My day starts on most days with a conversation with my spouse. I would then get in contact with members of my platoon to see if the information corresponded previously has changed so as to confer where to go from there. Then I would call immediate family members to see if they are in the best of health. Over the past few years waking up to a conversation with my spouse has become the norm in our relationship. Most if not all days without such a conversation my day tends to feel incomplete. It has been embedded in us to (it is a norm), seeing that we are miles away, start our day with a vibrant, uplifting conversation where our goals or tasks to be achieved throughout the day are mentioned. This is a platform that is used to remind us that love knows no limits and distance can be a problem if we make it one. Interacting with my immediate family members keeps them afloat as they eagerly await the news of my well-being each day. Being the first of three children for my mom has thrown me into a situation where now that I am grown I have assumed the responsibility of being the breadwinner of the family. I ensure that they have all that is needed for their comfort. With my dad being away my siblings look to emulate me and as such I try my utmost best to be an individual they can aspire to copy. This is to show that my role in the family is one held in high regard as I ensure their upkeep.
As my morning progresses, I would head out to my company where upon arriving, we (the platoon) would gather to salute the flag as it is a symbol of respect for our country. We then get information from highest rank to lowest rank in our respective squads as to the occurrences for the day. The Platoon sergeant holds accountability for all the soldiers in our platoon and he reports to the company’s 1st sergeant. After saluting the flag, one person is selected to lead stretching activities in the platoon and afterward, we are broken down into our respective squads to do physical training. When broken down into our squads we then run for two miles to the gym and then carry out different exercises until 0800. This can be said to be bureaucratic in nature as this system is used to ensure uniformity and social control within our unit. We have ranked accordingly and that determines our roles and responsibilities. This also shows that we assume the roles assigned to us by society at large. The symbolic interactionist labeling theory has shown that individuals become a reflection of the stigmas assigned to them or the situations they are placed in. It is safe to assume that great leaders start by being good followers in that take for example in the army you are ranked according to your accomplishments in prior roles. This is to show that you must have been at a particular rank before reaching the other. If you are being assigned leadership tasks sooner than later you will assume all the characteristics of what makes you a leader.
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Upon completion of physical training, we get released for breakfast. When arriving at the Dfac (name used to identify the place on base stipulated for catering to meals on a daily) there are soldiers from all over the post ranging from personnel who are not airborne to special forces and others. Before we can eat we are required to put in our CAC card to show that we are meal card holders and after which we must join a line and make our way to the front in order to be served (folkways). This is a principle used to limit confusion and any fussing that would have arrived as a result of having no set guidelines as to how meals will be dispersed. This form of social control as simple as it may sound instill in us the principle of waiting and having patience. It teaches us as individuals to respect those that came before rather than disregarding their mere presence. It also shows that every individual has a part to play in making society a better place. Meals are prepared and served by persons skilled in that area. Without their presence on the base for example we as individuals would be forced to go elsewhere to get meals or we would be tasked with preparing them for ourselves all the time instead of when we choose to. In my opinion, the Dcaf is a place where socialization takes place more than usual as this is where just about everyone meets on a daily. These persons have shown to have different personalities and this impacts how we view each other. This is to show that the image one creates for themselves might differ from others as well as the reasons for their actions. Regardless of how individuals view themselves and their social class, there is a system to steer persons in the right direction but still many choose not to conform. Additionally, this is where vast differences in culture are highlighted as there is a great mixture of races and ethnic groups. Cultures are shared and some are kept in the shadows. My interaction with many soldiers from different ethnic groups has shown me that many fail to fully assimilate into the American culture. Instead, they have taken aspects of the American culture and refused to accept others. This I believe is done in an effort to keep their unique identity though, at the same time, I believe many have just blended their culture with that of the new culture being experienced to create uniqueness. It would resemble that of a melting pot where everyone assimilates and adapts to that which is new or that of a salad bowl where all the differences come together and mix while remaining true to one’s own ethnicity and culture. New ideas are thus generated and shared making society what it is today. This occurs as a direct result of the manner in which we are socialized. Socialization as we know is the process through which persons acquire culture to assimilate into society. Sawe (2017) is of the belief that socialization occurs through varied stages of an individual’s life and as such can be referred to as a continuous process. It is can be noted that it is through socialization that an individual familiarizes and becomes acquainted with the norms, values, customs, roles, attitudes, and languages of a society (Sawe, 2017). It is also through this process that a person forms their personality and gets to know themselves creating an image of their own. In the same lieu, Arnett (1995) shares the same sentiment that the role of socialization is to acquaint individuals with the norms of a given social group or society. Hence, it must be noted that a person’s personality can be a result of nature meaning it is genetic or a result of the experiences they face in life. Crossman (2019) shares that social structure is the organized set of social institutions and patterns of institutionalized relationships that together compose society. She went on to say that social structure is both a product of social interaction and directly determines it. This is to say that the institutions with which we are affiliated affect how we interact with each other.
