No matter how positive or negative a personal experience, we can all learn valuable lessons from them. It is important that we take these lessons and share them with others. During my first real-world deployment with a rapid deployment force in support of Operation Desert Shield, I experienced many ups and downs that taught me a lot of valuable lessons. Most importantly, no matter how well you plan an event or procedure, the plan will surely go out the window once you introduce real-world events and circumstances. However, if you continually train to a standard then your soldiers have a baseline with which to measure their situation and adjust in the heat of the moment. A soldier should always be prepared to adapt to changes and carry on with the mission.

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