Photo By Alun Thomas | Lacy Rohen poses for a photo, following an Officer Candidate Board, Feb. 28, Phoenix...... read more read more
PHOENIX – Living with regret over something that could have been, played heavily on the mind of Lacy Rohen.
At the age of 30, established in her career as a social worker with the Tucson Department of Veterans Affairs, Rohen fretted about getting older and never serving her country.
It was something multiple members in her family had done and being around veterans every day constantly reminded her about what others had sacrificed for their nation.
This was the catalyst for Rohen to apply for Officer Candidate School, which she was accepted into after a board appearance at the Phoenix Recruiting Battalion headquarters, Feb. 28.
Rohen said the notion of military service had always been implanted in her mind, with various family members having been in the Army.
“My dad, my stepdad, my uncle and my grandfather were all in the Army,” Rohen said. “I wasn’t living with my father when he served, but it was talked about a lot and I was always aware of it.”
Rohen, who was born and raised in Tucson, said she thought about joining the Army in high school, but was dissuaded by her parents.
"They said no, you’re going to college … but it was still in the back of my mind and wouldn’t go away,” she explained. “I knew it was something that was missing in my life and I wanted to do it.”
Rohen attended Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, where she received a degree in sociology, before returning to Tucson.
“I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, so I volunteered for a year in Ecuador to work with adolescent girls who live in safe houses and shelters,” Rohen said. “I helped take care of them, taught them life skills and taught classes in English and Spanish.”
Rohen said this was an incredible experience and gave her more impetus to become a social worker.
“Being in a third world country and seeing how they lived, really made me want to help people,’ she said. “It cultivated my desire to become a social worker and give back, be an advocate for people who don’t have a voice.”
Rohen returned to Tucson, where she worked in the behavioral health field, before returning to college in 2017 at Arizona State University, where she received her master’s degree in social work.
She then began her job at the VA, where the notion to serve reared itself again, becoming harder to ignore with each passing day.
“Working with veterans every day pushed me more in that direction to serve, hearing their stories and things they’ve learned,” she continued. “I’d wanted to join for so long and I wasn't getting any younger, so I didn’t want to regret not serving.”
Rohen’s next step was working with the recruiters at Centerpointe Recruiting Station in Tucson, where she chose the Military Intelligence branch as her Military Occupational Specialty.
“I did some research and M.I. seemed to be the best fit for me in terms of what I like,” she said. “The Army has so many more options than the other branches, so it was a tough choice. Eventually I’d like to switch over to Civil Affairs.”
Rohen said the Army Reserve is the best fit for her current lifestyle.
“I have a house here in Tucson, my family and pets are here and I love my job,’ Rohen said. “Who knows what the future might bring though?”
Rohen said she expects to ship to Basic Combat Training in April and has been getting herself prepared, both mentally and physically.
“I’ve been training, trying to get into shape … I know I’ll be tested physically,’ Rohen said. “I’m a little nervous naturally, but ready for the challenge.”
Making the Army Reserve a career is something Rohen can definitely see herself doing.
“I’d like to do it as long as possible, that would be wonderful,” she added. “This is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made and I’m happy I did it.”
| Date Taken: | 02.28.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 02.28.2019 13:48 |
| Story ID: | 312285 |
| Location: | PHOENIX, AZ, US |
| Hometown: | TUCSON, AZ, US |
| Web Views: | 407 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Tucson OCS applicant makes her Army dream reality, by Alun Thomas, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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