Corporal Jake Starling enlisted in the 3rd Infantry Division Realism Unit on November 28, 2022. Initially serving as a Fireteam Member in Alpha Company, First Platoon, Fourth Squad, he later transitioned to a role as an Army Aviator within the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade (3CAB) in June 2023. Since October 2023, Corporal Starling has held the position of Squad Medic, then shortly after, Fireteam Leader within Alpha Company, First Platoon, Fourth Squad.
Corporal Starling's leadership has become the cornerstone of his combat element, setting a high standard for excellence. His unwavering dedication, patriotism, valor, and fidelity are not only evident in his actions but have also become a source of inspiration for his fellow soldiers. His commitment to professional excellence is reflected in every aspect of his service.
Recognizing Corporal Starling's exceptional service, demonstrated leadership potential, and outstanding achievements, he has been honored with the Soldiers Medal and distinguished as the Soldier of the Quarter. His ability to lead by example and uphold the highest standards makes him an invaluable asset to the unit and a beacon of inspiration for his peers.
Tell us a little about yourself?
In my personal life I have obtained my College Certificate for 911 & Emergency Service Communications through APCO Canada. I enjoy a good board game here and there, I also enjoy viewing the re-runs of The Joy of Painting.
Why did you join 3rdID and what keeps you here?
I originally joined the Third Infantry Division with a buddy of mine who had shown me the Unit's YouTube channel and talked with me about how the unit operates and the different things it offers. I decided to file my application and take the leap into joining. Though my buddy has since been discharged to pursue real-life endeavors I have found a new group of friends here within the Third Infantry that have become a real hoot to hang out with every weekend over the past year. Apart from the relationships to build and the missions to attend the opportunities that the Unit provides are next level to anything I've seen before, the Force Improvement Group and Command Staff have really put great thought and detail towards the Courses that are offered ranging from OSUT to EIB every course is rewarding and keeps you coming back for more.
Any favorite/funny/memorable moment throughout your whole time in the unit?
There are a lot of memories, funny moments, and whatnot that I've had here in the 3rd Infantry over the past year. One of which was where some of us Enlisted had loaded in early and were waiting for a Squad Drill so we banded together and created a massive seating area out of the camping tables and chairs around the base. When C-Staff loaded in they had someone, I believe now MSG Garcia, give us some ketchup & Mustard Bottles, an M2 Browning display, along with some other miscellaneous items that kept us entertained and built up comradery while we waited for the Briefing to be ready.
Any advice to give to your fellow soldiers to help them in their careers here?
Some advice I'd give to new upcoming soldiers is to interact with your Squamates outside of just the scheduled times, even if it's just a message in the Squad Discord, building up comradery between you and your new squad is a key factor to working well together and building up friendships. For the current soldiers the previous still applies, however, I'm sure you all know that by now, the main thing I'd say to the current soldiers of the Third Infantry is to offer a helping hand to a new Recruit/Private, join up in a DMOS and work hard at it, attend those FIG Courses to further your knowledge and opportunities within the 3rd, courses I'd strongly recommend looking into is the Land Navigation, Air Assault and/or Airborne, these courses open a lot of doors for you as soldiers in the 3rd Infantry not only in terms of additional courses but also in terms of operational capabilities with those courses.
What army value is the most important to you and why?
All the army values are important to me, it's difficult to pick just one to discuss... Integrity is one that stands out though, if a man or woman does not have integrity it can be difficult to trust or respect them to fulfill their duties appropriately. Having a solid moral compass is important in my opinion so as we do not wander too far from the path of right and wrong.
What motivates you to keep pushing forward in the unit and do you have any goals for the future within the unit?
The thing that motivates me to keep pushing forward in the unit is the people, there are so many soldiers here in the Third Infantry that I do not want to let down, all the way from the newest member of my Fire Team to Company Command, the friendships, trust, and respect that I've built up during my time here in the Third is something I do not want to lose. The goals I have for the future within the unit is to make my way up to Sergeant and apply for a Drill Sergeant position within the Force Improvement Group in order to better serve the new enlistees to the Third Infantry and ensure that I am doing everything in my power to get them trained properly and impart knowledge on them about the unit and our two decades of history, apart from my goals within DMOS work I perhaps see myself working up to being a Platoon Sergeant someday, though that will be far in the future no doubt.
Any valuable lessons you have learned while being in the unit?
You're never done learning, though I have many hours within ArmA 3 and have done everything from being a grunt to planning, creating, and adapting missions as a Zeus Operator I have found that every unit, every Commanding Officer, every Squad, and Fire Team Leader has their own way of doing things that can either educate you on new things or help you expand your knowledge on a previous topic, the Third Infantry Division is no exception, I have learned and expanding my knowledge on quite a few things during my time here. Some examples of which being during the Advanced Radio Communications Course, I never really read too much into 9-Lines in previous units, however, the ARCC showed me how to set up a 9-Line or 5-Line for different missions and the best way to adjust them as needed.
