Osama Bin Laden's Death

I think whether you live in the Unites States or not,you would have heard Osama Bin Ladan has died and it was at the hands of a Navy Seal, it was news heard all over the world . As part of a special operation command by President Obama who received word of Osama's location a few months back, ordered an attack Abbottabad, Pakistan, where Bin Ladan was confirmed to be located. In less than an hour of firefighting, Bin Ladan was dead, shot twice in the head. Four men and once woman were killed along with Bin Ladan, and fortunately no American soldiers. On May 1st 2011, President Obama announced to the United States and to the world that Osma Bin Ladan has died and that "justice has been served". 

Within hours of hearing the news of Osama Bin Ladan's death, I honestly had mixed emotions of how I should take the news. Seeing all the updated Facebook statuses rejoicing in the news of his death, praising America and condemning Osama and Al Quida ----an international terrorist group organized in the 1980s by Osama Bin Ladan dedicated to the elimination of Western foreign Policy--- I wondered if everyone really understood the extent of what they were saying. After the tragic events of 9/11 it's understandable for any American to have hate, anger, fear for Osama and any member of Al Quida. I am only saying I wonder if people understand what they're saying because every post was literally a negative curse, even from those friends too young to understand. I was in middle school the day of September 11th 2001 and I knew exactly what I was doing, where I was when I heard the news. I turned on the television before going to school and saw the flashing news broadcast but not really understanding what was going until arriving at school and it was announced to our whole school. At such a young age I didn't even understand the magnitude of what that day meant. All I felt at the time was scared because the weeks following they would name new places where possible attacks could be and one of them was where I lived. As years past all I knew from the war in Iraq was that more and more soldiers were dying and now 10 years later the man responsible for so many American lives and the lives of those lost over seas from this war, is dead. Instead of rejoicing with my friends on Facebook of a man's death, I felt just as scared and numb as the day of 9/11. 

I wanted to know more about other people's reactions about Bin Ladan's death and what I found was that as much celebration there was for his death there were just as much anger for his death. Angered in the sense of remembering those who have died from on his ideals and angered by his followers who have even more hatred towards the United States. In a blogg entitled World Reactions to Osama Bin Ladan's Death, the reactions were favorable in Europe where the British Prime Minister stated that his death is a step forward in the fight against terrorism. In Saudi Arabia however, the reactions were mixed. Saudi Arabia is where Osama Bin Ladan was borm but the country also hopes that is a a step that supports the international efforts against terrorism.  Where it was enlightening to read that most of the reactions of Osama's death were towards having hope to end terrorism, there were other frightening reactions from those who supported Osama Bin Ladan's mission and hatred towards the United States. In a blogg by the International Business Times entitled Osama Bin Ladan dead: Fury Sparked among supporters the reactions were anything but joyful. The pictures below are from the site, which made me sad and fearful for what is to come from Osama's death. 

It may be so that Osama is dead but his mission and his followers are not. Osama himself was not on the planes that attacked the World Trade Center towers, Osama did not kill all the soldiers that we have deployed overseas in the last 10 years. We may have killed the Al Quida leader but we have not killed Al Quida. 

In hearing the news of Osama Bin Ladan's death I felt fear but I also felt sad. Sad for those who have died in the past 10 years from this war and from terrorism. I did not rejoice on Osama's death because I dont think an eye for an eye is a justifiable way for someone to die. I believe any death is not something to be rejoicing. Instead I thought about those families who have lost someone from this war on terrorism and I hope that they have found peace. Another reason I felt I had no right to rejoice in Osama's death was because I havnt done anything personally for the war or know a lot about the war to have a say in his death. I am thankful for the hundreds of soldiers that have given up so much to fight a war over seas because they have actually done something for the war and our praise should be for them and their efforts.

Dealing with Deployment

One of the things someone who interested in joining the military should know is, "what is the likely-hood of deployment?" I am sure it is a question that a majority of those who serve hope that the chances are minimal. Deployment, especially during wartime is a reality that a lot of those serving have had to face. For those who have faced it more than once, their fight and courage surely can not be measured for what they have had to go through. Deployment not only affects the individual serving but for their families who have to face the heart-aching truth that they may be hurt and have faith and hope that they can just have a safe return. I hope that those serving our country overseas know our gratitude to them for dealing and going through a reality that no one back here in the United States can compare to, other than those who have served and fought a war.

