{"id":591,"date":"2020-05-07T00:25:25","date_gmt":"2020-05-07T00:25:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/?p=591"},"modified":"2020-05-09T00:23:25","modified_gmt":"2020-05-09T00:23:25","slug":"regan-and-the-national-guard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/2020\/05\/07\/regan-and-the-national-guard\/","title":{"rendered":"Simmons, to the National Guard, and Back"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"591\" class=\"elementor elementor-591\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-13a4d72 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"13a4d72\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-cbcf0dd\" data-id=\"cbcf0dd\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4280bc4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-global elementor-global-495 elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"4280bc4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">COMMTRACKS<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-aa4184e\" data-id=\"aa4184e\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cefd984 elementor-nav-menu__align-end elementor-nav-menu--dropdown-tablet elementor-nav-menu__text-align-aside elementor-nav-menu--toggle elementor-nav-menu--burger elementor-widget elementor-widget-global elementor-global-235 elementor-widget-nav-menu\" data-id=\"cefd984\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;submenu_icon&quot;:{&quot;value&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;library&quot;:&quot;&quot;},&quot;layout&quot;:&quot;horizontal&quot;,&quot;toggle&quot;:&quot;burger&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"nav-menu.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<nav aria-label=\"Menu\" class=\"elementor-nav-menu--main elementor-nav-menu__container elementor-nav-menu--layout-horizontal e--pointer-none\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul id=\"menu-1-cefd984\" class=\"elementor-nav-menu\"><li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-home menu-item-62\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/\" class=\"elementor-item\">Home<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children menu-item-730\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"elementor-item elementor-item-anchor\">Stories of Change<\/a>\n<ul class=\"sub-menu elementor-nav-menu--dropdown\">\n\t<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-74\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/student-stories\/\" class=\"elementor-sub-item\">Student Stories<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-83\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/department-stories\/\" class=\"elementor-sub-item\">Department Stories<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-77\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/inside-the-industry\/\" class=\"elementor-sub-item\">Inside the Industry<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-80\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/fenway-then-now\/\" class=\"elementor-sub-item\">Fenway Then &#038; Now<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-297\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/covid-19-stories\/\" class=\"elementor-sub-item\">COVID-19 Stories<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-65\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/students-and-staff\/\" class=\"elementor-item\">Students and Staff<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-63\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/chair-letter\/\" class=\"elementor-item\">Chair Letter<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/welcome-letter\/\" class=\"elementor-item\">Welcome Letter<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-68\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/about\/\" class=\"elementor-item\">About<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-990\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/commtracks-2022\/\" class=\"elementor-item\">CommTracks 2022<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-1032\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/ailia-rochefort-photography\/\" class=\"elementor-item\">Ailia Rochefort Photography<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-1033\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/2022-senior-showcase\/\" class=\"elementor-item\">2022 Senior Showcase<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\t\t\t<\/nav>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-menu-toggle\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Menu Toggle\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"elementor-menu-toggle__icon--open eicon-menu-bar\"><\/i><i aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"elementor-menu-toggle__icon--close eicon-close\"><\/i>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<nav class=\"elementor-nav-menu--dropdown elementor-nav-menu__container\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul id=\"menu-2-cefd984\" class=\"elementor-nav-menu\"><li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-home menu-item-62\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/\" class=\"elementor-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">Home<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children menu-item-730\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"elementor-item elementor-item-anchor\" tabindex=\"-1\">Stories of Change<\/a>\n<ul class=\"sub-menu elementor-nav-menu--dropdown\">\n\t<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-74\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/student-stories\/\" class=\"elementor-sub-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">Student Stories<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-83\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/department-stories\/\" class=\"elementor-sub-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">Department Stories<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-77\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/inside-the-industry\/\" class=\"elementor-sub-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">Inside the Industry<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-80\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/fenway-then-now\/\" class=\"elementor-sub-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">Fenway Then &#038; Now<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-297\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/covid-19-stories\/\" class=\"elementor-sub-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">COVID-19 Stories<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-65\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/students-and-staff\/\" class=\"elementor-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">Students and Staff<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-63\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/chair-letter\/\" class=\"elementor-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">Chair Letter<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/welcome-letter\/\" class=\"elementor-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">Welcome Letter<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-68\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/about\/\" class=\"elementor-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">About<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-990\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/commtracks-2022\/\" class=\"elementor-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">CommTracks 