Photo By Staff Sgt. Matthew Foster | U.S. Army Spc. Sean MacIntyre, an M1 armor crewman, M1A1 tank driver with Alpha...... read more read more
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BEMOWO PISKIE, Poland – For Soldiers of the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division (3-1 ABCT) operationally controlled by the 1st Infantry Division (1 ID), attached to NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group Poland, being deployed and away from home and family for the holidays is a challenge that service members must endure and persevere through. Finding grace and gratitude during this difficult time can be a struggle, but for some it is easy to come by.
For U.S. Army Spc. Sean MacIntyre, an M1 armor crewman, M1A1 tank driver with Alpha Company, 3-1 ABCT, serving in the United States Army is an honor and privilege he is most thankful for.
“Honestly, first and foremost, I am thankful for the Army, because growing up, I always felt like I wasn’t good enough, that only people better than myself could be in the Army,” said MacIntyre. “And now I’m actually here, I’m very proud to serve. I get to put on this uniform, one that so few people get the chance to wear, I’ve never had a job where it had gravity and weight to it.”
The desire to serve his country came late for MacIntyre, who enlisted in the Army at the age of 31 and has served more than two years as a tanker.
“After high school I did a bit of college but I was career focused, so I got to work immediately,” said MacIntyre. “After I earned my associates degree, my wife at the time, and I decided to move to Vietnam to teach English as a foreign language, and it was a great rewarding experience.”
After returning to the United States, MacIntyre began searching for a new purpose for his life, and sought to serve, ultimately leading him to enlist in the U.S. Army.
“When we got back to the states, I was still kind of soul searching,” said MacIntyre.
Driven to find a purpose in his life, MacIntyre felt moved to serve in the United States military, however, encountered roadblocks to find acceptance to serve.
“The Army accepted me, and they’ve allowed me to serve,” said MacIntyre.
For MacIntyre, Thanksgiving is more than just a holiday, and although it’s not Christmas, Thanksgiving holds a special place with him.
“I always call Thanksgiving a warm up to Christmas, it’s the holiday spirit primer,” said MacIntyre. “It’s the first holiday that gets everyone together, so it really means a lot to me because it’s one of mom’s favorite days. It’s just that hometown comfort that I love so much.”
Other than the opportunity to serve as a Soldier in the Army, MacIntyre expressed a thankfulness for family. Family was always there with unconditional love and support, through the darkest of times, providing comfort and peace.
“My mom, my dad, my brother and my sister, those four got me through a very dark part of my life and really helped me out through those hard times,” said MacIntyre. “I really leaned on them the last couple of years, and they’ve been there for me, supporting me and encouraging me.”
Being a Soldier in the United States Army brings with it a sense of pride and honor, but for MacIntyre being a part of the eFP Battle Group Poland, serving the people of Poland and the NATO Allies, brings with it something exceptional that MacIntyre is thankful for.
“This is a global event, the making of history, and I get to be on the cusp of history, and be a part of that,” said MacIntyre. “It’s a big honor to be a part of this, and something I’m very thankful to be a part of.”
| Date Taken: | 11.21.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 11.23.2022 05:52 |
| Story ID: | 433875 |
| Location: | BEMOWO PISKIE, PL |
| Web Views: | 185 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Thankful to Serve, by SSG Matthew Foster, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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