Photo By Sgt. Anshu Pandeya | Spc. David Bass, a 419th Transportation Company motor transport operator from Salt...... read more read more
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JOINT BASE McGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J.—Spc. David J. Bass was offered two running scholarships for college, but he turned them down to enlist in the Army Reserve.
“I wanted to do something greater than myself,” the 19-year-old Salt Lake City native said. “I wanted to follow my brother's footsteps because he actually got a full-ride scholarship to [Marion Military Institute] in Alabama.”
His brother was medically discharged but has since enlisted in the Reserve. His grandfather also served in the Navy during the Korean War.
“They're supportive,” said Bass about his family's reaction to his enlistment in the Reserve. “They weren't too happy I wasn't going straight to school and I wasn't going to take the scholarships, but the Army helps out with that. I'm also doing something greater than myself like I wanted to do. So I'm happy with where I'm at and they're proud of me.”
The heavy-wheeled vehicle operator is representing the 79th Sustainment Support Command in the 2014 U.S. Army Reserve Best Warrior Competition. He, along with 41 other junior enlisted Reserve Soldiers and noncommissioned officers, has competed in various challenges throughout the week in the USARC BWC to test his physical, mental, and tactical abilities. The winners will represent the Army Reserve at the Department of the Army Best Warrior Competition.
Bass was hesitant when his first sergeant approached him about competing in the competition, but he was soon swayed.
“I thought, 'How's it going to hurt? I'm only going to learn some things.'”
He said it would help better train his Soldiers.
“Then, I got into it and realized the training is really fun and everything about it is really challenging.”
Bass said the competition will help him fulfill his dream of one day becoming a Green Beret, or as he calls them, “the Big Boys.”
While Bass dreams of playing with the Big Boys in the Green Berets, he hasn't realized he's a Big Boy himself as he's competing with the best Soldiers the Army Reserve has to offer.
The Army Reserve also offers him the opportunity to follow his passion for automobiles. He is studying to be an automotive engineer with a minor in design at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
“You've got to have a backup plan,” he said with a grin. “But first off, it's the Green Berets, Big Boys shooting big guns.”
Bass is using the competition as an opportunity to advance his military career to become a Green Beret. He sees it as a stepping stone to playing with the Big Boys, but he's already one of them, and he's been playing with them for the past week. He may or may not win, but he'll keep fighting for his dream.
| Date Taken: | 06.26.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 06.27.2014 02:38 |
| Story ID: | 134619 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, NJ, US |
| Hometown: | SALT LAKE CITY, UT, US |
| Web Views: | 158 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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