"I have a friend in the military that is going to be departed next year. In such trouble time, I'm worried about his safety. If you are in need of a topic, maybe posting up something about others experience on being departed?"- Prescilla 

In response to a comment made by one of my classmates who has a friend ready to deploy, this blog conveys stories from family members dealing with their loved ones deployed as well as lessons/ tips for those who will/ have deployed. Transitional tips that have helped those who have gone through deployment deal and prepare for any possibilities. Preparation for deployment is the most responsible act that an individual preparing to deploy can do, for themselves as well as for their loved ones. 

In an article entitled Lessons from Overseas: Military Success Stories, it depicted ways people can be financially smart while deployed. Dealing with deployment can be hard enough on an individual, but being financially smart, having your finances taken care of, while deployed can help in the long run. Here are some ways, from the article that people have been financially successful from during deployment.

SINGLE, DEPLOYED AND FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE
There are also financial challenges for deployed service members who are single.
Because while deployment means a change in physical location and lifestyle, your stateside lifestyle – and bills -still need attention.
Navy Lt. Cmdr John Baehr almost got evicted while he was deployed to Kuwait for a year, due to a late rent payment on his stateside apartment. 
The solution: he began utilizing his bank’s online bill pay and got help from a friend back home to handle his finances.

MILITARY MONEY MANAGEMENT
So - start now and build solid plan for managing your finances long-distance, before your next deployment takes you overseas.
You can ask a trusted friend or family member back home to handle bill payments and other necessary tasks, using a power of attorney if needed.
Create a record of your accounts to give your at-home money management friend, and take a copy with you.
If you are married, make sure both you and your military spouse have your names are on all accounts.
If you’re a single military service member, eliminate rent and utilities. Storage spaces are cheaper and easier to maintain.
Set up automatic deposit accounts and online billpay, making your financial planning completely portable.
Notify all creditors and financial institutions of your deployment, leaving them with contact information if problems should arise.
Prearrange any benefits your family might be eligible for through the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act of 2004 and 2008

From a website of a syndicated columnist, author, and military wife, Sarah Smiley writes about being military wife. I found her website particularly interesting because as i was trying to find examples of family stories from those men and women deployed, I stumbled upon her site. Her site is like mine, personal and real. In it Sarah has depicted her life in the military. Alth0ugh not being in the service herself her life has known nothing else but the military. She grew up as a Navy brat--brat meaning, person whose parents have served in the military throughout their childhood---and then married a man in the Navy. There were a lot of useful information from her site that she has taken from her experiences as a Navy wife to let others like her gain perspective and can relate to. Under the link military families you could find information of what to do and what not to do for sending care packages for deployed loved ones, as well as suggested readings that military families can read and relate to. This is one subject of her work, where much of Sarah's writing isn't about the military, this site however is a helpful insight to the life of a military wife.


Being deployed can not be an easy process and life to live, whether you are the person being deployed or family of those who are, being far away for months, sometimes years at a time can be difficult. Even though it can not be the same as being home/ having them home, there is a lot of support out there for everyone. With so many deployed it is known that a majority of our country is going through the same reality and so can look and lean on each other for advice and support on this matter.

MY Recruiting process step 4: Enlisting and DEP

It took exactly a week to get three major processes done when enlisting in the Navy. It was exactly a week from when I went to MEPS that I stepped into the Navy recruiting office asking for information on joining the Navy. A week Later I signed an temporary 8 year contract to be in the Navy, 4 years of active duty and 4 years of reserved duty. I say temporary because my recruiter did not want me to leave MEPS without a job and so had me sign a contract while I wait for a spot to open up for the job field I wanted.

Going into the Navy recruiting office I knew what  wanted, to be in the navy but only if I would be in the job field that I wanted, if not than I would wait until that job field opened up. I knew I did not want to just to anything that was open just to be in the Navy, which was fine if  I just wanted to do anything, but that wasn't the case. I wanted to be in the medical field to gain as much experience as I can to be a Nurse after the Navy. I wanted to work in a field I could use after I leave the Navy and that I can use for my future.

