My biggest Failures turned into Best Path Going Forward

Last century on my final tour in Okinawa, Japan one of my biggest failures became one of the best things to happen to me. Let me explain.

My friend and I are linguists and we were in intermediate Korean class at Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.

This was our 2nd time going there together. I don't know why but for some reason we both decided to hit the clubs and party our butts off while in school. It was like a 2 or 3-month course. Of course, our excuse was we could practice the language out in town while partying, since it was Korea after all.

When I said final tour up above I meant my final duty station assignment in the USMC before "retirement" from the Marine Corps.

After we both got back to Okinawa we were both immediately assigned to 31st MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit). What happens to your fitness level after 2 or 3 months of partying? That's right, it goes downhill fast.

One of the first things the unit does when we arrive is conduct a PFT (physical fitness test). That includes pullups, situps, and a 3-mile run. I've never had a problem with situps or the run, but pullups on the other hand are a different story.

When I first entered the Marine Corps in 1980 you could do pullups with a kip, or by swinging your legs to give you momentum to get up higher on the bar. In '96 or '97 that changed to dead hang pullups about the same time I moved to my last duty station.

Needless to say we both failed the pullups thereby failing the PFT. We were both fired and sent back to our originating unit. We weren't given time to pass the PFT at a later date, which is understandable.

Both of us were able to pass the PFT within a few weeks but it was too late. We both received bad fitness reports (double signers) and were looked down upon. Thankfully, someone was looking out for me and had me sent to another unit (TECG) Tactical Exercise Control Group). Basically this unit conducting operational type exercises with the units.

At the new unit, the commander was a prior linguist and familiar with what I could do. Near the end of the assignment I helped orchestrate a force protection exercise that went off well. The XO called me into the office one morning and said, "SSgt Waller, I want you to call in every morning and do what you need to prepare for retirement".

That was unheard of anywhere in the Marine Corps. I was literally given three months to prepare for a civilian job at home. I did just that. I got my Microsoft MCSE +Internet and Comptia A+ certification.

Then when it came to for job applications and interviews that gave me the chance to at least open doors.

But what really made the difference was the civilian contractors that I worked alongside with. After my interview they only offered a part-time job and that had few benefits. The contractor said hold on, let me talk to him because I worked for him before. Sure enough, called back later that day and was offered a full-time job.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

My biggest failure as a Marine became the gateway to success. Thanks to everyone that helped me get from my old unit to my new unit and thanks to the commander and XO who gave me the time to prepare.