This Is the Way. As Mandalorians strive to abide by a certain code of traditions and ideals, my military journey starts with the embodiment of striving to live the 7 Army Values. God's form of natural revelation revealed what I believe as the way late into my sophomore year of high school. I found myself attempting to memorize the Army's 7 Values before First Formation as General Knowledge within the cadet organization Post 558 Infantry Explorers. Although I did not have immediate knowledge about the Army in my family growing up, a large influence on my discernment in becoming an officer in the Army stems from the influence and exposure of opportunities found within the Post and leaders at CSULB's Army ROTC program. Sunday meetings at the Post have provided me with preliminary exposure and tastes of Army doctrine and culture through levels of chain and command, squad-level battle drills, customs and courtesies, and character development. This organization has given my brother and me the ability to learn and share experiences that culminate in the idea of service for others and the community. One of many memories that I reference as a cadet before Senior ROTC, was the planning, preparation, and execution of a Military Scouting Experience in 2020 for a local Boy Scout Troop to train and introduce military concepts for the benefit of their troop and personal interests. Post 558 Military Scouting Experience 2020 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k4WgAR1d8o As time elapsed, my attempt to memorize ideas and concepts of the Army's organization and culture shifted into a growing passion for duty and service as I applied the foundations learned from Post into Army ROTC. My inclination of wanting to be a part of a community and team that served people directly as soldiers and indirectly for America only grew stronger as I started to train alongside individuals that believed in the same. ROTC has shown me the different domains and dimensions necessary to lead others. The idea of being a Student, Warrior, and Athlete has helped me be mindful of my actions toward developing myself to be the best leader I can be. These moments in the classroom, lab, and field teach me that discipline for my actions is imperative to live by the Warrior's Ethos of always placing the mission first, never accepting defeat, never quitting, and never leaving a fallen comrade behind. The addition of the Soldier's Creed and other people in ROTC motivates me to understand what is said and also implies in my life currently as a college student and cadet. My involvement in both cadet programs leads me to the conclusion that leadership can sometimes be abstract and solving problems for an objective is dependent on certain variables that are available. I have noticed that within past and current times in ROTC and Post, the impact of lessons and advice that people have left on me has served as a form of preparation through After Action Reviews and getting to know someone (cadre, advisor, or fellow cadet) personally through time. Service has been an important factor in my preparation for serving my country: volunteering in the Church as an altar server, taking a leadership role within the Post, and now training in the way set by my ROTC program to prepare myself for a future platoon.