Word Limit: 1000
Being raised with family members who were or are in the military is a unique experience. Describe how your upbringing with military influences in your family has shaped your development as a student, a member of your community, and the establishment of your life goals.
Growing up, my parents told me hundreds of stories about their experiences defending their country. Both of them were in the military; they met while stationed in South Korea, served for over twenty years, and retired as Lieutenant Colonels. Listening to them talk about their work in cities like Brussels, Busan, and Fort Leavenworth awed me. They had done such interesting things! Been so many places! None of the other kids’ parents had ever jumped out of airplanes or driven tanks. However, it was not the fantastical nature of their stories that really struck me. Every time they told me a new story, it was their dedication to their country that impressed me most. It was the fact that they got up every morning to defend other Americans and serve a higher power than themselves. Listening to these stories, I knew I wanted my career to have as much meaning as theirs had.
Even more …show more content…
Everyone knew that Egypt still wasn’t stable—there would be a coup in the summer of 2013—but it was actually my mother who pointed me towards the internship I took at the American University in Cairo. Other friends were shocked that my parents were so happy for me; their own parents wouldn’t even support them moving across the country, much less across the world. It was my parent’s military mindset and my upbringing that made the difference. They knew that they could trust my judgment, even in risky situations. Throughout my childhood, they taught me to gather data and do a risk assessment before any major decision. My parents were secure in the knowledge that I could take care of