“Writing a short story is a little like walking into a dark room, finding a light and turning it on. The light is the end of the story.” WritingLittlesEndsStoriesLightDarkRoomsWalkingFindingsShort StoryDark Room Author:Dan Chaon
“I was motivated to join in large part because my family needed the money. I would like to say how patriotic we were, but really what motivated me was the excitement my mother would get in receiving a check for my older brother.” MotherBrotherNeededMy FamilyChecksExcitementPatrioticMotivatedReceivingOlder Brother Author:Charles Rangel
“Growing up in the shadow of Johnson Space Center and moving to Texas to welcome our last moon mission home, I wanted to be an astronaut. Combined with my love for Navy history and World War II flight ops, and unsatisfying degrees in college and law school, I joined the Navy and became a naval aviator.” WorldWarHomeWantedSchoolLastsMovingLawSpaceGrowing UpGrowingCollegeMoonDegreesShadowMissionsFlightWelcomeWar Of The WorldsTexasWorld War IiWorld War INavyJohnsonAstronautLaw SchoolNavalAviator Author:Pete Olson
“Like tens of millions of Americans, my parents were immigrants. They were poor and did not speak English well. They went to flea markets and sold gifts to make ends meet. Eventually, through hard work, they opened six gift stores in shopping malls. My parents achieved the American dream; they went from being poor to a home and gave my brother and me an amazing education. I wanted to serve the country that gave so much to my family.” WellsEndsCountryHardHomeDreamWantedSpeakParentPoorMillionsBrotherHard WorkSixMy FamilyStoresMy BrotherImmigrantsShoppingAmerican DreamMallsFleasSpeak EnglishFlea Markets Author:Ted Lieu
“My great uncle Pvt. Tommy Rooney, USMC, was killed on Guam during the Pacific Campaign in World War II. I was named after him, so I always thought about him and wearing the uniform. The JAG Corps gave me that opportunity after law school.” WorldWarSchoolLawOpportunityCampaignsWar Of The WorldsWorld War IiWorld War IUniformsUnclesPacificLaw SchoolUsmcRooneyGuam Author:Tom Rooney
“I decided to join the military to give back to my country and help pay for college.” GivingCountryHelpingPayMilitaryCollegeDecidedGiving Back Author:Steve Stivers
“I love my country, and the mental and physical demands of the Navy SEALs was what I had been training for my whole life growing up in Montana. There's a reason Montana produces more SEALs than any other state. As a collegiate athlete, I enjoyed the mental and physical challenges Division I football presented. When a recruiter first told me about the Navy SEALs, I knew it was the right fit.” FirstsCountryStatesReasonWholeChallengesGrowing UpGrowingProduceFootballFitDemandTrainingAthleteWhole LifeEnjoyedDivisionNavySealsMontanaNavy Seal Author:Ryan Zinke
“I felt the calling to serve my country. My parents came to the United States from Mexico and Colombia, and this country treated them well. It gave my sisters and me the opportunity to get an education and succeed. I wanted to repay my country for how they treated my family and ensure that our values and freedom are intact for future generations.” WellsCountryStatesWantedValuesOpportunityFeltParentUnitedUnited StatesGenerationsCallingSucceedMy FamilyTreatedMy SisterMexicoFuture GenerationColombia Author:Ruben Gallego
“I never had the chance to decide; I was drafted to serve my nation. While I received a deferment to attend school, I ultimately served in the United States Army in the years following the Korean conflict.” YearsStatesSchoolNationsChanceUnitedUnited StatesConflictArmyFollowingKoreanUnited States Army Author:Don Young