Author photo

By Olivia Harnack
Whitman County Gazette 

Hurry up and wait finally over

 

Army National Guard

Whitman County Gazette reporting intern has been sworn into the Army National Guard and will depart for basic training Aug. 8.

It began with a phone call from my recruiter, Sgt. Elizabeth De Hoyos, two weeks ago.

The long-awaited news finally came about from the medical waiver I needed to enter the U.S. Army National Guard. I was accepted and would travel to the Sunset Highway MEPS (Military Entrancing Processing Station) location in Airway Heights on June 2.

A swell of excitement and anxiety swept over me in that one phone call.

The past seven months, I dedicated most of my time physically and mentally training for tests and military evaluations. Nothing else mattered to me.

All I wanted was this chance - I am ready and eager to serve my country.

When I received the information, I was informed I would stay at the Davenport Grand Hotel in Spokane for one night. However, one night would turn into two nights. One expected day at MEPS would turn into three before I could swear in.

The hotel was simply breathtaking. I felt like a wealthy middle-aged woman as I sat at the alcove, sipping coffee by the window, in a free white bathrobe provided by the hotel .

The first night's debrief of MEPS events began sharply at 8:30 p.m., only a few hours after check in.

The journalism world - and being in your young 20s - leads to a fast-paced lifestyle I am constantly moving and traveling with my job and college life.

But for three days, I sat and waited.

I previously went through all the military medical exams in Detroit, Mich., months prior. So for my trip to MEPS, I only needed to secure a job and swear in.

Or so I thought.

At 4:30 a.m., a telephone alarm went off. Our small group of new recruits navigated down the halls for a breakfast of eggs, bacon and hash browns.

We were given 30 minutes to eat and were loaded onto a bus. We lined up and entered the security room.

For the next two days, the guys in security would tease me by calling me a "regular".

The first day was the most stressful for the many.

Originally, my plan was to swear in as a 25 Victor (a combat videographer). Much to my chagrin, the Army is in the process of removing the job and creating a new one.

However, with my test scores and medical exams, I qualified for a separate job that has appeared in several Hollywood shows and films.

"Jack Ryan" would be proud - I ultimately decided to become a 35 Fox Trot (intelligence analyst) for a combat aviation unit dispatched out of Michigan.

Deciding to join intelligence was a much easier decision than I thought. Especially after I got off the phone with my very distressed mother when I suggested combat medicine as an alternative.

I have never heard so many Hail Marys in a phone call in my life.

For the next two days, we would jump through the hoops and hurdles to secure the clearances needed for the job.

At least at 20 years old, I didn't have an extensive past to sort through. I am, after all, still a "kid."

I saw new friends come and go with certificates from their swearing in ceremonies and could only dream of when it would be my turn. The moment I was called into the room and told everything worked out was the sweetest moment of relief I have ever felt.

That third day, the months and months of stress, paperwork, and physical tests had come to a conclusion. I made history for my family as the first woman to pursue the Army and I accomplished the biggest goal in my life.

From medical waivers, physical tests, qualification tests and more, I did it. Holding the Army National Guard Plaque in my hand after swearing in signified the beginning of a new chapter in my life.

A new chapter that I cant wait to start and share with all of you.

- Olivia Harnack is a reporting intern at the Whitman County Gazette. She will deploy to basic training on Aug. 8, and possibly return as an intern next summer between training and finishing her college degree. Email her at [email protected].

Author Bio

Olivia Harnack, Editorial Reporter

Author photo

Olivia Harnack is a Journalist at the Whitman County Gazette. Olivia is enrolled at University of Idaho and is majoring in digital film studies. She serves in the United States Army National Guard and is proud to serve Whitman County.

 

Reader Comments(0)

 
 

Our Family of Publications Includes:

Cheney Free Press
Ritzville Adams County Journal
Whitman County Gazette
Odessa Record
Franklin Connection
Davenport Times
Spokane Valley News Herald
Colfax Daily Bulletin

Powered by ROAR Online Publication Software from Lions Light Corporation
© Copyright 2024