My Nation of Food

She eats one for every meal. Can't you tell?

Noriega, Aaron

ENG 101, Weds. 6pm

1/28/13

My Food Nation

What is fast food? My definition of fast food would be, a convenient business that serves food in timely manner for people who are just too lazy to cook a proper meal for themselves. Fast food places serve meals that take less preparation time to cook or serve to a customer.  Growing up, fast food was always a choice. But, we were picky on where we would eat fast food. We knew fast food wasn’t healthy but from time to time my mother sometimes wouldn’t have the energy or time to cook.  I remember at times when I would get good grades, behaved, or if we had the extra money we would go and get desserts like shakes or ice cream from McDonalds. My favorite place would be Jack In the Box. They have everything and they serve breakfast and desserts all day. I didn’t think much on how bad fast food places were until I was about 15 years old.  About same time a teenager would take a health education class. That’s when it really taught me about fast food places and about preservatives, trans fat, and calories.

Looking back at on everything I’ve learned through my course of life, I would say fast food is bad for you. I remember once watching TV and heard that two out of three Americans are over weight. I can’t remember if it was a direct cause of fast food places but I’m sure it has a play little role in it.

For the past seven years I was in the Navy. Out of those seven years I spent about four years doing deployments on a ship or in Iraq. There’s not much selection to eat when on deployment, you ate what the menu of the day was. The D.O.D. makes sure that all food groups are met for each meal. It usually consisted of a good source of proteins, fruits, veggies, and all the necessary food groups I missed. Back when I was home I would go to the commissary and stock up for about two weeks worth of food. Getting some chicken breasts, stuff for salads, sandwich meat with whole wheat bread, some fruits, veggies, milk, juices, and some bagels. The Navy taught us how to eat healthy and stay in shape. Every year you are required to get weighed and your height checked. This is done so that they can find out your body mass index (BMI). By just age, weight, and height there are requirements that need to be met. The Navy requires you to have 22% body fat or less in order to stay in. Eating right and excising plays a huge role in my life and line of work. So, every time I think, pass by, or see fast food I have to think long and hard is it really worth it in the long run.

No Regrets

           

I don’t know how to start a blog. I’ve never done one. Well, here it goes. I was born in Covina, California in 1986. I grew up in a small town in Hermosa Beach. I was raised by a single mother with my brother and me. I graduated from a continuation school in Redondo Beach. At 17 years of age I enlisted in the US Navy. In the Navy I did many things and seen many things. I was exposed to things most average 19 year olds wouldn’t have. I was a Helicopter Combat Search and Rescue Aircrewman (Sea/Land). I flew in back of an H-60 Blackhawk as door gunner, combat medic, and a rescue swimmer. Being a Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) wasn’t easy. The program has a 45% attrition rate. I did over eight deployments to all over the world, including two of those being to Iraq. I spent six good years in the Navy. I earned several honors and awards and flew over 500 combat missions. I learned a lot and I grew up fast. Getting out wasn’t easy for me. Just like how you see in the movies, it’s hard for us combat Veterans to come back to the real world and just try to blend in. I didn’t believe in P.T.S.D. But, I have it. Every day I have to wake up and focus on what’s going on here in the states. Not what’s going on overseas with my old brothers still at war? It’s time to move on and start my new life as a civilian.

Still, as in-active Reserves for the military I sometimes do little work and flying. I do what they call “Drilling”, the one weekend a month, two weeks a year. But, sometimes you still get called back for a 6-8 months deployment. Now enrolled in college and working I plan to get my degree as a Metallurgist. Reason being is because I work for ALCOA Fastening Systems. ALCOA is one of world’s largest metal manufacturing companies. Here in Newbury Park, we manufacture strictly aerospace fasteners that only go on engines. We take rods of super alloy metal and turn them into fasteners or bolts. Our facility produced almost 40% of bolts and fasteners that went on the Mars Curiosity project. My position at ALCOA is a quality assurance lab engineer. There are several tests that go into making aerospace fasteners my job is to make sure all of our products pass certain tests before shipping it to our customer.

My future, where to begin? Well, I want to finish up college and hold a greater position at ALCOA. Also, I want to buy house, find that right woman, and have children. As a military man, stationed at Guam overseas, and doing deployments. I never really had any time to settle down. Now, back home I’m starting to feel settled and ready. With back and knee injuries I don’t know how much longer I will be staying in the military. I’m ready to hit the deck running. No regrets!