Re-Up!

One aspect of being an officer is that your are responsible for administering certain ceremonial sessions, such as an individual's enlistment, or RE-enlistment, also known as re-up.

This past Thursday I was asked by one of my soldiers, SGT Booker, to administer her re-up oath. This might not seem like a big deal; but for many, this is a serious commitment, since they're signing away the next 3-6 years of their life away! What is more, soldiers are allowed to choose any commissioned officer to administer their oaths, and I was flattered that SGT Booker asked me! However, I think it helps that I'm a) her platoon leader and b) the only officer she comes into contact with on a regular basis. However, I have already been asked by another soldier, in another platoon for that matter, to administer his re-up oath; so, I can't use the above as my only excuses.

A big campaign for the Army right now (well, since the war began) has been to retain as many soldiers - not necessarily good, quality soldiers - as possible, since most have the experience needed to operate in this type of environment. So, I'll be performing this task somewhat frequently during my time in the service. It's a neat process and one that makes you feel like you're actually doing something, even if it's just uttering a few words and having the person repeat after you!

Take care and enjoy the pics.