Election Day Musings

Today is the election. I voted while I was home, prior to deploying. My decision of who to vote for was like trying to decide which branch I wanted to put first back in 1993 when I was filling out my paperwork to become a Lieutenant.

Prior to my enrollment in college and the ROTC program at the University of Arkansas, I had previously served in the Army as an enlisted soldier as an Infantryman at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. My conundrum was whether I wanted to be infantry again, or to try something different like Armor or Cavalry, which appealed to me as well. The neat thing about Armor is that you don’t have to walk anywhere, and you get to blow stuff up at a much higher rate than the light infantry guys. Should I stay with the status quo of being an infantry guy, which is what I know, what is comfortable, and what is easy? Or do I take a risk and try something new, learn to think in different ways, and expose myself to some new ideas? What about the unforeseen pitfalls of going Armor? Nobody told me that I would walk more as a Cavalry guy than I ever did as an Infantry guy, and the maintenance time and upkeep of complex systems would be time consuming, frustrating, and at times, all encompassing. Armor also requires a lot of logistical effort in terms of fuel, parts, ammunition, and other resources needed to make the beasts run. There are so many unknowns with such a seemingly superficial decision.

The vocational decision took a long time. In the end I picked Armor, and I have been happy with my decision. Even though I’m not really doing Armor and Cavalry stuff right now, it has been a great ride so far in my career. But for me this year, the election brought about the same type of indecision.

My prediction: Obama will be my new Commander in Chief, and the sugar pill of change will be enough of a jolt to America to quit talking about how bad things are and get them to start talking about opportunity and potential.

Regardless of how it turns out, I know where I’ll be for the next year.

So go vote. Enjoy the opportunity to voice your opinion—not everyone in the world has it. Take care.

Ron