Honesty time...
At a size 14 and around 185 pounds at age 15 I have received a lot of criticism about my personal appearance, the numbers and the abnormality of those numbers, on the width of my hips and thighs. Being told to cover my chest and my butt and also to wear Spanx to suck my stomach in starting since I was ten years old. Trust me. I’ve tried everything. I’ve tried different diets, stupid fads like FitTea, working out until i’m exhausted every single day, depriving myself - the works. Still, I retain my weight, and - if nothing else - I simply gain more. When I joined JROTC, I expected it to be a sort of wake up call, where I would be forced to eat right and exercise and get fit. Get skinny or get out sort of thing, or else I wouldn’t fit in. Which is not even close to reality.
I still struggle with how I view myself and coping with what I have done to my body, since I wasn’t born this way and I have no medical problems that would induce rapid weight gain that I am prone to, but slowly I am learning and growing more accustomed to what I have currently. Wearing this uniform has changed my perspective on my body. It has changed the way that I view the different parts of myself (like my stomach, my thighs, my arms - places I feel especially insecure about), but not in a bad way. It has shown me the beauty and strength of my body while also proving I am fine and healthy as I am.
This uniform gave me confidence. It let me know that i’m acceptable as I am. Of course I will strive to get better, strive to meet and maintain a goal of 165 pounds or sub 35% body fat so that I can join the Army without weight qualification issue in the future, but I also can be comfortable where I am. I look beautiful in this uniform and a little less chub won’t change that. I may not have the square cut jaw or tapered waist of the pictured soldiers in the military, but I have the brain to boot, and I’m ready for any challenge thrown at me.
Thanks for all of your support over the last two years, cadets. I couldn’t have done it without you all behind me to hold me up.
-C/SSGT Julia Pasette