When I was 17 years old I wasn't making very good choices with my life. Deep down inside I knew I had the drive to be something, do something with my life so I chose the military. I went to basic training as a very scared kid, I turned 18 in basic, graduated and felt like a whole new person. I am 3rd generation Army. My grandmother was in the Army Air Corp and my father was also Army. I went on to be the first female training NCO in the state of Ohio and I was also an instructor at the Ohio Military Academy. I'm proud to call myself a veteran, I spent 10 wonderful years serving my country. The military molded me into something I was very proud of. I was Army strong which helped me quite a bit when I decided to be a Paramedic a few years after leaving the Army. I served my country and my community and it all started at 17 when I made a wise decision. My son is 4th generation Army. He is an MP serving in Germany.

Shannon Laubach
Lenoir, NC