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With a fresh degree in hand, Tyler West walked out of college and into the world with no clear goals or motivation. He could go back to grad school for more education, but what was the point? He could find a job with his new skills, but who would hire a new recruit with no experience?
He was at a crossroads with no clear destination, but there was something tickling at the back of his brain that he always wanted to try.
West, an instructor at the Defense Information School at Fort Meade, Maryland, joined the Army at 22 to find direction in life and discovered a passion for travelling the world.
The third of six children, West grew up watching his siblings travel on mission trips to Hungary and teach in China and Africa. Two of his siblings moved to Alaska for work. His mother was born in Africa to missionary parents. It seemed like travelling around the world was in his family’s DNA.
West wanted that life.
“I was seeing all of that and wanting to get out and experience that myself,” said West.
After earning his degree in graphic design, West spoke to his neighbor who was in the Army. That neighbor told West about a job that would fit exactly what he was looking for.
West realized that becoming a multimedia illustrator in the Army was the opportunity he was looking for.
“The military is excellent if you don't know what you want to do, because it's a step in every single direction,” explained West. “Even if I decide I don't like graphics, then it doesn't matter because now I have the military experience and I could use that as a stepping stone in another direction.”
West signed up for his dream job in the Army and was stepping his way toward his dream of traveling overseas.
West moved to his first post at Fort Liberty, North Carolina, where he had a chance to travel abroad for work, taking photos for a chaplain during a training event in South Korea. He used the opportunity to observe how the chaplain navigated a foreign country.
“That was kind of the groundbreaking,” said West. “I was like, ‘Oh, this isn't that hard at all.’”
A month after his first overseas experience, West took his first solo flight abroad, choosing to travel by himself because it was difficult to schedule a trip with friends.
“You have to have the time or the money so people that have time don't have the money and people that have the money don't have the time,” said West. “It just makes sense to travel by yourself.”
During his three weeks in Europe, West lived out of a backpack and hopped from one country to another with no plans and no set schedule.
“I didn't have a ticket out of there,” said West. “I just knew how long my leave was and where I needed to end up.”
While backpacking across Europe, West spent a majority of his nights sleeping in hostels.
West admitted that hostels were his favorite experience because of the people he met from around the world. He would hang out in the common areas with new friends after a long day of walking around the city and seeing the sights.
“By the end of the night we had 20 people from all over the world at this table hanging out,” said West. “We're laughing having a great time. The hostels were great for that.”
During his time in the Army, West traveled to Germany, France, Switzerland, England, Mexico and the Philippines.
After eight years of service, West’s wanderlust slowed down as his priorities changed. He realized that traveling often would not be a good decision for his relationship with his new girlfriend, Leanne.
“I can’t travel all the time, but I want to be excited to be home,” said West. “When I feel like I’ve seen enough then I’ll be ready to settle down.”
West left the military in 2019. Six months later, he accepted a job to teach graphic design to different branches of service members at DINFOS. Soon after that, he married Leanne and became a father.
West still travels, but most of his trips remain within the U.S. He brings Leanne, his son Miles, and his dogs with him on road trips in the family recreational vehicle.
“Now it’s like putting down roots and making this a place you want to be,” said West. “I'm okay not traveling now. I'm happy where I'm at.”
The young man who walked out of a school 23 years ago without a plan for life now walks into a school five days a week to teach and motivate the next generation of students to live, learn and travel.
| Date Taken: | 03.22.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 03.22.2024 13:14 |
| Story ID: | 466872 |
| Location: | FORT MEADE, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 31 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, One man’s journey to find drive, by SSgt Sarah Brice, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
