Every person lives by a set of rules, a set of morals. I know I certainly do. Every person has a different set of rules for themselves. Everyone has their own opinions on right and wrong. Some may think being gay is against a moral code, other definitely disagree. Some think you should definitely go to church every Sunday, others do not. It is different to every person. However, soldiers live by the soldier’s creed and the values of whichever branch they are in.

Becoming a soldier, you must learn both. You will sometimes be quoted on it, due to it being your guide. These words are not just words, but a way of life. Each line says one thing but can mean a million different things as well. Nothing is set to man one thing because then it would be much longer. It is more of a, draw between the lines, picture. It is meant for each soldier to find their way to living like a true soldier. Sure, a soldier must be strong, but it cannot just be physically. It has to be emotionally, critically, or even just strong willed. They need to have the heart of a warrior. Pushing yourself physically is only possible through a strong will. It is all a psychological game.

This is certainly what being a soldier is about. It is about our ethics. It is about our creed. It is about how strong we are in every aspect. It is about who we are and who we become. This is about our journey to becoming a true warrior.

If you ever have the time, please read the Soldier’s Creed and the Army Ethics. Then write down what you believe it to mean. Then read it again and think of another. You could even read them line by line and take notes in between. It does not matter because this is about learning what it takes to achieve the impossible.

https://www.army.mil/values/soldiers.html

I have been waiting for news on whether or not I will be attending this basic camp, but this quarantine is still in place. To be frank, it has let up in some areas. Nothing has really been completely opened or even closely back to normal. I have even continued to fill out any left-over documents in the meantime.

Another thing we recently did in my Military Science course was our final exam. It was not too difficult, but it was not the easiest either. You definitely had to study. It was over basic command and how we would react in certain scenarios. Overall, this class has taught me many things and changed me for the better. I have met wonderful people within this program, and only wish the best for each and every person. We continued to push each other every single day. No man left behind.

The army culture is really just how any slightly dysfunctional family is. They joke through teasing and sarcasm. Sometimes their jokes are always the most appropriate for the situation. We know the weakest link, but we do not let anyone outside of our family know. We protect those who we do everything with. That’s what being a part of the army is. We’re a family. You have your civilian family, who know the before you. Then you have the family who truly understand what you have been through. They understand who you have become. They are the ones who protect you in the worst situations.

Being apart of this family is like nothing else. These people who were once strangers, now are brothers and sisters. These people who were once only saw competition, now they see opportunity and encouragement. I’m grateful to have learned what being in the army is truly about within one semester. However, I wouldn’t have ever learn if it hadn’t been for my great instructors I had.

https://www.military.com/military-family-appreciation-month/appreciating-military-spouse-friends.html

Wow, I am stunned with this whole Coronavirus. It has stopped a lot of my activities within the ROTC program itself. However, the show must go on. I am stuck at home. This means workouts aren’t required, but I still do what I can to prepare for my basic camp this summer. I am definitely not ready, and this virus came to make me even less prepared. I miss school and my 5 AM workouts already. Hopefully next year will be much better. In the meantime, I am filling out paperwork for ROTC. It’s a lot but very do-able.

Next let me tell you about my appointments I went to for my army physical. I went to my eye exam and was scared that my eyes weren’t 20-20 anymore. They kept testing me and writing down notes, but they never stopped to say if I had passed or not which scared me to death. However, everyone I met and talk to were very nice and helpful. When I went to the physical part of the exams, I had to change into full paper clothing. Don’t recommend, very uncomfortable by the way. Anyway, I passed everything well. That includes my hearing test. Why I bring that up? My dad called me when I was in the soundproof box taking it. I thought I was going to fail because it messed me up.

During this extended break home, I have officially got my family to join me in my runs. My mom even bought new sneakers so she could go running. Staying home is boring, so why not get fit while you do it? In the end I will have better content for you next time, and it will be more informational. Right now I am just trying to fill you in on the happenings of right now.

Here’s some information on the Coronavirus. Stay safe.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html

Want to get in shape fast? Well this week in ROTC we worked out, surprising right? However, we’ve been talking about a great diet that has helped many people in different ways. The Keto Diet is changing the lives of many people like my dad, cancer patients, and those with high blood pressure. This is a quick overview of what I’ve learned this week.