A week and 4 days later I got the call I wasn't expecting for at least weeks to come. The both the Chief at MEPS and my recruiter called me during class and left me a voice-mail. I quickly dismissed myself from class just to call them back, not even waiting to hear what they had to say from the voice mail. I got the news that came within a week of my whole Navy recruiting process to receive. I was fortunate enough to get a position in the October 25, boot-camp ship date to go train straight after to be a Hospital Corpsman (HM). I will be able to gain experience in the navy to be a medical care-giver, to be a medical specialist, that will serve aboard ships or on land to any enlisted, government affiliated, and or family member associated with the military.

The next step in my enlistment process is possibly the most important. After enlisting and once my recruiter asked "Are you ready to be in the United States Navy," and one hand shake and a signed contract to sign the deal I am officially in the Navy. However, since my ship date is not until October 25th, 2011 I am considered to be in the Delayed Enlistment Program. This means that from now till my ship date I need to make sure I follow three things, as stated by recruiter; 1- do not get in trouble with the law, 2- do not do any drugs and if I choose to drink, drink responsibly, 3- do not get pregnant. I think as a female he was more concerned with number 3. He said with guys he was more concerned with them breaking 1-3-- with 3, getting someone pregnant before shipping out for number three. Being in DEP i had to report to my recruiter for a check in every Monday and have a meeting with all the DEP's once a month. I'll only get to attend 1 DEP meeting here in San Francisco because ill be heading home after graduation before the second one. I heard that DEP meeting they were all going to go to CRUNCH Fitness to go train for free. There seems to be a lot of support from the recruiters to their recruitee's. My recruiter was especially helpful through the whole process and I was lucky enough to have such a caring recruiter to understand what I wanted as far as joining the Navy.

MY final Tips overall for joining the military:

1. Know exactly what you want before you go in to see/ talk to a recruiter.
2. Research various job fields, know whats available for you. 
3. Make sure you are ready and that there is no doubt that you want to join because once you sign that contract there is no room for turning back and if you decide to turn back there will be major consequences. 
4. Know that joining is a big deal and so making the decision to join is a big decision that will not only affect you but your family and significant other, not to mention your future.

I took my readers from the moment I stepped into the recruiting office to the moment I signed the contract. In between that time a lot of worry, signing, and research was done to get me to where I am now. This process all occurred during school and so I had to fit it into my schedule and make sure that I can get everything done for both school and the Navy done before I leave here in a couple of weeks. It was an overwhelming process that I know will only benefit me in the future in the end, so long as I keep my focus on what I want, work hard for it, and keep learning every step of the way.

MY Recruiting process step 3: MEPS

SAN JOSE, CA 546 Vernon Avenue Mountain View, CA 94043

SAN JOSE, CA

546 Vernon Avenue
Mountain View, CA 94043

MEPS: (Military Entrance Processing Station)

Located in San Jose, it is one of two military processing stations located in Northern California. The mission of MEPS is to process individuals who are trying to enlist or inducted into the military service, based on the Department of Defense (DOD) peacetime and mobilization standards. Three primary areas in which determines an individual’s qualification for acceptance into the military service is based on their aptitude test score (the ASVAB), their physical qualification (physical examination), and an evaluation of their background.

During my first interview with my recruiter he kept throwing out the word MEPS and then a couple more times before and after I took my ASVAB test. All I knew about MEPS at the time is that it is where I will have to take my medical to see if I am physically qualified to be in the military. I didn’t really know what to expect going there but I knew the day before MEPS I had to go my recruiter who wanted to brief me on what I should do, what not to do, and how to answer questions they ask me. He even made me do a pee test just to be sure, although I knew and he knew I was 100% clean. Although my recruiter briefed me on what to expect, I really couldn’t have expected everything that I had to do that day.

I woke up at 4 a.m. to be at the recruiting office at 4:30 a.m. so that we could be at MEPS by 5 a.m. While my brain was still trying to wake up my recruiter was talking to me on the way over trying to mentally prepare me for the kind of medical questions they will ask me. He stopped by 7-11 to pick up some coffee for the guy in charge of job processing. I don’t think it’s called bribing but more of a reminder for the guy that a job is needed to be given to me today and to not forget about it, at least that’s what my recruiter called it.

