Page 31 - A Soldiers Exposition

Personal Courage:

Face fear, danger or adversity (physical or moral). Personal courage has long been associated with our
Army. With physical courage, it is a matter of enduring physical duress and at times risking personal
safety. Facing moral fear or adversity may be a long slow process of continuing forward on the right path,
especially if taking those actions is not popular with others. You can build your personal courage by daily
standing up for and acting upon the things that you know are honorable.”

The indoctrination was complete. Army Values and The Soldier’s Creed now defined me.

I jumped at the “opportunity” to sign-up for another year.

Enlisted Soldier’s
Oath of Enlistment

“I, __________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United
States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same;
and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers
appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

(Title 10, US Code; Act of 5 May 1960 replacing the wording first adopted in 1789, with amendment
effective 5 October 1962).
http://www.army.mil/values/oath.html

I was a trained soldier and well-programmed in the ways of the United States Army.

I was also terrified of what was to come.

“Terror can make the soul flee the body.”

Edward Tick, Ph.D 1

War and the Soul

My soul was shaken, although it did not flee that day.

It would remain persistently alert.

The oath of office, the pledge to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all
enemies, foreign and domestic had meaning to me.

I celebrated my nineteenth birthday while in Basic Training. Enlisting for an additional year allowed us to
choose our MOS, and thereby avoid the Infantry, and immediate assignment to Vietnam.

Our government was telling our citizens that the war would end soon.

We hoped this was true and believed if we could delay for at least one year, perhaps we could miss out
on all the excitement in Southeast Asia.

But a promise made does not always mean a promise kept – especially when the government is involved.