dan lenson
Marksman
One of my earliest memories is seeing my dad in his olive drab fatigues, kissing my mom good-bye.
Old as I am, I'm sure it's just a memory of a memory. Mom & Dad are still alive & kickin', old cusses they are.
When I visit them, something innate leads me to the closet where those same fatigues still hang. I note the starched creases, rub my thumb over the patch. There has always been something fulfilling in it.
I grew up 20 miles from Camp LeJeune, with Cobras & Sea Knights constantly drumming their way over the sand & Pine trees. Once a year or so, a full-scale exercise at the beach we camped on or during an emergency landing in one of our cornfields, I'd get a chance to see warriors & their gear up close.
I remember when I was just old enough to write, I filled-out a card from some magazine that called for a visit from an Army recruiter. I put it in the mailbox & put the flag up.
I think I was 4 then.
Wow, did my parents scare the crap outta me-- 'They're gonna come pick you up... they're gonna yell at you & make you clean toilets & mop floors, and you're gonna be gone for a LONG time!!'
l laugh inside when I think of it now. But it reassures me, because life hasn't been so great, and the MOST recurring question in my life has been: what am I supposed to be?
My first active enlistment was a miserable 4 years. Far from a total loss, I could not wait to finish my time. I was in an Army Transportation unit and the lack of motivation & professionalism I found was not what I'd envisioned.
I'd grown up watching Gunsmoke & John Wayne movies. High school was over-- it surprised me that the military valued the 'cool' factor and often operated under the 'good-ol-boy' system. I resented that. I labeled that b.s. "all_things_military" and didn't let the door hit me on the way out. I looked forward to finding my calling in the 'more-squared-away civilian sector.'
Boy, did I have alot to learn.
But Life can bring you back to yourself. Fast forward 15 years...
9 years divorced, in an economy that'd eaten my lunch. I'd lost jobs because I take a stand for what's right. I'd spent nights with no home. It was time to find help.
So a year ago today I asked a neighbor about getting onboard with the Army Reserve so I could get some college & benefits. By the 11th of June, I was once again a Soldier & an NCO.
Again there are challenges, but in life we have to brighten the corner we're in. We've gotta bring something of value to the table. We have to stop cursing the darkness & start lighting a candle. We we see a wrong, it's up to us to make it right.
I'm very grateful for the opportunity to serve. It's been a tough but rewarding year.
Most importantly, I've found a place in life. I've found that being a Soldier fits me-- and I have never been happier.
The premise on which our Country was founded is Sacred. And I'm glad for the chance to defend it.
To all the Guardians of Freedom -- Past & Present -- thank you.
I too will carry the Fire. I will keep the Faith.
"If other eyes grow dull and other hands slack, and other hearts cold in the solemn trust, ours shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life remain in us." Gen John A. Logan, 1st memorial Day, 1868
Old as I am, I'm sure it's just a memory of a memory. Mom & Dad are still alive & kickin', old cusses they are.
When I visit them, something innate leads me to the closet where those same fatigues still hang. I note the starched creases, rub my thumb over the patch. There has always been something fulfilling in it.
I grew up 20 miles from Camp LeJeune, with Cobras & Sea Knights constantly drumming their way over the sand & Pine trees. Once a year or so, a full-scale exercise at the beach we camped on or during an emergency landing in one of our cornfields, I'd get a chance to see warriors & their gear up close.
I remember when I was just old enough to write, I filled-out a card from some magazine that called for a visit from an Army recruiter. I put it in the mailbox & put the flag up.
I think I was 4 then.
Wow, did my parents scare the crap outta me-- 'They're gonna come pick you up... they're gonna yell at you & make you clean toilets & mop floors, and you're gonna be gone for a LONG time!!'
l laugh inside when I think of it now. But it reassures me, because life hasn't been so great, and the MOST recurring question in my life has been: what am I supposed to be?
My first active enlistment was a miserable 4 years. Far from a total loss, I could not wait to finish my time. I was in an Army Transportation unit and the lack of motivation & professionalism I found was not what I'd envisioned.
I'd grown up watching Gunsmoke & John Wayne movies. High school was over-- it surprised me that the military valued the 'cool' factor and often operated under the 'good-ol-boy' system. I resented that. I labeled that b.s. "all_things_military" and didn't let the door hit me on the way out. I looked forward to finding my calling in the 'more-squared-away civilian sector.'
Boy, did I have alot to learn.
But Life can bring you back to yourself. Fast forward 15 years...
9 years divorced, in an economy that'd eaten my lunch. I'd lost jobs because I take a stand for what's right. I'd spent nights with no home. It was time to find help.
So a year ago today I asked a neighbor about getting onboard with the Army Reserve so I could get some college & benefits. By the 11th of June, I was once again a Soldier & an NCO.
Again there are challenges, but in life we have to brighten the corner we're in. We've gotta bring something of value to the table. We have to stop cursing the darkness & start lighting a candle. We we see a wrong, it's up to us to make it right.
I'm very grateful for the opportunity to serve. It's been a tough but rewarding year.
Most importantly, I've found a place in life. I've found that being a Soldier fits me-- and I have never been happier.
The premise on which our Country was founded is Sacred. And I'm glad for the chance to defend it.
To all the Guardians of Freedom -- Past & Present -- thank you.
I too will carry the Fire. I will keep the Faith.
"If other eyes grow dull and other hands slack, and other hearts cold in the solemn trust, ours shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life remain in us." Gen John A. Logan, 1st memorial Day, 1868
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