Journal Entry: “Dressed Up”

We received our BDU (Battle Dress Uniform) issue this morning. We got some of it yesterday but today we got the tops with our names sewn in. Though I’ve already worn the uniform in Reserve drills, there was something different about it this time. Putting it on was transformational. I felt my confidence and mental strength renew in full. A lot of that can be attributed to my first decent night’s sleep since my arrival, but I must say that there was a sense of pride that came over me in our first uniformed formation. It was invigorating. I can already feel years of lazy-mindedness burning away and a new strong perspective settling in. I’m not just going to make it; I’m going to like it. I’m going to respect the man I am even more when this is over.