[preciousjeni]

Originally Posted by als463

First, I want to say, "Thank you for your service." Though I didn't go through recruitment at a school in the SEC, I attended a Big Ten university. I actually went through recruitment after serving overseas.

I spent a semester at Penn State before being deployed to Iraq, during the war. When I returned, I completed a spring semester and took 25 credits (no, your eyes are deceiving you-I was crazy) over the summer! I ended up graduating, that summer, with my Associate's degree because I had completed over 60 credits.

By the time I went through recruitment, I was 21 years-old, a war veteran, and (due to how many credits I had earned) a junior. I had the cards def. stacked against me. Some chapters thought it was cool that I had served my country in a war zone, where I earned various medals. Others questioned whether or not I would be getting deployed again. I just want you to be prepared for that--especially if you are looking at potentially getting deployed.

I will say that there will be chapters that may dismiss you--not that they would outright say it--because they fear you will get deployed (this ISN'T ROTC and the potential IS there). There are some, like my GLO, which will think it is really cool. I would say, from the perspective of someone who went through recruitment as a female war veteran, keep an open mind. If I had listened to the tent-talk, I might not have shown up to pref. at some of the chapters I preffed or accepted the bid to the organization I love and call home.

Keep an open mind and GOOD LUCK!

This is my single favorite comment of yours on GC (even though you mentioned Penn State again ). I appreciate your service and your motivation.