Researcher Position Case Study

I was once the big fish in a small pond, but now I find myself as a worm on a hook in an ocean of big fish. Starting this journey, I can say that I was overcome with all types of emotions all at once: anxiety, fear, excitement, inadequateness, and at the end of it all I was finally calm. Knowing that I had just accomplished something that not even six months ago wasn’t even in my life plans. As a platoon, we performed feats that as individuals or a group you would never attempt let alone think about have accomplished. The slogans during that time of my career were “be all you can be in the Army” or “we do more before 9 am than most people do all day.” Within my first four years I got to travel the world and see places that most people would only dream about from Antarctica to Panama, and even to the pyramids in Egypt, I got to see it all. The military had such a powerful and profound hold on me I couldn’t think of anywhere else I would rather be. I was once told by my 1SG after a very long and trying day he said “Private Williams, where else can grown men and women have this much fun and still get paid. “I thought and pondered on what he had said, and even today 26 years later I still ask myself the same question, and it always goes back to the same answer, wearing the uniform serving my country side by side with my brothers and sisters in

Moreover, the military also gave me the opportunity to travel abroad. Living in countries such as Korea, Spain, and Germany and immersing myself in their cultures has given me perspective on the differences between the United States and other countries. Each place I have lived has been unique in some way, from the different languages to the variations in cultural practices. Dealing with individuals with different backgrounds has helped me develop a good rapport with people.

Basic and advanced individual training pushed me to give my all in everything I do. The ability to serve my country and travel made me proud. When I was direct commission as a physician assistant in the National Guard it thrust me into a leadership role that I was not trained for, but my life experiences to this point helped me on this path. Training soldiers and maintaining battalion medical readiness was the core of my duties. Amongst the most valuable attributes I developed while serving was time management, extensive preparation and

Though serving in a highly disciplined, well trained, and well equipped force, I faced mental and physical adversity, a numerically superior enemy, and a dynamic battlefield. I served with fellow Noncommissioned Officers and leaders with vast tactical combat experience, but we were operating in highly restrictive terrain behind enemy lines. As we worked to create breathing room for the Battle Space Owner and defeat the insurgents on their own turf, we took several casualties and would be tested in our ability to remain equally dynamic to the battlefield, bring every asset to bare to accomplish the mission, and adapt our common tactics in order to survive.

This study sought to answer three research questions. Although the questions have been presented in previous chapters, they are worth presenting again.

After returning to the States for 10 months, I was placed on orders to deploy to Iraq. I served our great country in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. My first deployment was to Victory Base Camp Iraq that was from November 01, 2004 to November 15, 2005. My second deployment was to Camp Adder Iraq that was from January 23, 2009 to January 19, 2010. My first deployment was the hardest. It was during a major turning point of Operation Iraqi Freedom. My duties as a 25L (cable installer systems maintainer) to were to install communications equipment and help facilitate the arrival of the Iraqi Army Headquarters at Victory Base Camp. The first deployment in 2004 was the roughest. I had seen a lot of mortar attacks, and lost a couple of close friends.

It was the 7th of April 2005. I was a part of 1st Platoon, G Troop 82nd Cavalry, Task Force 1-163 IN, and FOB Gaines Mills is where we called home. I was a Specialist in a Light Cavalry unit assigned to Alpha Section of 1st Platoon. My duty position strongly depended on the mission and how our Platoon Leadership wanted to task organize. Since we had quite a bit of diverse talents from the E-4 and below, and we were all capable of Driving, Gunning, or being a Dismount, I had to always be ready to move into one of those positions at any time.

Although my military service was brief, it was impactful and changed the trajectory of my life for the better. It enlightened me to a multitude of issues affecting people across the globe and in our nation. I witnessed the caliber of

I was halfway through Basic, an accomplishment on its own, when when finally began going to the shooting range. When I first enter basic it was early October, by now it was mid-November and it was bone chillingly cold. The winds on the plains nearly froze everyone's hands. You could hear the mumbling complaints of the trainees. Our discipline was at its breaking point.

The author was very thorough in the discussion of his study. The author used a statistical table to show each area covered in the survey. The author also covered in detail the procedures they used and how they found their study subjects and the programs use to affect a positive outcome.

I completed my first combat deployment to Iraq in 2007 with the Minnesota Army National Guard. Until that time I was what many describe as a “weekend warrior,” meaning I had a career in operations management outside the military and spent one weekend per month in my army boots. While I had always been proud of my service to my nation, after that 22-month deployment I recognized that my real passion lay with the military. After I returned in 2007, I adjusted my commitment from weekend warrior to full-time Active Guard Reserve Soldier. Since pursuing my career with the Minnesota Army National Guard I have thrived, being promoted ahead of my peers, taking on numerous leadership positions, and making challenging decisions that affect hundreds to

My military service reshaped who I am. My training stripped away any sense of entitlement and I learned more about myself in four months than I’d ever known before. It not only gave me discipline and taught me to perform under pressure, but everything I did wasn’t just for me anymore. I was working hard for the marines next to me in my platoon. The time came when each of us hit a breaking point physically or mentally.

that role by keeping my Soldiers informed. If my Soldiers were to teach a class or give

The use of semi-structured questionnaires has many advantages and disadvantages. Advantages include the flexibility of the interviewer allowing them to follow up on any unexpected responses and to seek clarification on any answers. It also provides a depth of information as well as a breadth of information. The disadvantages of using semi-structured interviews are the analysis of data obtained is often complicated and time consuming and the data may contain irrelevant information.

I grew up in a military family. My father was an air force officer who trained others in piloting helicopters. As a young boy, I found this to be very fascinating and I thought I was going to follow in his footsteps. Sadly, he died in a helicopter crash in 1998. He was a very important person in my life that I considered as a mentor. Consequently, I gradually started losing interest in serving in the army. It was a major setback.