Hi everyone, I'm Cadet Dinnel aka Kevin Dinnel.  SFC Suzy Elwell asked me to share my story and I would love to.

Before I joined the Grizzly Youth Academy I was a total screwup– couldn't get anything done right if I tried. I finally gave up because nothing was good for me anymore. I was always getting into arguments with my mom, and the fighting soon spread to school and elsewhere. I started doing drugs, only a little bit at first, but then it got bad, especially when I moved to California.

For most of my life I have been in and out of juvenile halls. I didn't have much of a childhood, but when I went to California things got a little better. But then I went back in the dumps, and started skipping school and doing drugs again. I really didn't care. I figured that if there was something I wanted to do it would have come to me already.

My parents always suggested the army and my first thought was "hell no"! When they first mentioned GYA I turned around and walked away. Then I talked to my mom about it and I decided to go.

And yes, the first few days I regretted going, but then I started to talk with some of the other guys there. They were all from different backgrounds, and I learned a lot. I met one cadet, Jeremiah Agnew, who I still keep in contact with.

At GYA, they kind of drilled into my head that school was important, and I later graduated at the top of the class, Class 14 valedictorian. But that wasn't all– they helped get me into physical shape as well. Before I joined I was probably 230 pounds. When I left I was around 195 or so.

GYA also helped me realize that structured life isn't all that bad. Now I'm in the army as a 25B (information specialist/maintainer) and I just finished my twenty-three-week-long AIT.

I'm about to be deployed to Korea for a year. When I get back I'm going straight to Warrant Officer Training and then to flight school to fly helicopters. It's been my life-long dream to fly, but I had never really found it in my grasp to get there. GYA taught me how to set goals (realistic goals) and how to accomplish them.

If it wasn't for GYA I would still be sitting at home or working at McDonald's, but now I'm going overseas, and I get to see the world. I don't think I've ever been happier than I am right now... and for that I have to thank GYA. They were there when I needed them most of all. They changed my life around. They made me a man– a productive man– and now I get to live my life-long dream to fly. What more could you ask for? Not much, I would say.

When I went home for exodus, I went to a store wearing my Grizzly t-shirt and an older man came up and asked me about the program. His first question was: "If you had to do it all over again, would you?" I replied "yes" but not only do it again, do it better.

For all of you who are skeptical about joining, you shouldn't be. I loved that place more than any other place, and the cadre there are awesome. I remember all of mine so well. They took me to the ocean for the very first time in my life, and they taught me how to live. I would like to thank all of the GYA members and staff for this because I would be nowhere near this goal of mine without you! THANK YOU.

Kevin Dinnel "Cadet Dinnel"
1st PLT Ruffryders