Spc. David Gallego, 25
Tucson, Arizona
"Joining the Army has always been a dream of mine since I was in high school, but I never had the courage to join. When I turned 25, I realized if I never took the chance, I would regret it for the rest of my life."
"I knew there was going to be some yelling in Basic Combat Training with the drill sergeants getting in your face. I just had the mentality that all the yelling/screaming is part of the process. I just had to embrace it."
"The hardest part of BCT was being away from my Family. It was the first time I had been far away. I definitely missed them, but I knew the quickest way to see them was to make it to graduation. That was my motivation to get through each day."
My advice to those about to enter BCT is to "be prepared to do a lot of push-ups and sit-ups. The phrase front leaning rest will forever be ingrained in my head."
I am a "15N - Avionic Mechanic. I chose this MOS because it is the complete opposite of my civilian job. I worked for an insurance agency and wanted something that will take me away from a desk."