Aundre Spencer’s Interview, UNST, Spring 2019. Conducted by Darrell Bryant Jr on March 15, 2019. This Interview was conducted on a USB Globe Mic. It took place In a kitchen on the kitchen table so that the mic could be in between both of us, it was a very quiet place to conduct a interview. I went to the interviews home in Hampton, VA .

Aundre Spencer is my girlfriends grandfather. He was born August 17, 1968 in Mississippi. He is the oldest out of 4 siblings he has. Mr. Spencer has 8 children that are all grown now. He played high school sports and was a 3 way athlete he played football, basketball and baseball, he was all state in every single one. He eventually progressed over time and had huge division 1 offers for all sports, He made a decision to play at Mississippi State University because they allowed him to play football and baseball while at the school. During his junior year in college he fell short to a season because of a torn ACL in both knees, he then decided to give it another shot his senior year and see how is knees felt but they became worst. Once Aundre realized his knees were giving out he then made a decision to enter the military in which he was enlisted in the army for 30 years as a LT1. He then moved to Hampton, VA where his wife was at the time so he could help take care his children. Once he retired from the military he decided to open up a car shop which he still now own today.

While in the military it was very hard for him because he wanted to play football and baseball in college but things didn’t work out well. It was a very hard decision for him because once going in the military he barely saw his kids so they were growing up without him there with them for awhile. All his friends were still in college at the time so him knowing that made him feel bad because he couldn’t still strive for the goal of making to professional league as they all dreamed of when they were younger.

https://www.military.com/join-armed-forces/military-missions-overview.html

https://www.todaysmilitary.com/

https://www.militaryfactory.com/ranks/army_ranks.asp

Transcription: Aundre Spencer’s interview

DB: In this interview I’m going to interview Aundre Spencer . On his life about the military and the things he experienced, my first question will be how did it shape your family aspects ?

AS: As far as it’s shaping up my family aspects it gave impact to be closer especially with having 3 boys and 1 girl . It was a time when my boys had to become men of the road while when deployed on notice . It drew my family to me closer.

DB: How did the military impact you as a person?

AS: The military had a great impact on me as a person starting off coming out of boot camp being taking from civilian style mentality to a military aspect, where it’s one accord of that on everything you do you have to be in cohesion of at all times. Because of the jobs that come forth with us being in part of a department of defense setting. It was very important that we all were on the step in everything that we do.

DB: Can you explain some of the greatest challenges you had to overcome while being in the military?

AS: The greatest challenges I had to overcome was in the military was always being away from my family, spending long months from my family, not even thinking of just 30 days but , that’s 30 days turned into 90 days or in particular when I left home for 2 weeks I was gone for 7 months. So it’s always been a challenge been a challenge being away from my family as I said previously we are close knit family. I love my family and just being away from them thing I think. I had to overcome was being away from home

DB: What was some of the reasons for joining the military?

AS: Some of the reason for joining the military one was to get away have a better impact on what was a desire of mine. after I was not able to continue in sports after injury so decided to go in the military. for one to defend my country and have better chance to grab a better chance at education and then to continue to on betterment for the reason I say.

DB: What was some of the roles you played while in being in the military?

AS: They’re numerous roles I had while in the military, one was as a supervisor, and also became a mentor, you have several hats you end up having in the military. Most of all is a mentor junior and senior alike. When you are in upper class also you have to be a leader in every area of life and it starts with the lowest pay grade to the most senior pay grade with what you are doing.

DB: Can you describe the military life and what the Normal day in life?

AS: Normal thing in life being apart of the military the diversity of what you looked to see always changes can never say I’m going in to do this and do that . Being in the military always have its challenges and change are alike on a day to day basis being if your on ship is totally different as being on shore. If you are in a combat unit it is totally different on a mesh duty so there is so many diversities that you have in your military life but it all what you make it in a day to day of doing anything that you have to do in the military. As long as it’s safe, everybody goes home everyday, and that you enjoy doing are sat out after the morning mustard. That’s just like role call for some. All missions that have been communicated to complete

DB: thank you! For your thoughtful answer Mr. Aundre this will be a great experience for my classmates to know and what’s it’s like being in the military.

AS : thank you, and it’s my pleasure.

If I could do something differently I would make my interview flow better then what it did and clear up some of my miswording. I stayed on script most of the time but going off script I feel as if it flowed better and felt like a normal conversation.