How the F did I get to this point in my life

The choices I have made over the last 20 – 22 years sure have impacted who I am today. I recently read some things that different friends of mine have written and it got me to thinking about my choices and how they have brought me to where I am today.
So back when I was a junior and senior in high school I started looking at colleges. I applied to 5 and was accepted by 4. The only one that did not accept me, I feel was because it was so close to deadline. It was just a fallback anyway; I had never really considered going there. So I had to decide between the four that accepted me: Ohio State University, Presbyterian College, Virginia Military Institute, and The Citadel.
Well most know that I chose PC. And right there was one of the early choices that impacted where I am today. Had I known then that I would end up wearing the uniform for a living things might have been different! Had I chose to go to VMI or The Citadel I could be a Major or a Lieutenant Colonel right now. Boy how that income would be welcome right now. I could be making a lot bigger impact on things than I am now. I am sure that having that rank on my resume in a few years would have greatly increased my options and earnings potential.
Well, I survived my time at PC and earned my degree and headed back to the Northern Virginia (NOVA) area as I had sworn I would years before. I settled into a bit of a rut for a while. Not really putting my degrees to use. About a year after I left college I decided to join the National Guard. This is the next major choice that would have lasting impact on my life.
I had always been a Patriotic guy. Growing up with a Father who had been a civilian working for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, I had heard about the military all my life. I decided on the Guard because of their dual role. I like the fact that I was serving the country, while also having the opportunity to serve the state in time of need. (Little did I know then how much of both the National Guard would be doing during my career.) I had talked to my recruiter about different MOS’s and what I wanted to do with my career. I ended up choosing to become an Infantry Soldier. (Had I known then how I would get involved in medicine I would have gone with my second choice of Medic.)
I went through some different jobs after coming back from Basic Training. My Guard job was as a Driver/Radio Operator for the Battalion Commander. (I still stay in touch and he is now a General Officer.) One night I was at Blackie’s in Springfield and made a choice that will continue to impact me for the rest of my life. That was the night I met Joan. That night lead to my three beautiful girls.
Soon after we met Joan got pregnant. Kelsey was almost 2 when we married. That is a choice Joan and I have both since questioned. We chose to bring 2 more beautiful girls, Katelyn and Kyleigh, into the world. Before we got pregnant with Kyleigh September 11 occurred. This lead to me doing some active duty doing security at Dulles Airport. A few months later Joan was pregnant. About the time I was about to end my orders I used a connection to get a job a the National Guard headquarters. My traditional Guard unit was told we were going to GITMO. About this time our landlord decided to sell our house out from under us. So the choice was made to move in with Joan’s parents. This put is in Southern MD. We thought it was going to be Joan and the girls while I was in GITMO. My unit never went to GITMO. I was not too long after this that I took the combat lifesaver course through the Army. I found out I really like the medical fiels.
I ended up volunteering to run our in-house Medical Response Team at work. I decided that I wanted to gain more knowledge about the medical field. Living in Joan’s home town had a big part in this next step. I joined the local Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad. Joan’s Dad and Grandfather had been founding members of the department. Through the department I was able to get my EMT-B. I also became active in the buildings Emergency Preparedness Team.
My first year with the department I was EMS Rookie of the year. Several months into my second year there, not long into the fiscal year I separated from Joan and moved into the fire hours. This help me be the number 1 EMS call runner for the year.
My choice to end my marriage was not an easy one. I had been considering it for some time. I think she knew too. I even went and talked to a counselor through the Army and when she found out she was mad! I was trying to sort things out, hoping if it helped me stay I could tell her that I had gone and done this to save our marriage! Well, That did not really help and it was soon thereafter that we separated. We did some marriage counseling but it did not bring us back together.
There is a lot that has happened since the separation, but that is a whole other entry!!