Corporal Jake Starling enlisted in the 3rd Infantry Division Realism Unit on November 28, 2022. Initially serving as a Fireteam Member in Alpha Company, First Platoon, Fourth Squad, he later transitioned to a role as an Army Aviator within the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade (3CAB) in June 2023. Since October 2023, Corporal Starling has held the position of Squad Medic, then shortly after, Fireteam Leader within Alpha Company, First Platoon, Fourth Squad.
Corporal Starling's leadership has become the cornerstone of his combat element, setting a high standard for excellence. His unwavering dedication, patriotism, valor, and fidelity are not only evident in his actions but have also become a source of inspiration for his fellow soldiers. His commitment to professional excellence is reflected in every aspect of his service.
Recognizing Corporal Starling's exceptional service, demonstrated leadership potential, and outstanding achievements, he has been honored with the Soldiers Medal and distinguished as the Soldier of the Quarter. His ability to lead by example and uphold the highest standards makes him an invaluable asset to the unit and a beacon of inspiration for his peers.
Tell us a little about yourself?
In my personal life I have obtained my College Certificate for 911 & Emergency Service Communications through APCO Canada. I enjoy a good board game here and there, I also enjoy viewing the re-runs of The Joy of Painting.
Why did you join 3rdID and what keeps you here?
I originally joined the Third Infantry Division with a buddy of mine who had shown me the Unit's YouTube channel and talked with me about how the unit operates and the different things it offers. I decided to file my application and take the leap into joining. Though my buddy has since been discharged to pursue real-life endeavors I have found a new group of friends here within the Third Infantry that have become a real hoot to hang out with every weekend over the past year. Apart from the relationships to build and the missions to attend the opportunities that the Unit provides are next level to anything I've seen before, the Force Improvement Group and Command Staff have really put great thought and detail towards the Courses that are offered ranging from OSUT to EIB every course is rewarding and keeps you coming back for more.
Any favorite/funny/memorable moment throughout your whole time in the unit?
There are a lot of memories, funny moments, and whatnot that I've had here in the 3rd Infantry over the past year. One of which was where some of us Enlisted had loaded in early and were waiting for a Squad Drill so we banded together and created a massive seating area out of the camping tables and chairs around the base. When C-Staff loaded in they had someone, I believe now MSG Garcia, give us some ketchup & Mustard Bottles, an M2 Browning display, along with some other miscellaneous items that kept us entertained and built up comradery while we waited for the Briefing to be ready.
Any advice to give to your fellow soldiers to help them in their careers here?
Some advice I'd give to new upcoming soldiers is to interact with your Squamates outside of just the scheduled times, even if it's just a message in the Squad Discord, building up comradery between you and your new squad is a key factor to working well together and building up friendships. For the current soldiers the previous still applies, however, I'm sure you all know that by now, the main thing I'd say to the current soldiers of the Third Infantry is to offer a helping hand to a new Recruit/Private, join up in a DMOS and work hard at it, attend those FIG Courses to further your knowledge and opportunities within the 3rd, courses I'd strongly recommend looking into is the Land Navigation, Air Assault and/or Airborne, these courses open a lot of doors for you as soldiers in the 3rd Infantry not only in terms of additional courses but also in terms of operational capabilities with those courses.
What army value is the most important to you and why?
All the army values are important to me, it's difficult to pick just one to discuss... Integrity is one that stands out though, if a man or woman does not have integrity it can be difficult to trust or respect them to fulfill their duties appropriately. Having a solid moral compass is important in my opinion so as we do not wander too far from the path of right and wrong.
What motivates you to keep pushing forward in the unit and do you have any goals for the future within the unit?
The thing that motivates me to keep pushing forward in the unit is the people, there are so many soldiers here in the Third Infantry that I do not want to let down, all the way from the newest member of my Fire Team to Company Command, the friendships, trust, and respect that I've built up during my time here in the Third is something I do not want to lose. The goals I have for the future within the unit is to make my way up to Sergeant and apply for a Drill Sergeant position within the Force Improvement Group in order to better serve the new enlistees to the Third Infantry and ensure that I am doing everything in my power to get them trained properly and impart knowledge on them about the unit and our two decades of history, apart from my goals within DMOS work I perhaps see myself working up to being a Platoon Sergeant someday, though that will be far in the future no doubt.
Any valuable lessons you have learned while being in the unit?
You're never done learning, though I have many hours within ArmA 3 and have done everything from being a grunt to planning, creating, and adapting missions as a Zeus Operator I have found that every unit, every Commanding Officer, every Squad, and Fire Team Leader has their own way of doing things that can either educate you on new things or help you expand your knowledge on a previous topic, the Third Infantry Division is no exception, I have learned and expanding my knowledge on quite a few things during my time here. Some examples of which being during the Advanced Radio Communications Course, I never really read too much into 9-Lines in previous units, however, the ARCC showed me how to set up a 9-Line or 5-Line for different missions and the best way to adjust them as needed.