casualties that hot day in August. One of the eleven did not make it. As I think about the value of life, I think it is time I stop "dragging my feet" and start working towards long-term goals I have set for myself. One goal is to earn a Masters degree in Information Systems. I mean, why not? What is so hard about school? It really is not that hard. What is hard is wondering what it is like instead of knowing what it is like. Just like the old Nike slogan says, "Just Do It".

I GOT SELECTED!
I recently found out I was finally selected to be promoted to Captain. It is a year (heck two years to be exact) over-due, but that is my fault. In the Army National Guard, you are not automatically promoted like in the Regular Army. You have to be in a position that warrants a promotion to a higher rank and you have to submit a packet. My position, Battalion S3 Air, is a Captain position; however, I did not prepare and submit a packet on time for the promotion board. I "dragged my feet". It all goes back to when I was a traditional student at Georgia Southern University. I left my senior year (reason is another story) and did not complete my degree until several years later. If I had been more focused, I would have graduated on time with less stress in the years following. The good news is my time spent at Georgia Southern was not wasted. Aside from the good friends I made, I took what I learned in English, Math, Business, and Computer Programming and made a good career with IBM. The credits I earned stayed with me when I finally finished my Bachelor degree at Charter Oak State College in New Britain, Connecticut. That is right. My degree is from a College in the Northeast. A "Yankee" College. My loyalty is still with Georgia Southern, but I am proud to be an Alumni of Charter Oak State College. Now I have aired that out, back to my story of late promotion. I did not submit my promotion packet on time and had to wait a year to finally get promoted. It is an example of not doing a task on time. When you have a goal, it is more that declaring the goal, it is actually doing what is necessary to complete the goal. You must go on and tackle the tasks at hand for you do not know what the future will bring. I look at the posted picture and remind myself of that. There is nothing like the present to begin your journey. I still have six more weeks before the Federal Recognition Board grants my promotion and I can wear the rank. When that happens, I will have accomplished another goal to build on, not rest on.