So I must confess this is my first ever blog. Never really wanted to do one or had any reason to do one. Shit to be honest, I didn't know what the hell a blog was up until late. I looked up the definition of the word "Blog" and it states that it is a personal website or webpage in which an individual records opinions. Which in turns means you can bitch all you want on paper ( I think ). Well here goes nothing.
So I've been a soldier of the U.S. Army for quite sometime now. Some of the best times of my life. The Army has given me opportunities that I most people don't get. Like being in Europe for 3 some odd years. Greatest times of my life. In under a year I was able to see 17 different countries. Taste, smell, touch things only most Americans have only seen in books. Besides that fact that's not where this blog was going. I guess I can leave that for a different day. ( maybe with pictures ). Anyway where I was going with that before I got side tracked, the Army has its ups and downs.
When I first came in it was more ups but now its more downs, a lot of downs. Now some may say that its just small fry but I don't consider it to be small fry. The biggest down is the new tattoo policy for the U.S. Army. Yup you guessed right. The Army nowadays has this thing call "perception". Definition aside, they basically say that if a person looks or appears to be a ( well lets use pothead ) pothead by the clothes they wear, or the music they listen to, well they are labeled a "pothead". Now in no way shape or form do I agree with this at all. Yet the Army is preaching this like its the second coming. Its a damn decease that's plaguing the Army. "Perception is reality" they say. Well I don't agree with that at all nor do I believe that. Now what I do agree with and believe is that "Ignorance is Bliss", but my opinions don't matter. Now going back to the tattoo policy... they're wanting the army to be a more presentable, professional organization. And the way we get to that is, getting rid of all tattooed military personal or stop career progression. Now notice I said "military" this time not Army. Well it started with the army, and the rest of the military organizations are starting to catch on, and implement their own rules and regulations. Now I understand that there will always be a stigma towards people with tattoos. But then again, aren't we in the 22nd century? I do believe that people with tattoos are now and have been socially accepted as, well regular people. Such people who vote, go to work, have children, mold children's minds etc. etc. etc. But NOOOOO... not in the Army. It has come to the point where it no longer matters what I have done for my country or for my brothers and sisters at arm, only how I look in front of them and to the big wigs that work in the white house. It doesn't matter how many tours I've done in Iraq or in Afghanistan, because to the eyes of my superiors I am an uneducated fuck, unprofessional scum because of my tattoos and there is no place for me in the ranks of the Army. Like I stated before is it small fry, maybe. Can I get over it? Can I deal with it? Maybe. But I can't over look it. So there fore I have made the decision to get out of the Army and rejoin the rest of society in the civilian world.
The decision was not easy for me to make. I do love the Army, I love the shit out of it. Wake up, do some look for IED's, shoot some bad guys, get blown up. That shit is golden. But there comes a time where you have to make a decision or in this case I had to make a decision. The decision between what I love to do, and the thing I love the most. Now let me clarify, my tattoos are not what I love the most. It's the freedom of expression that I love the most. I cannot and will not sit here and be demoralized and watch others be demoralized for a Dragonball Z tattoo someone got when they were 22. ( By the way if you have a DBZ tattoo, you're mosdef top ten coolest peoples in my book ). So alas my first ever blog/rant is complete. I'm not really sure how I'm supposed to feel about it but I guess its kind of cool to jot down some thoughts. Remember folks, "winter is coming"
