Hit the Ground Running.

I survived.

I survived LDAC. Surprisingly, I had a lot more fun that I had planned, and while I left New York with doubts about my future as a potential Army officer, I came back feeling more confident than ever that this is something I want to be a part of.

I'm sure a lot of my doubts stemmed from the issues with people I dealt with here, in New York City. While many of the cadets I dealt with all had the same goals I had, their way of getting there (stomping on others toes... and dreams) didn't coincide well with my method.

I joined my school's track team to find, understand, experience, and embrace the concept of team-work. Team-work. The ability to work with others, even individuals you may have never met before, to fulfill one main goal- win, lose, train, fight, laugh, cry, but never give up.

We have survived the trials of miles and miles of trials together. We are a team. All I wanted was to feel like I was a part of a team; something bigger than me and my life.

Over the four weeks I was at LDAC I again found this sense of comradery within my platoon, and even more so within my squad. I was surprised and shocked. No one tried to step on my toes, no one tried to put me down or tell me I was incompetant. I was exactly the person I wanted and needed to be and they accepted me. I accepted them and we carried on.

I was right though; four weeks to four laps. The first week went by so fast, all excitement and adrenaline. The second lap was pure shock, "Holy crap, I'm really here... I'm really doing this and there's no turning back." The third lap was exhaustion, but I had to keep running; I had to keep moving, the finish line was too close to stop then. Finally, the fourth lap- time slows down, your legs tire, your lungs want to burst out of your chest; "I can't hold on," I tell myself. But I hold on anyway, and I keep running, even if that means I've slowed down for even just a second or two. I keep running.

I crossed the finish line.

Now here I am, back in New York City, back at school; back in my normal routine- work, class, track, homework, sleep, and all over again the next day, and the day after.

I find myself daydreaming back to certain days at LDAC. After a long day of patrolling, we all picked a spot on the ground outside, laid out our mats and sleeping bags and talked about our lives back home while looking up at the stars. It was a clear night and the moon was as bright as I ever seen it. In New York, the lights of the city outshine and dim the light of the stars and moon. This was something new for me. I told my guys how much I missed running, and all the places I'd like to run at when we graduated.

I run now, and I imagine them running right next to me, or running after me, hollering, "Run Ash! We're gonna get you!" and then laughing as they come after me. We were kids once. We'll be kids again.