When I got there a big bus came around the corner full of people who were also going to get processed that day. My friend who went into the Air Force gave me a tip on being the first one in front of the door when it opens so that my processing goes by faster. It was a good tip for a majority of the day until I got stuck at the physical examination because I was a girl. Since there aren’t usually that many women at a time joining as there are men the girls are physically screen all at once together instead of one by one like the men. So even though I was done with everything else besides the physical I waited an hour for all the girls to be done too. The first process I went through was to check my sight and hearing. I felt like the people there didn’t really care, but then again they see 30 or so individuals a day from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. to just pass or fail them for their processing. I think I would be a little less caring and irritated to doing the same thing 30 times for 30 different people in one day for a couple of days a month.

The next portion of the processing was the background briefing where we first sit and watch a power point presentation on how to fill out some paper work. It’s not so much difficult but tedious, having to be told how to fill out paper work and in what order to place them in the folder we are given to carry around for the rest of the day. I felt like this was something I had to get use to because military instruction is different from college instruction, where I needed to be on top of everything because I don’t want to be the one left behind because you will get left behind. The instructor will move on and make it known to everyone that you are unable to keep up and or listen to instructions. This went on for 2 hours, 2 hours of just filling out paper work.

The rest of the day I went through a pee test, blood work, medical history background and the physical with the other girls being processed.  It was about 2 p.m. and my medical processing was over. I wasn’t sure if I passed at that point because with all the tests went on routinely, meaning hand them your folder, they write in the results, they give the folder back and tell you to move on. After the physical is where they tell you the results of all the tests and let you know the news whether you are physically qualified to serve in the armed forces.

The last and worst part of the day came after the physical where I was bounced around from room to room signing papers, getting fingerprinted, and waiting. This is a time when you get negotiated for a job in your branch of service. Every branch of the military is different, but what is the same is that on some days there are jobs available the day you are at MEPS and other days you would just have to wait for your recruiter to call you with a job. If you are willing to take any job the negotiation is easy and you are out. The Military is different these days compared to 20 years ago when you could have gotten any job you wanted. Like civilian life, jobs are limited at this moment in time and you either have to take what you can get or be patient and wait. I didn’t know what was being worked out but since I was specific in what I wanted to do in the Navy, I am waiting. After 12 hours at MEPS I was given the news that my job field is full and they are not accepting anyone at the moment and so I had to wait. I did however take the first initial oath into the Navy and so I am enlisted and no longer a civilian. I am just now in the Delayed Enlisted Program, waiting to be sent into boot camp and be given a job.

With so many people being processed that day, about 20-30 of us, the total amount of time of the attention that’s given to you is about 4 hours from the 12 hours you are there and the rest is just you sitting and waiting.

My tips for anyone going to MEPS:

1.     When you first get there, be the first off the bus or be the first person in front of the door when they open so that you can get your eye exam and hearing test done before the background briefing begins.

2.     Don’t take the people who work there and process you personal, they are supposed to be mean and to the point and seem like they do not give a care about you except to get you through the processing. Listen and do what they say correctly the first time.

3.     If you are a girl, your physical won’t begin until all the other girls are done with everything else, even if you are done with everything. If you are a guy, the physical will be like the other tests, taken individually and then move on to the next step.

4.     Don’t fall asleep during the screening process, if a personnel catches you, you MIGHT get told to go home and come back when you are ready and serious about joining the military. That is only if the person who catches you isn’t mean.

5.     If you know what you want as far as jobs go. Stick to it and do not get suckered into something else you do not want to do. They might tell you, you could always transfer into that job once you are IN but what they do not tell you is that it comes with a long process of signing new papers and more schooling and tests to be done in order to transfer.

6.     Be prepared to sit and wait for a good 12 hours. Make sure you are mentally prepared and straight forward when answering questions. Have a straight answer, “NO, YES, NEVER” because if there is even a sound of doubt they will drill you with more questions.

Now that this process is over, the waiting for a job begins. I am confident and patient enough to wait. I have heard people have waited almost a whole year to get shipped, but then again it depends on what job you want. 

