I recently spent an exhilarating yet humbling day with the US Army. The thrill came from jumping out of a plane two miles up with elite parachute team known as the Golden Knights. The sobering part was speaking with men from the US army and hearing their tales of freedom fighting.
I spent time talking with soldiers about their deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, the challenges of cultivating freedom in other countries, and humanitarian missions bringing medicine and food directly to the people.
Many believe that the military is a path of last resort for high school dropouts, but only one in four applicants now qualify for entry to the US Army. For many young people, enlisting in the army may be the smartest choice — a guaranteed job, assigned before enlisting, and the foundation for fully paid college attendance.
My day ended with a frightening and spectacular tandem skydive with Staff Sergeant Johnny Ewald. Go Army.
--MR
