It was a hot summer afternoon, and my father was enjoying his barbecue cookout with his grandchildren playing by his side. I was just a few weeks away from going back to college to finish my degree, and I needed some advice about my future direction in life.
My father is a retired soldier who served his country during the Vietnam War, in the 10th Special Forces Unit. So, I went to him and shared that I was thinking about following his footsteps to enlist in the military. His eyes stared into the trees above him for some time before he came back to me. He said, “Son, whatever you decide to do, war is hell on Earth and it’s a serious decision. I want you to know this reality exists and to not take this decision lightly.”