2022<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-1032\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/ailia-rochefort-photography\/\" class=\"elementor-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">Ailia Rochefort Photography<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-1033\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/2022-senior-showcase\/\" class=\"elementor-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">2022 Senior Showcase<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\t\t\t<\/nav>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-917b125 elementor-section-stretched elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"917b125\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;stretch_section&quot;:&quot;section-stretched&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-80f2495\" data-id=\"80f2495\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1ec79a1 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-global elementor-global-254 elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"1ec79a1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-d938024 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"d938024\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-8acc8f9\" data-id=\"8acc8f9\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1990bba elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1990bba\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Simmons, to the National Guard, and Back<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d03897c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d03897c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By: Huda Al-Shair<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6a4f67d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6a4f67d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-dbc95d5\" data-id=\"dbc95d5\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6c50301 elementor-drop-cap-yes elementor-drop-cap-view-default elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6c50301\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;drop_cap&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Waiting in the cold, unlit CommLab, Regan Billings Pearce entered and \u2014 with her signature radiant smile and positive energy \u2014 warmed the atmosphere and lit up the room. Studying Regan and her amiable demeanor while she walked across the room, it was hard to imagine someone as gentle as her participating in such a gritty experience like the National Guard.&nbsp;<\/p><p><br><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, I quickly learned that Regan has a very tough and resilient side to her. She comes from a family of veterans so she already possesses the qualities needed to survive in the National Guard. But that didn\u2019t make her experiences during the arduous boot camp and the army\u2019s challenging music school any easier.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Regan took a year off after her first two semesters at Simmons to join the National Guard in 2017, committing to train for one weekend a month and two consecutive weeks during the summer.&nbsp; Playing music since fourth grade, she is an E4 in the 195th Maine Army National Guard Band. Her job is to rehearse her music from her unit in Bangor and perform for the community. As a member of the band, she was able to perform across Maine, from Portland to Fort Kent, while maintaining Army standards such as fitness and weapons training. Despite the break in her studies, she was able to complete her media arts major in time to graduate with the class of 2020.&nbsp;<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5321b7e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5321b7e\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d28852a\" data-id=\"d28852a\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5ed90f2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"5ed90f2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"270\" src=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_5759-2.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-595\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_5759-2.jpg 360w, https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_5759-2-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1f58ff3\" data-id=\"1f58ff3\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f958461 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f958461\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>I began the interview by asking Regan how this whole experience helped her personal growth.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>\u201cIt\u2019s helped so much, it\u2019s almost hard to put into words. What you do in training, you would never ever do in the civilian world. I never would have pushed myself to those limits physically and mentally. There\u2019s so much pressure on you \u2014 it\u2019s like a mind game \u2014 and I feel like that helped me be a stronger person overall. I feel so much more confident in myself and what I can do in every aspect of my life.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4a8a6dc elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4a8a6dc\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1ca6c65\" data-id=\"1ca6c65\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d6200df elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d6200df\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regan compared the lack of structure with time management for a college student to a more structured day in the National Guard and explained how that has helped her.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe experience made my time management skills way better. I had to manage to finish training, go to class, practice and study.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I decided to ask Regan if this experience has changed her in any way.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3901f52 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3901f52\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d836e33\" data-id=\"d836e33\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f30ced7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f30ced7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u201cDefinitely. It almost made me less patient. Because, things can always be worse. I almost compare what the worst scenario is in my life now compared to what the worst scenario in my life was when I was in training and nothing really seems to compare.<i>\u201d\u00a0<\/i><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>This response led me to ask her if she feels this experience has changed her in any way that she found to be negative.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1d898ff\" data-id=\"1d898ff\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3e6ba1f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"3e6ba1f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_5942.