Ok, so I did a lot of cutting and editing. This is what I am left with, and I think the final draft speaks true to how I feel.
WHY I WANT TO BE AN ARMY OFFICER
It was 2004, while walking past a recruiting station, I thought to myself, “I am going to join the army one day.” In August of 2011, I joined the army. I wanted to show my appreciation to our great nation by doing something great; today, I would like the opportunity to do something even greater. While serving my country as an enlisted soldier has been fundamentally rewarding, I am ready to lead from the front. I would love the opportunity to help promote an environment that fosters good moral judgment, positivity, and team-building amongst our future soldiers.
I believe I have a strong sense of leadership skills, but being a soldier has helped me realize what it means to lead. It is my belief that all soldiers are leaders, and to be a great officer one must be able to follow in order to lead. Being an enlisted soldier, there’s a great deal of knowledge that is learned through experience to gain leadership skills that an officer possesses. Officers are made and shaped by life and its many experiences. What makes officers great is how they use experiences to become better leaders, and how they apply that knowledge gained from their experiences to shape future leaders.
I believe we must love what we do to be successful at it. I love serving my country, but now I would love the opportunity to lead from the front. Life for me as a soldier and a civilian has been a lesson of great resilience and profound opportunities, from being homeless to becoming a member the U.S. Army. When asked why I would like to be an army officer, the answer is simple. I want to be a member of an elite few, who makes decisions, and implement plans and policies that guide all soldiers. There is no greater purpose in life than to serve. It takes great leaders to pool the strengths of others, and to that I feel called. This is by far the most selfless act I can do for the comfort of freedom.