Francesca Welsh - Army Strong Stories

BIRTHDAYS!

Francesca Welsh — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 00:03:00 GMT

By: Francesca Welsh
Birthdays! I have found that birthdays can be the best source of motivation and a natural morale boost. Whether your soldier is welcoming a new life into the world or your commander is have his 'induction to AARP' birthday, they seem to bring people together. On March 29, we had a soldier have his 22nd birthday. He wasn't quite thrilled about it (we had field duty this weekend), and not many people knew it was even his birthday in our Battalion (which is less than 100...read more

1 of 2 career chances, staying cool under stress!

Francesca Welsh — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 23:15:00 GMT

By: Francesca Welsh
LOOK UP THERE; WHAT IS IT?! IT'S A BIRD, NO ITS A PLANE! WELL, HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE ME. Nothing in life has made me this nervous thus far. On 6 April I will be gearing up for my first attempt at the AFAST (Army Flight Aptitude Selection Test). Now, I know that this is just an 'Aptitude' test, but I want to fly so bad that I have been studying for 4 hours every day for the past 3 months. I can nearly recite the entire book/study packet and flash cards. Needless to...read more

Are you picking up what I'm putting down?

Francesca Welsh — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:58:00 GMT

By: Francesca Welsh
Learning a different language is helpful no matter your MOS. I understand this, but which do you think is "more useful" than others? Currently, I have a firm grasp on English (ha ha), a good understanding of Spanish, and the basics of Russian. (I am at a conversational level with each language) However, I have been instructed to choose yet another language...a 'modern' language. So here are my top 3 options: French, German, and Italian My major is...read more

Mass Media forms!

Francesca Welsh — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 10:42:00 GMT

By: Francesca Welsh
Hello Army Strong readers and leaders! It has been a long time since I have written a post for my blog, but I am going to be better over the next month for sure! Since I have been gone for so long allow me to introduce myself again. I am Francesca Welsh, a 3rd year cadet at Texas State University. I am 20 years old and I go to school full time. I am an intern for the San Marcos City Hall Councilmen/Mayor, I am a freelance reporter for the San Marcos Daily Record, I volunteer...read more

Coming Together: True Envy

Francesca Welsh — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 06:04:00 GMT

By: Francesca Welsh
As I am informed, there is a ritual that many military officers commence in called a "Military Formal" or a "Dining In/Out". In our ROTC Battalion, we refer to the event as a Military Formal. Its is a time for all cadets (and Cadre) to come together in a formal setting with the intent to relax and socialize as a unit. Our female cadets dress to impress in beautiful after five attire while our males come in uniform representing the Army in a dapper fashion. This...read more

No halo, but this 'angel' did have a set of wings!

Francesca Welsh — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 04:33:00 GMT

By: Francesca Welsh
Everyday we all have the opportunity to be someones hero. Whether you wear a military uniform, a fireman's hat, or a policeman's badge you have the ability to make a difference. Being an older sibling, a parent, an aunt or just a good ol' fashion role model you influence other people's outcomes. Unfortunate events are inevitable. But, we have direct control of how we get through them and how they help us grow! Today I read an article that restored faith in...read more

Playing catch up!

Francesca Welsh — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 03:16:00 GMT

By: Francesca Welsh
Hello to all avid readers of ArmyStrong stories! I have returned from a long and overdrawn silence. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year. In these past few months, as I am sure that everyone has been, I have been swamped in numerous activities. I will give you a small glimpse into my life for the past weeks of inescapable moral adventures. Each day was carefully divided into ample study time, volunteer time, and then more study time....read more

USO Appreciation

Francesca Welsh — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 05:52:00 GMT

By: Francesca Welsh
Good Evening! I hope everyone had a great weekend. My weekend was extremely busy with FTX and a very lonnnnng trip to Dallas International Airport. My Uncle is a CW 4 in the United States Army. He flys Blackhawks and Chinooks and has been stationed all over the world. He is currently on his third tour in Iraq/Afghanistan. This past week, well the past 15 days, he was home with family and friends for R&R. He was able to attend his sons' football games and see his...read more

Only in the Military-RUSSIA

Francesca Welsh — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 21:36:00 GMT

By: Francesca Welsh
??????! (informal Russian greeting) This past summer, along with a handful of cadets from around the country, I traveled to Russia. While in Russia we visited Saint Petersburg, Moscow, and Volograd. This trip was sponsored by Cadet Command and Culmen Institute. Each cadet went through an application process to include an essay portion, letter of recommendation, and transcript submission. The program that engaged us academically and culturally is called CULP. (CULP...read more

Army Strong Support

Francesca Welsh — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 04:06:00 GMT

By: Francesca Welsh
Hello All, Typically, I would never post anything about politics (religion, pro choice/pro life, or football :P), but seeing as how this politician was prior service I think it only polite to show him some support. Yesterday, while walking to class, in uniform, a few cadets and myself were approached by a well dressed and kind man (Jude Prather). He started the conversation by thanking us for our service and future commitment to the United States...read more

FTX (Field Training eXercise)

Francesca Welsh — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 20:26:00 GMT

By: Francesca Welsh
"BOBCATS LEAD THE WAY!!" This being our motto, we sincerely stride for excellence. And for us, this comes in the form of a weekend FTX. Yes, this weekend IS Halloween, but our focus is not on which costume to wear or which party to attend. This weekend our cadets will be attending Freeman Ranch and Bastrop for Land Navigation (day and night), STX lanes, and for the MS I's and II's--a little paint ball! While our three and fours are out in the...read more

M16 Training

Francesca Welsh — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 07:49:00 GMT

By: Francesca Welsh
Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen! At our university, Texas State, we conduct M16 training once a year. Our cadets go to a near by range and learn the safety precautions and weapon handling tips that will prove useful in future. Each cadet also has the opportunity to qualify in the three stages of marksmanship. This year our MS III's and IV's attended the range and decided to involve the University newspaper, called the University Star. Having the reporters...read more

Today in History

Francesca Welsh — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 00:23:00 GMT

By: Francesca Welsh
I would like to start off this post with a congratulations to SGT Sherri Gallagher! "WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Oct. 25, 2010) -- For the first time since its inception nine years ago, a female Soldier has claimed the title of Soldier of the Year for 2010's Best Warrior Competition. Sgt. Sherri Gallagher of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, who represented U.S. Training and Doctrine Command at Best Warrior, beat out 11 other competitors from the Army's major commands....read more

Ranger Challenge 2010

Francesca Welsh — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 06:57:00 GMT

By: Francesca Welsh
RANGER CHALLENGE HOOOOOOAH!! Two weekends ago the Texas State Bobcat Battalion competed in the annual Ranger Challenge Competition at Camp Bullis, Texas. There were many phases that required a great amount of teamwork and endurance. The many parts of the event included: a First Aid course, APFT, a 10K Road March with 35lb ruck, day and night land navigation, a grenade assault course, and M16 assembly/disassembly. We performed with one co-ed team and...read more

Military Science II Cadet

Francesca Welsh — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 02:12:00 GMT

By: Francesca Welsh
Greetings and Salutations, Life as an Army ROTC cadet is a unique experience all in its own! And before I begin to include you in my experiences Ill let you in on the little secret of what its all about. For those of you who are not 100% clear about what ROTC is...it stands for Reserve Officer Training Corps. It is a program that is offered at the junior level (High School-no military commitment) and at the senior level (college-military commitment optional). Not all...read more