Reflection Paper

Week 1 Journal

Monias Allen

Grantham University

Week 1 Journal

My primary career goal is to retire from the Army as a Master Sergeant (MSG), I currently have 19 years of Active duty, I was selected to attend the Equal Opportunity Advisors Course, which requires an additional two years; which will take me past my initial goal of retirement at 20 years. I am excited to attend the course because I love helping people and it can transition me into a civilian position when I retire.

I initially decided to attend college because I was passed over for promotion due to lack of civilian education. When the results were released, and I was not selected, I knew, I had to do something else because the Army wanted more than the regular training, leading and preparing Soldiers for battle. I also wanted to overcome my fear of taking college-level classes, I doubted myself and felt because I had a G.E.D I couldn’t meet the standards of a college level class. As of today, I have a 3.89 GPA and made the Dean Lists four times; my lowest grade currently is a B. I feel that I have accomplished so much over the last 19 years, the only expectation of my college degree is to inspire my daughter. I have never told my daughter I did not graduate high school fearing that she would look at me like a failure.

My last two terms I have taken Communications classes, one class required me to complete weekly videos on various topics and speeches we had to memorize and construct ourselves. The other class required deep thinking, looking below the surface to find the true meaning of the required reading and ourselves. I chose Communication as my greatest strength, however; I strive daily to build upon what I have learned during those courses.

One weakness I have is fear of failure; this fear has sometimes crippled me and stopped me from obtaining some of my most sought-after goals, such as completing college. I was a teen mom who dropped out of school and received my G.E.D when I 16 years old, I have had a successful career in the Army, and now my goal is to show teen mothers you can be more than just a “statistic” by completing my degree and being a positive role model.

I chose the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) as my organization; It was difficult to find a credible bias other than it is a need to rely on the government for funding annually. With Congress making cuts, some of which are necessary, research of mental health should not be in question when referencing funding. The organization itself is not in question more so the way Congress goes about providing funding to the NIMH is what I can speak on.

If Mental health is what is being called one of the sources to mass shooting in America why haven’t we as a nation figured out a way to help these individuals and provide more support and resources?