It's been a year since I joined this unit in March. I had a lot of experiences. Sometimes time slipped away fast, but sometimes, it didn't.
I'm finally about to be promoted to the final rank in the Korean army: sergeant. I've heard that "sergeant" is the wrong translation in Korean; however, I couldn't care less about it.
When it had been a couple of months since I enlisted, I didn't picture the future in which I'd become a sergeant. In Korea, sergeant is not a unique rank, because all men in Korea are required to serve in the army and are discharged as sergeants unless they have an exceptional problem. Turns out there are tons of sergeants in society, and it's not a big deal.
Discharged men no longer receive any special social recognition. The reason I've looked forward to the promotion is simply that I wanted to give myself some credit for enduring a long time in the army.
I used to think that it gave me a sense of comfort, as if I were accomplishing a kind of common triumph that everyone achieves. I just hope that I can get through ordinary things that everyone has to go through. Hence, being a sergeant is meaningful to me for that reason.
Anyway, becoming a sergeant means that there are about 160 days left until I'll be discharged. My worries about who I'll become after that are justified. But I can't complain. No wonder I was looking forward to my discharge. That calls for a celebration. All of my concerns will be history.
Such a long period of seemingly endless remaining days has gradually passed. I don't want to look miserable or pity my previous days. They were worth it. The existence of this posting proves it.
Oh well, at least I haven't lost any physical things before I get promoted to the final rank in the navy. Let's just hope that nothing bad happens to me.