Government shutdown 2011

I thought i'd take a break from my recruiting process and inform you on a topic that I never took an interest in before until now, politics. To be honest I am not one to be as involved as I should be in our government, not as involved really meaning not at all. I guess the closest time I even come close to paying attention with the government is when taxes come around. A couple weeks ago a few of my friends posted a few things that were happening in our government system. My friend in the Army posted a picture a few weeks ago of him and his friend at work with a sign around his neck that said "F*ck you, pay me!" and immediately after seeing his post my other friend, who is very active when it comes to being informed about the government, posted a sarcastic joke saying "the government is dead, what do we do now." I found out a potential Government Shutdown would occur if the democratic and republican party could not agree on the 2011 budget by midnight on Friday April 8th, 2011.

I guess being involved in the Navy now I was concerned---- with a government shutdown comes no pay for servicemen and women in the military but are still required to work and perform their usual duties--- and so sparked my interest to find out what was actually going on and how it will affect me? Did I join at the wrong time? A time when our government is going down hill and so will I? OK it wasn't that serious but at the time before reading about it, those were my concerns.

First of all what is a government shutdown? I didn't even know that the last government shutdown was in 1996 and lasted 21 days. I was 8 years old at the time and nothing seemed to be going wrong around me, so I guess the shutdown of the government isn't the end of the world and life as we know it in the United States would not be over. 

What to do when you dont know how to do something, or what something is? you GOOGLE it! I simply googled "government shutdown 2011" and a whole list of articles came up, but the first link basically answered all my questions. From The Washington Post it answered questions from those who will be affected by the shutdown, mainly government employees. The biggest problem that comes with the government shutdown is the 2 million or so federal workers that will face layoffs and and given no pay. The portion of the shutdown that will mainly affect me as being in the military would be military workers being unpaid during the shutdown but are still required to work That gave reason to my friend in the Army to be outraged for his posting on not getting paid. A majority of the articles posted on the shutdown talked about who were the federal workers that would get laid off and who would get to keep their job based on their essential factor to the government. Another question that was frequently asked was whether or not taxes should still be paid. YES! We still need to pay our taxes, mail will still be delivered, the sun will still rise and set each day.

I learned that the shutdown is mainly if the congressional party could not reach a decision for the ramaining budget for the fiscal year of 2011, then a government shutdown will occur. THANKFULLY it was reached by the 11th hour, meaning before the April 8th midnight deadline reached. Life could continue and Americans deemed worthy or unworthy as essential to the government could keep their jobs. The military will be paid for their services, taxes will still need to be paid, and life in the United States will continue, not necessarily in the best shape financially, but non-the less it has avoided shutdown.

MY Recruiting process step 2: The ASVAB

Just Five days after seeing a recruiter I was scheduled to take the ASVAB, which stands for the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. Its basically like the SAT's for the military and its suppose to measure your strengths, weaknesses, and the kind of job field you could be qualified for. Knowing that this test determines if I am qualified to be in the medical field in the Navy made me more nervous than i have ever been for a test. This test actually counted for something other than just a grade, it was a test for my career. After I got out of the recruiters office that first day I purchased the ASVAB for dummies study guide book and went to Barnes & Noble to look at other ASVAB study guide books, everyday until the test.

Study Guide Books found at local libraries or book stores

There are also practice tests available online for you to take and get the basic understanding of the test. Depending on which branch of the military you want to join, there are different requirements and passing scores. Although there are a total of 8 subjects to be taken in the ASVAB for an individual to pass your score is dependent on the Arithmetic reasoning, Mathematics knowledge, World knowledge, and Paragraph comprehension. Here are the recent qualifying scores for each branch, which could be subject to change...

Service Branch	Required AFQT Score*
Army	31
Navy	35
Marines	31
Air Force	36
Coast Guard	45

The other sections of the test are general science, electronics information, mechanical comprehension, and auto and shop knowledge, which are areas to determine your job field. As scared as I was of failing I ended up scoring a 69, needing a 35 to pass in general, qualifying me for Hospital Corpsman (HM), which is medical care. Other jobs I qualified for was Operations Specialists, who work the tactical combat information, basically those who give out the tactical decisions that need to be made if an attack is striking. Another job was Intelligence Specialists (IS), which deals with classified information about enemies and/ or potential enemies. 


