Photo By Sgt. Maxine Baen | FORT BRAGG, N.C. – “ I joined the Army because I wanted to give back to this...... read more read more
FORT BRAGG, N.C. – “I joined the Army because I wanted to give back to this country where I find myself; I look at the United States as my home now, and I believe in serving my nation.” These are the words of 1st Lt. Brima Kamara, a signal officer with the 50th Expeditionary Signal Battalion-Enhanced, 35th Corps Signal Brigade.
After spending 26 years in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Kamara enlisted in the Army as a Combat Engineer and was granted expedited citizenship on May 15, 2011. Kamara saw the many opportunities the Army had to offer soon after enlisting.
“I learned quickly not only how many opportunities awaited me, but also how physically challenging being in the Army could be and how important it is for each Soldier to be well-rounded,” said Kamara.
After spending ten years in the Army, making it to staff sergeant, in April of 2021, Kamara was commissioned as an Army officer.
“I chose to commission and become a signal officer because it gave me a chance to command and control communications. In my company, we provide air-to-air and air-to-ground communications to support the 82nd Airborne Division troops while they carry out their missions,” he said.
Kamara also spoke about his personal experience with diversity, being both a non-commissioned officer and a commissioned officer, referring to the Army as a “melting pot” where everyone can thrive.
“Honestly, when I think of diversity, I think of the Army. Everywhere you look, you see people from different places in the country, different cultures, and even different generations, and they come together and immerse themselves into one culture, which is the Army culture,” said Kamara, “ The Army is for everyone. It doesn't matter where you come from, what your sex is, what your gender is, what your race is, what your nationality is – the Army is a place where everyone can come together and have the opportunity to thrive.”
Kamara did not stop at commissioning and decided to better himself further outside of the Army. Kamara finished his Bachelor's in Homeland Security and Master's in International Relations, bought a house, and achieved his goal of becoming the most physically fit he has ever been at the age of 38 .
“Though I've had great success with my education, I believe in the Army’s concept of being a well-rounded soldier – especially as an officer – because I'm expected to be at the forefront and lead,” said Kamara. “ It was a journey for me, and it was not always easy, but now I'm proud to say that I've been able to score a 600 on the Army Combat Fitness Test twice. I feel like getting this score gave me more of an opportunity to not only build up the people I work for and with, but also strengthen some of the bonds that we have as a team.”
| Date Taken: | 02.21.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 02.22.2023 09:49 |
| Story ID: | 438821 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 480 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, MEET YOUR ARMY: 1st. Lt. Brima Kamara, by SGT Maxine Baen, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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