Around the time of midmorning, I would have arrived at work and engaged in pertinent conversations as to what will be happening throughout the course of the day among ourselves and would correspond with our leaders as to what issues or appointments may have been raised. This is where the tasks to be completed by a certain time of the day are assigned accordingly. However, before doing so, we must carry out maintenance duties on all vehicles present in the unit and dispatch them. When completed, the specific mission for the day is tackled. At midday, we are released for lunch, and once completed we return and carry out our duties and report back to our chain of command or leaders and see what they have for us to do after we get back from that particular duty. A typical day in my life is filled merely with duties and responsibilities assigned as per the roles given. We all play our part in ensuring the success of any task given. Teamwork is a must within the army as this is crucial to our survival. As an individual, I find that when associating with groups and being a member, brings about a sense of responsibility. I have observed that interaction on a daily basis is rather important as to a great extent we are dependent on each other to achieve an objective or reach a goal. When working in groups, we are interdependent on each other, and as such the success of each member is crucial to the well-being and survival of that particular group. This is so as each plays their part to suffice in the welfare of the group seeing that they have shared objectives. Social cohesion involves building shared values and communities of interpretation, reducing disparities in wealth and income, and generally enabling people to have a sense that they are engaged in a common enterprise, facing shared challenges and that they are members of the same community (Maxwell 1996).
At around 1600 each day I would have completed my daily tasks and at this time within the platoon information regarding the upcoming days would be communicated if there is nothing more to get done this is where my daily dose of work ends. I would be home by 1700 to again interact with my family and friends as well as shower and get my school work on the way. After we get released I go home and talk to family and spouse for a little then go shower then go to the DFAC for dinner. I also try to keep brisk of the occurrences around the world but watching the news and or reading the newspaper. More than often social deviance creates the headlines. This is so as many fail to conform to the norms and values of society and as such get themselves involved in deviant activities which in most cases have sanctions to curtail such problems. Merton in his theory lamented that deviance is a method used to achieve one’s goals which cannot be accomplished through conventional behaviors stipulated by society. Hence the reason individuals stray away from that which is ‘right’ is to do things they believe will be more beneficial to them. In their opinion, they adjust for the better.
Being a part of the Army has given me the opportunity to be a better individual in that I am taught varied values, customs, and roles which are detrimental to my survival. Additionally, in the operations of my daily life, I strive to protect the best interest of my country where its economic and social well-being is concerned. Life in the military has taught me that I am not just doing the work for myself but also for the advancement of others around me. This I find relatively easy based on the manner in which I was socialized. Interaction on a daily with others has influenced me to be a better person not just for myself by for those around me who are being affected by my actions. Many have had an impact on my life in that I sometimes based on interactions do what I refer to as self-evaluation where once I am alone I try to understand what aspect of my actions affected individuals and try to arrive at a decision as to why this occurred. I often question myself as to how or why many things have occurred and I believe this would not have been made possible if not for my daily interactions with persons from different backgrounds having different values and morals. Whenever I traverse to the mall or neighboring places for mere amusement I often find myself stopping to give to the needy where necessary. I believe this simple act has a ripple effect on such people as it shows that they are not alone and that people do care. It gives them a sense of belonging. As such I try my utmost best to be cautious in just about everything I do so as to not negatively affect those around me. McLeod (2008) is of the notion that social roles are the part people play as members of a social group where with each social role one will adopt behavioral changes to fit the expectations of those around and in that role. In the words of William Shakespeare:
All the world a stage,
And all the men and women are merely players:
They have their exits, and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts.
These lines according to McLeod (2008) capture the essence of social roles where each social role carries expected behaviors called norms. This is to say that within society while interacting on a daily, I for one, have assumed social roles. At the start of my day, I am a son, brother, and husband and with such entitlement, I must carry out my roles effectively. Throughout the course of my day, I am further entrusted with the social responsibility of ensuring assigned tasks are completed efficiently while conforming to stipulated rules. A perfect example of conforming to social roles is that of Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison Experiment. To conclude, it can be stated that we often conform to the expectations of those we interact with, and upon responding to the roles we are assigned we approve and disapprove accordingly.
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