Williams states in the beginning that she is “one of the 15 percent of the U.S. Army that is female.” What is one reason why she enlisted in the army?
Williams enlisted in the army because she felt that she had something to prove. Not only to herself but also to those who never believed in her. Among those individuals was Douglass. He was an ex-boyfriend of hers who was as domineering as they come. He relentlessly yelled at Williams for his own benefit and in some twisted way, her’s as well. Condescendingly, he reminded her that she could never make it in the army. He thought that if she couldn’t handle him yelling at her, then they was absolutely no way that she could endure the hardships that comes with army. In this relationship, Williams felt imprisoned and helpless. She loathed the way he treated her and always knew she deserved better. However, her low self-confidence hindered her from escaping from this unhealthy relationship. Joining the army was a way for her to liberate herself from chains of her ex-boyfriend. In her mind, enlisting was the best way to show her ex-boyfriend that she was strong enough to overcome adversity.
