Welcome To My World

Welcome To My World

     Anchors aweigh, my boys Anchors aweigh. This is a song that every sailor learns in boot camp. It is a song that holds my best and worst memories. I have been called petty officer and MA3 those were my names. Now people just call me Justin Paterson.

     I grew up in a small town called Colton. It is a little farm town in Oregon. Although I was a small town kid I had big dreams. My dream was to be a United States Sailor. I don’t know why that was my dream but as far back as I can remember that’s all I wanted to be. I was 18 and fresh out of school and my dream was starting. I was on my way to grate lakes, Ill. This is the location for boot camp. I was going to be a sailor.

     Looking back at the 9 weeks of hell we call boot camp I can remember every moment. I remember the exact moment where I broke and the civilian in me was gone. I was just coming out of the gas chamber as every recruit must do and as I was getting yelled at. I looked up and saw the  flag. It was the flag of our country. I knew right there that I was no longer the same kid I used to be. In that moment everything change that flag was not just a piece of material that is a symbol for our country. That flag was a part of me. That flag was something I would die for. When you would willingly give your life for our flag you are no longer a civilian. Along with the moment where I broke I can see the men I was in boot camp with. These men are my brothers. Our brotherhood was formed in the midst of hell. Though we are all different some were black others white. Some men were old while most were just 18. We were all equal. We were all one. If one man failed, then we all failed.

      The best moment of my life came when the 9 weeks were over. My fellow sailors and I were standing outside the graduation hall waiting to march in. when the doors opened up we marched in as one. We were marching to the sound of beating drums. As we marched in I looked in the crowed and I could see my dad. At that moment I just wanted graduation to be over I was waiting for the call for liberty. Liberty is a term that the military used that means we are no longer on duty. As graduation was coming to and end our Commanding officer stood up and said liberty, liberty my fellow sailors liberty. At that moment hundreds of sailors who just finished boot camp ran to their loved ones.

  With the call of liberty I ran to the place where I saw my dad sitting. When I saw him standing there looking for me I just walked up to him. He had tears in his eyes and he told me that he has never been more proud to be proven wrong and that his son was defending our country. You see my entire life I was told I would never make it in the military. The person who told me this the most was my dad and I proved him wrong. After hugging my dad I turned and saw my mom. It was at that moment that I broke in to tears. The only person in this world that always believed in me was standing right there. I was always a big mommas boy so seeing her was the most amazing thing ever. It was hard to see my family for I was not kid who left. To me everything was different but for them nothing has changed.

     How does being a sailor define me you might ask? Well a sailor lives by three core values. The values are honor, courage, and commitment.  To this day I strive to live by those values. They became a part of me. They have a role in my life that helps me make all of my choices.

    So that’s me I am a sailor. A defender of this nation. And I say to you fair winds and calm seas and Anchors aweigh my boys.