haha As'salamu Alakium Brothers and Sisters. I am a 17 year old american male convert and I just joined the Army DEP(Delayed Entry Program). Ill be a 25Bravo. IT Specialist. My strong suit!!. Basically Im asking for any experiences, tips, ideas for how I should intergrate my deen with my duty as a soldier. Of course, I am a Soldier to Allah first, Soldier to my Country second. Any replies would be wonderful. Im pretty scared going in. My three year anniversary is coming in November since my conversion, so I hope you understand. Salaams to all

As-Salaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh, Where are you now?

Im currently finishing high school in Illinois

Im currently in Iraq... now brother push for respect and Religious servers they will try to walk on you... and tell you what you can and cant do Im in a signal unit as well stay firm to your ground and continue To practice Islam to the fullest People will eventually come to accept you as the Muslim guy lol slowly but surely more Muslims are coming into them military so if theres some Muslims in your unit you wont be the oddball im the only Muslim out of 500 soldiers so i get it wherever i go

wa alaykum assalam Brother Grant, Congratulations on joining the Army and you picked a wonderful MOS brother. I am a new Muslim as well and I know how you feel. For the most part, most people don't care what religion you are and mostly the subject never comes up at all about religions. I only tell someone that I am a Muslim if they ask. For example, I asked someone where the halal MRE's were kept, he said, "Why, are you a closet Muslim or something?" He was joking but the joke was on him and he was very embarrassed when I told him, "no, I am not a closet Muslim, I am a Muslim" Now that was funny to see his face and mouth drop. Sometimes in a large classroom environment or if you are in a briefing about Iraq for example you will here some anti-Islamic remark such as "the Hajis" do this and that. I do my best to pull that person to the side after the break to tell them that is unacceptable and unprofessional. They will stop. You don't have to tell anyone that you are a Muslim if you don't want to I usually only tell my boss so that he know that I have to pray and that I want to have Friday afternoon off for congregational prayer. By regulation they can't interfere with your prayers unless extenuating circumstances and emergencies. Communications is the key and you can have a good relationship with your boss and peers when they know that they can depend on you then they will most likely go out of their way to accommodate you and even remind you for your prayers. I am able to do my five prayers a day but sometimes I have to wait until after the prayer times. Some Fridays I am not able to go to the Mosque but mostly I am able to. You have to do your best to do what you can do within the regulations. Allah (swt) will understand insha'allah, if you are not on time all the time but do your best to do everything within your power. Don't break the rules and authority. If need be, you can offer to work late or on Saturday and/or Sunday to make up for anything if they need you to do that no problem. Mostly I finish all of my work ahead of time so that nothing will interfere with my worship that is within my control. wa alaykum assalam