R3bauer

Well I'll start in 1995 I enlisted in the IAARNG as a member of the 34th Infantry Division as a member of the 1/133rd infantry regiment, I train in all the drills from Aug95- May96, as I was the only BTOPer (basic training orientation program) I was able to do all the stuff all the othe guys did, qualify with the M16A1 during the day, night, and in NBC gear. Also fired the M60, threw grenades, got gassed, all in all a damn good time for a 17 year old angry at the world.
JUN96 I shipped out for what would be the best and worst time of my life, see as a kid I always wanted to serve and make a career out of it, and this was a step toward this, training was going well, until zero week when I heat stroked and was hospitalized. I came back and qualified sharpshooter with a questionablely zeroed weapon. After that things were going well again until 26JUL96s PT run, as we were starting our second run I felt a pop and fell down landing on the corner of my right knee on a curb, shoving my kneecap in and chipping the kneecap and tearing up the cartilage, needless to say in 96 they didnt need as many people so that was it my GI Joe dreams were crushed.
When I got home none of my friends said anything about it except this girl I was dating who hated the military, but even though she hated me being in she was the only one who said she was sorry I couldnt stay in. That was it I wound up marrying her!
We now have been married for almost 13 years and have three great kids, I do collect disablity at 20% from the VA and they are paying me to go to school. My oldest is in 7th grade, my middle on is in 4th and the youngest is in 1st. I got saved in 2000 and was youth group leader in my church for a year until I went to school to be a science teacher, however i got an email from the Iowa DOC about a CO job that would allow me to still feel like I am still serving my fellow countryman.
Theres my story and unless asked I wont bring it up again.