Fraternity defined by Urban Dictionary itself: Commonly mistaken as a "frat", a fraternity is a group of men who share a
bond of brotherhood. Most people can not understand. It could be
compared to that of family.
When most people think of a fraternity, they think of freshmen year of college. They think of "rush week" where each sorority or fraternity shows off their house, their members, and what they stand for. People are carefully selected, and freshmen are then inducted through a rigorous process. It is up to these freshmen to earn their place, and eventually create a legacy for the frat to be remembered by. Most colleges will argue about the best frat or sorority on campus, or if there are chapters at other colleges, but without doubt the best fraternity in the United States is only open to less than 1% of the population: our military.
What most people don't know about the military is that it is the biggest fraternity in our country. While we may not be a college group, we are similar in many ways. Independent of which branch you belong to, "induction" begins with basic training. Tasks must be met, some of which suck and you look at upper leadership in disbelief, and some that are awesome where you look at you're friend and say "dude, I can't believe they're actually approving of this." People are cut, or quit from basic training similar to colleges because they can't accomplish tasks, or they realize that their interests are else where.
For the lucky few who make it through, you have an instant bond. For college, you bond with other freshmen because you're both new, where as in the military you bond with those at the lowest enlisted rank because the military is a new concept. Both groups are similar in the sense that there are trials and errors, however military bonds strengthen exponentially. You begin training with others, being sent on deployment, or to another country. Since you are not always allowed to keep in contact with your family, your "battle buddies" or "wing man" begin to fill this role. We pick each other up through the lowest lows, and were by each others side during the highest highs. Memories are made out of the worst situations, like the one Saturday you lost a magazine and had to walk 5 miles to go and find it, or how you created a new ball game in the middle of a desert. And through through the suck, we begin to rise.
All the while, our places must be earned. Rank will be made, similar as to completing another year at college. With each new rank, comes new responsibilities. In college, you are responsible for your "little brother/sister". In the military, you are responsible for others lives. Throughout both of our times in either program, prior members will be met. A college fraternity may date back decades, but the military dates back centuries. No matter where you go, there will always be a fellow service member. On a plane, at the art museum, or even at a beach in Spain, you can find someone who has prior service. Whatever their rank or branch may have been, you will have an instant connection. Story telling will be endless, and war stories are always a must. A mutual respect is guaranteed, and life long relationships could be made. Essential strangers will be willing to bend over backwards, and help you in your career whichever way that may be. As a med-school dreamer, I've had half a dozen servicemen give me names and numbers of men they served with who would be more than happy to talk to me about my goals. Personal goals may differ between you and the other service member, but at the end of the day you both realize that you share one common interest: protecting our country and its people.
Despite what other colleges may believe, the military is the best "frat" that our country has. It's not for everyone, and its not the typical "frat" life. There won't be parties every weekend, or house tv night when the states football game is on. Rather, there will be nights where you'll be working a 12, and you go weeks without talking to your family and friends. The hard times brings us strength, and the good times bring us motivation, the bonds become stronger through the good and bad, and eventually a brotherhood is formed. Like Urban Dictionary states, a fraternity cannot be understood. We, as military, are not always understood. People do not always get why we do what we do, but that's okay. We know our purpose, and what we're fighting for. While our purpose may not be known by everyone, we will still stand in unity, as members of the United States military.
