There comes a time in life when you have to walk away from your family and surround yourself with people who will be your everlasting friends, people who will be there for you in times of need, and people that will never let you suffer alone. As a sixteen year old lad, and still attached to my mother''s apron strings, I decided to fulfil my teenage dreams and join the Army. This is a true in-depth encounter spanning over ten years of military service. How the next ten years unfolded is something I felt I needed to share with the world. Basic training, military pranks, letters from our loved ones, the endless civil war in Northern Ireland, heartache, bullying, and last but not least, our fallen heroes. Feeling all alone as I waited for the train to arrive to take me away from my family and friends is a day I shall never forget.