As I attended the Fort Hood Asian Pacific Heritage Celebration last week, I thought about how foreign a lot of the dance, food and cultural elements would have seemed to me before I joined the Army.  Admittedly, I grew up in a small, homogenous town with limited ethnic and religious diversity.  Upon joining the Army at 18 years of age, I soon learned about all kinds of religions, ethnicities and cultural influences from friends and duty locations.

Most Soldiers talk about "tangible" benefits of Army service: pay, entitlements, housing - just to name a few.  Perhaps an even more meaningful benefit - even though it's "intangible" - is how I have taken a bit from many cultures and ethnic background that appeal to me and appreciate and embrace it.  To use an old Army slogan, learning about diverse cultures through my service has allowed me to "be all I can be."