The First in the Batch

Yemenat

Ahmed Saif Hashed

The patience, effort, perseverance, and accumulation of knowledge I invested were bound to meet their reward. Hard work must yield its fruits. I took advantage of every break, every moment I had. I would start with my assignments before anything else. I never missed several issues of the Soviet military magazine, reading the most significant topics that I found useful for my studies or that added to my military knowledge.

I read everything that caught my eye in related books, without neglecting other areas of general culture. I remember reading the epic of “Gilgamesh” during my brief breaks while at the military academy; it is a legendary tale rich with thrill and imagination, and it’s said to be the oldest literary work known to humanity.

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You may make mistakes, but do not repeat them. Put forth your utmost effort, and you will reap the rewards proportional to what you have sown. Raise the bar of your aspirations and match that level of effort that those dreams deserve, and you will achieve what your heart desires. Do not let your weaknesses rob you of your excellence in other areas.

Instead, preserve your strengths and bolster your areas of capability to compensate for any time lost due to weakness. Strive for the highest degree of excellence, and you shall achieve it. Fortune will not let you down. Aim higher, and you will find yourself at the forefront.

I was captivated by subjects such as psychology, engineering, weapons of mass destruction, tactics, and live-fire training, among others, while my shooting skills ranged from good to very good. At the end of the two-year examination, I felt anxious and uncertain about my ability to hit the target precisely enough to achieve a top score.

Luck can be