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-594\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_5942.jpg 360w, https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_5942-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-18b8ddd elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"18b8ddd\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-85b24cd\" data-id=\"85b24cd\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0c4b9b1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0c4b9b1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br><\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYes. Obviously when I enlisted I was a lot more patriotic,\u201d she said with a laugh, \u201cand I am now but <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> I wouldn\u2019t call it negative, I am a lot more jaded in terms of government work because I\u2019ve seen how the system works and \u2014 it\u2019s just so bureaucratic \u2014 the way that they process things is so unnecessary and I\u2019m kind of sad that I\u2019m not as patient as I was. Sometimes it makes me feel isolated because no one else around me understands the experience.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regan\u2019s experience has made her more passionate about changing certain aspects of the government.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;\u201cIt sobered me to the fact that 18, 17 for some, is so young. I wish the draft age was 21. It was insane seeing kids away from their families and shooting weapons and it\u2019s a lot. The processing and paperwork, the systems that the military and the government is using are so dated, and the training videos that we watched are so old, they\u2019re from like 2002, and they\u2019re all about people that aren\u2019t white European \u2014 everyone who looks different than that is \u201cother\u201d and un-American, and that is still being reflected in training videos, and you have these 17-year-old kids watching them \u2014 it definitely makes me reflect on what I\u2019ve learned as a comm student.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-c2727fc elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"c2727fc\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f891122\" data-id=\"f891122\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3cb1968 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"3cb1968\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_5953.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-593\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_5953.jpg 360w, https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_5953-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-8363d57\" data-id=\"8363d57\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-783b2ba elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"783b2ba\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>To close this interview, I asked Regan how this experience has affected her as a student.\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>\u201cIt is insane going from the military to Simmons. It\u2019s pretty much going from like re-learning a completely different language. It\u2019s like yin and yang. Obviously, many of the people in the service who feel the need to serve have a sense of patriotism and a love for their country, and Simmons is \u2014 some people feel the opposite of that and with good reason. Some folks are anti-military and anti-veteran, and \u2014 I\u2019ve kept my service on the down low because if you tell someone you\u2019re in the National Guard they\u2019ll make an assumption about you. It\u2019s really weird navigating through this space having served.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1f6756c elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1f6756c\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-539c2b7\" data-id=\"539c2b7\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-54177d3 elementor-view-stacked elementor-widget-mobile__width-auto elementor-fixed elementor-hidden-desktop elementor-shape-circle elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon\" data-id=\"54177d3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;motion_fx_motion_fx_scrolling&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;motion_fx_opacity_effect&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;motion_fx_opacity_range&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;%&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:{&quot;start&quot;:42,&quot;end&quot;:100}},&quot;_position&quot;:&quot;fixed&quot;,&quot;motion_fx_opacity_direction&quot;:&quot;out-in&quot;,&quot;motion_fx_opacity_level&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;motion_fx_devices&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;mobile&quot;]}\" data-widget_type=\"icon.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-icon\" href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/2020\/05\/07\/regan-and-the-national-guard\/\">\n\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-arrow-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-68002fe elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"68002fe\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-8872d3f\" data-id=\"8872d3f\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f5cb3a2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-global elementor-global-847 elementor-widget-post-navigation\" data-id=\"f5cb3a2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-navigation.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post-navigation\" role=\"navigation\" aria-label=\"Post Navigation\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post-navigation__prev elementor-post-navigation__link\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/2020\/04\/24\/dix-scholar\/\" rel=\"prev\"><span class=\"post-navigation__arrow-wrapper post-navigation__arrow-prev\"><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-angle-left\"><\/i><span class=\"elementor-screen-only\">Prev<\/span><\/span><span class=\"elementor-post-navigation__link__prev\"><span class=\"post-navigation__prev--label\">Previous<\/span><span class=\"post-navigation__prev--title\">My Experience as a Dix Scholar<\/span><\/span><\/a>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post-navigation__next elementor-post-navigation__link\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b4005b9 elementor-section-stretched elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"b4005b9\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;stretch_section&quot;:&quot;section-stretched&quot;,&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9b5f356\" data-id=\"9b5f356\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d2e2bff elementor-widget elementor-widget-global elementor-global-364 elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d2e2bff\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Made by the 2020 senior communication students at Simmons University\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>COMMTRACKS Simmons, to the National Guard, and Back By: Huda Al-Shair Waiting in the cold, unlit CommLab, Regan Billings Pearce entered and \u2014 with her [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":595,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_canvas","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[10],"class_list":["post-591","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-student-stories","tag-student"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/591","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=591"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/591\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":862,"href":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/591\/revisions\/862"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/595"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=591"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=591"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=591"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}