About 5 and a half years ago, I made the decision to join the U.S. Army and was also accepted to be a part of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit. Back then I was a naive 19 year old wanting to achieve many things, but only one thing was certain; I wanted to be a professional shooter for the U.S. Army. That dream came true, and in time I was able to see what the Army truly was about. 

I've been shooting since I was 11 years old and I've won competitions even before joining the Army, but the sense of accomplishment doesn't compare to successfully training and working with our Soldiers. The sport of practical shooting is different from other shooting disciplines in a way that the skills required relates directly to what our troops need to survive on the battlefield. So with that said, turning the skills and experiences that I have gained in competition in the last year 13 years, I'm able to give back and share with the rest of the Army. 

One of my childhood dreams growing up was to 'make a difference in the world'. I never really knew how I would do it or even set a time frame to achieve it. The last couple years in the Army really opened my eyes. As a part of the USAMU's mission, supporting the warfighter, I was able to deploy with other members of my unit to Afghanistan in support of NATO's training mission. I have probably worked with several hundred American Soldiers in the last few years, but never foreign troops. To make a long story short, I felt like I've made a difference. 

There is nothing more fulfilling than knowing that lives were saved because I was able to teach them a little something about shooting. 

Now that I am an NCO, I take pride in helping out and mentoring our future soldiers especially those that I work with. 

A couple months ago, I made the decision to reenlist, and with our shooting season so close to its end, I figured it would be fitting to do the ceremony at the National Championships in Las Vegas, NV. I could not have asked for a better way to reenlist. Several weeks ago my NCOIC and PAO made the arrangements for me to do my oath on top of the Stratosphere's observation deck overlooking Sin City's incredible nighttime skyline. To top it off, I was going to do the Sky Jump, which is an 850+ feet dive from the observation deck. 

 Let's just say mission accomplished and that I made it out alive to write this blog! I want to thank the Stratosphere for allowing me to do my reenlistment ceremony, but most importantly to the USAMU for giving me the opportunities and experiences of a lifetime. Im looking forward to where this enlistment brings me and what lies ahead in my Army career. Army Strong.

Photos by Michael Molinaro, USAMU PAO