First, we’ll go over the workouts. I would start with my Monday remedial work out, but sadly I didn’t wake up. Why didn’t I wake up? I was on facetime with my friend until about three in the morning. Don’t judge me though, I still went to the gym.

 However, Tuesday we ran four miles! I know that four miles isn’t that bad, but four miles at Texas State University. There are hills, and these hills hurt. Running down the hill isn’t the problem but running up the hills are not fun. It burns your thighs in way unimaginable.

Back to the Keto Diet. Keto has been taking over the world. I know many people who are on this diet or have tried it. Do I think I could do this diet right now? Definitely not, I like my Texas Roadhouse rolls, fried chicken, French fries, ice cream, and everything else I wouldn’t be able to eat. That’s not the point, however. The point is it has improved life for many. Going back to how we began when we were hunters and gatherers. We didn’t have all these processed foods going through us, making everything easier to digest back then. Now we’re all over working our systems to digest a chicken nugget from McDonald’s.

In the end please take care of yourself and watch what you eat because it could improve your life greatly. Also working out may seem tiring, but I promise you you’ll feel much more energized in no time.

Also check out this site with a lot of information on the Keto diet.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ketogenic-diet-101#foods-to-avoid

These are my running shoes!

The time came when we had to take the PT, and did I pass? Definitely not. I passed the two-mile run. I passed the push-ups section. I failed the sit-up section by less than five sit-ups. Want to know what happens when you fail the PT test in ROTC? You have to attend remedial PT. This means waking up at five in the morning to go to PT five times a week rather than three times. Let me tell you I’m definitely not a morning person.

Even though I didn’t pass my PT test, I do enjoy the extra workouts. They wake you up for the day, and they give you a small burst of energy. It also just makes you crave a healthier diet, so overall it’s a great choice.

Moving on from exercises, the labs are different than things I’m used to. We learn from the upperclassmen rather than the Instructors. It honestly makes it a tad easier though. Learning from people that are my age makes it easier to relate. They also are learning with us as they teach us. It’s a great learning environment for people like me. Someone who hates looking clueless in front of people or asking too many questions.

I’m not saying the instructors are too intimidating, it’s just being new makes me feel way behind on everything. They are actually really funny and cool guys. They have talked to me one on one before, and they are genuine good guys who really strive for our success. I told one of my instructors what I had struggled with in the APFT Test (PT Test), and he made sure that we did sit-ups in our remedial. I knew it was for me because everyone else had struggled with the running part of the test.

One scary thing about failing the test is that there is a new PT test called the ACFT. It is definitely harder than the APFT and it is gender neutral. I have to say I’m a tad bit worried about how I’m going to pass this new test.

Check out this link to see the ACFT (new PT Test).

https://www.military.com/military-fitness/army-fitness/army-fitness-requirements/everything-you-need-know-about-armys-new-pft

In the picture below it is of our recent lab. We had target practice with this Shooting game.

Hey everyone, my name is Kennedy Lopez. I’m an 18 year old, who’s about to be a Junior in college. Crazy right? Anyway, I’m a first generation college student, and I’m just here trying to navigate my way to a bachelor’s degree. I feel like this is enough about me so far, but you’ll definitely find out more as the blog continues.

Now what you’re all here for, what this blog is actually about.

This blog is about being in the ROTC program in college, more specifically the one at Texas State University. Most people only have their own idea of what happens within the program. I can say some of it might be true, but a lot of it is not. A lot of the things I’ve done have made me feel out of place, but it also helps create a deeper bond with those around you. It’s somewhere you can have fun, make great friends, adopt many great qualities, and have people push you to strive for your best and nothing less.

However, I’m not going to say everyone should go join. Truthfully, this program IS NOT for everyone. It’s hard work, fast paced, and it may even feel silly at sometimes. I’m just here to show you a perspective from someone who never thought they’d actually join ROTC. This is for people who are curious about joining the program, in the program, or people who just want to see what actually goes on within ROTC.

What you can all expect from me within this blog? Well that’s quite simple. I will tell you about all of the hard days, where I don’t think I can go any further. I’ll even tell you about the times it all felt silly, or if I completely embarrassed myself in front of everyone. Finally, I will keep you informed on how this will all pay off in the end, and how each thing we do contributes to what we need to know. This is you living through me.

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

• Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
• Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

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• Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
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• If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.