It's been a long road traveled, Career closed out, new life starting. Looking to share my story

So it begins,

Just a brief quick intro, I'm a 40 y/o veteran retired, married to the woman of my dreams, five kids, farm life keeps me busy.

My story starts twenty years ago when three friends decided it was time to get out of South Florida, joining the Army seem to be the way to go for us three jokers. I was the second one to leave for basic training , why not go Infantry we said. After the first couple weeks of writing letters and then our first mail call came around, the Drill Sergeant called my name, I spoke up to receive my mail and of course the lashing that came with getting mail and wasting Drill Sergeants time. Upon reading the letter I found out one friend had been hurt during training and the other never made it past drug testing, so here I was the last one left I thought to myself. The hard weeks ahead I told myself I'd never quit and have to prove that I will finish I will succeed! Not being very good at running proved to be a challenge but iI never gave up, even when one of my Drill Sergeants made me rerun a five mile run graduation morning for falling more than an arms length away from the trainee in front of me.
Graduation time came and people came to see me march proudly off the field, my Sister who always tried to keep track of me after our mother passed, my father that I had not seen since caught word from my girlfriend at the time what was going on. I have to say going back home for ten days after felt a lot different with everything going on the same that it always has and knowing i'd be leaving again to go to my first duty station. California is where my next stop would be but not after some partying back home like the old days. Many things were learned during that first time home during leave but that will be the beginning of tomorrows continuation. Thanks for hearing my story so far, look forward to sharing the long road ahead.

Robert