My tips for taking the ASVAB:

1. STUDY the books and practice tests available on the internet. Study the basic concepts of the test.
2. For the World Knowledge portion, which includes vocabulary words bound to be heard sometime in your lifetime, study the ROOT WORDS. If there are 2 or more similar words with the same meaning its most likely incorrect.
3. For the Paragraph Comprehension section, READ THE QUESTION FIRST so that you can pick up key words as you read the paragraph given.
4. Don't just do your best on the areas that will be totaled for you to pass---unless thats all you want and don't care what kind of job you'll get---try your best in every section because the higher the score the better the kind of jobs you'll be selected for.

If I didn't pass the ASVAB this time around I would of had to wait a month to take it again and if i dont pass the third time I would of had to wait 6 months to take it again. Now that the ASVAB is over and done with, I have MEPS in 2 days to worry about. I honestly don't know what to expect. If I pass my physical at MEPS I can get my job that same day if not ill have to wait for one to open up. We'll see what happens, its an all day event from 5am-5pm.

MY Recruiting process step 1: the recruiter

U.S. Armed Forces (Navy, Air Force, Marines)

172 Skyline Plz
Daly City, CA 94015

During spring break I finally decided to go see a Navy recruiter and talk about the F word….my FUTURE! I knew I had to see one that week of spring break because time was running out and graduation is right around the corner. MY PLAN is to leave for boot camp soon after graduation, as much as I really don’t want to, I know that financially I have to. I did however, put it off till the very last days of my spring break to actually drag myself to the recruiting office, which ended up being a bad choice.

On March 31^st 2011 I went down to the closest armed forces recruiting office, which was easy to find. I went on navy.com  and on the home page it has a link for finding a recruiter. You simply type in your zip code and it lists the closest recruiters for you. I am sure that for every branch of the military it has this easy go to link on their home pages. I went to one in Skyline Plaza, just 3 miles from where I live, how convenient. I went there seeing the office for army recruiting, who had their office separate from the rest of the other recruiting offices, I kind of felt embarrassed when I had to ask them for the navy recruiting office. They were kind enough to lead to me the Navy recruiters, which was only 2 doors down, but of course on the way there they gave me some choices as to why I should join on their side. I went in with an open mind about the air force, navy, and now the army was an option. I just wanted my questions answered and get more insight about what each branch specialized in. One of my friends actually went with me because she needed to begin her enlistment process for the Air force so I sat and talked to the air force recruiter with her for a while before the navy recruiter came in.

I began talking with the recruiter at 10am and didn’t get out of there till 1pm. My questions were answered and a lot more information was given to me. I came in there wanting to know more about the officer candidate school (OCS)---where you can go in from a civilian to an officer in a matter of 1-2 years of school automatically, qualifying upon entry only with a BA/ BS degree or higher---but found out that as of right now there are no openings for that opportunity because it’s so full. My next option was to look into just enlisting.

Some questions I thought was important for me to ask:

•       What kind of jobs are available for me in the Navy?
•        What kind of opportunities will I receive by joining?
•        Can I still go to school while serving my required 4 years?
•        How soon can I leave? Because I want to leave as soon as I graduate
•        What do I need to do right now to see if I am qualified for the Navy?

One important question the recruiter had for me was, what was my main reason for joining the Navy? I told him my education was my first priority and he answered “well then here is what the Navy can do for you based on the information you have given me” Basically from being a college student about to graduate I can move up to an E3 position going into boot camp. With my first contract I am able to either take the loan repayment program (LRP) or not take it and keep my GI bill that comes after 4 years of serving. This means I can choose to pay off my student loans through the LRP or not take it and keep my GI bill which pays 100% of schooling for a total of 36 months after serving. Not only will I have experience in the medical field, if I am fortunate enough to get Corman in the Navy, I can go to school during my off hours and get another BS degree in nursing, fully paid for. I will get housing allowance to live on base or off base so I can save my paycheck for my future. 

What’s my next step?  Taking the ASVAB, the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, and MEPS,  the United States Military Entrance Processing Command. After three hours that first day in the recruiting office I left feeling confident and assured that I was making a bold decision for my future. I felt like I was taking a big step into my future and everything was happening very fast. Five days after my first meeting with the recruiter I am scheduled to take the ASVAB and 2 days after that I am scheduled to do my MEPS. Life is coming at me fast but I am definitely ready for it.