Ruben Berumen:  

So how does one really put nearly 20 years in a few sentences and yet make sense? I'm not sure I can but here it goes... I actually joined the Army on 15 August 1989 so my plans after high school were pretty much set prior to entering our senior year. Which is why I never really put a lot of effort to getting good grades or finding out about any colleges, it just seemed like a waste of time for me. Nope, I was going to attend the school of hard-knocks and was ready to learn everything the hard way. (Some things haven't changed). 13 June 1990, I left El Paso for "lovely" Fort Leonard Wood, MO. It was quite an experience I tell you. I arrived there and immediately regretted having done so. If you have never been in Missouri you aren't missing much. It was only relatively hot (85-90 degrees) but the humidity was crazy which caused me to end up in the hospital due to dehydration. Hey, I wasn't used to the humidity. But I did complete my Initial Basic Combat Training on 16 August 1990 which was followed by Advance Individual Training in Fort Lee, VA. This was my first visit to the East Coast but not my last. I graduated from the Army's Quartermaster School and was on my way to Germany after a couple of weeks on leave (vacation) in El Paso. November 90' I landed in Germany and was assigned to the C, Company, 79TH Engineer Battalion Combat Heavy. I was actually very fortunate since I arrive right after all the Soldiers heading to "Operation Desert Storm" had just left and I was left behind in Germany. For the following 2 years I spent it working and traveling throughout Europe which was awesome. I was fortunate enough to visit Paris France, Munich Germany, Amsterdam (not my best trip), and many other cities. During my assignment to Germany, I met who would end up being now my ex-wife. Got married on 29 October 1992 in El Paso but was re-assigned to Fort Carson, CO. I was originally assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3RD Battalion, 68TH Armor, 4TH Infantry Division. Fort Carson is also where I attended the Army's Primary Leadership Development Course (PLDC) and eventually fell in love with being a Soldier. I graduated PLDC in November 1993, yes; I missed my 1ST anniversary which was the first of many "special" dates that I have missed due to work. I was promoted to Corporal upon completion of PLDC and I was on my way up the Noncommissioned Officer ladder. I attained the rank of Sergeant on 1 October 1994, a rank that I would hold for nearly nine years. On 27 June 1995, just 16 days after my 24TH birthday I became a Daddy to a lovely girl whom we name Daphne Caprice. I was just getting used to being a Dad when I had to attend the next level of professional development which is known as the Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course or BNCOC. I attended BNCOC from September 1995 to December 1995 in Fort Lee, VA. By this time I was no longer assigned to my original unit in Fort Carson and was now part of the 49TH Area Support Group. I then attended the Army's Recruiter Course in Fort Jackson, SC which was followed with a move to Liberal, KS, which...Expand for more