My Journey With And Through Sldp R - 1547 Words

My Journey with and through SLDP-R I will never forget my enrollment meeting for SLDP-R; I didn’t think I could hear it enough – SLDP is an opportunity, not a punishment. I didn’t question this notion, but I don’t think I really understood it either. Over a year later I can say that I do understand. I will be the first person to tell anyone how much SLDP allowed me to evolve through self-discovery and reflection. I am so much more in touch with myself, where I started, where I have come to, and where I need to go from here. I learned so much about the prestige of being in the Army. Dawning this uniform every day comes with significant weight. This isn’t limited in scope to General Officers, or those in public relations – it extends to every member of the organization. Everything you do is reflective of the Army, directly or indirectly and by being unprofessional – you are compromising the trust the organization has put in you. It is important to remain cognizant of the fact that regardless of who we are with or where we are – we bear the burden of being an ambassador of the Army and each of its values. Coming into SLDP my biggest issue was succumbence to external pressure. It is so important for every individual to have deeply rooted, unwavering values – I didn’t have this. I wasn’t fully committed to the process of molding myself into someone worthy of being a US Army Officer. I saw things around me that I felt like I was above because they just seemed so