Born and raised in a small logging town in southern Oregon and graduating from a high school with only 30 students made life feel very small. The expectation was if you had a high enough GPA you would go on to attend college and have a chance to expose yourself possible opportunities. The other two choices were very much dictated, join the military or work in the logging or mill industry.
I finished dead last in my class with a 1.8 GPA, I am certain my teachers graduated me to get me off their backs. Reflecting back on my high school days, I can say I had no mentors or adults who I looked up to. I played sports and had plenty of coaches who inspired me to push myself to the limit, but not one person had the belief in me to help me feel like I had a future. Not one. Additionally, I was related to a large number of the town as both of my parents large families were all from the same town and not one of them indicated I had something to look forward to.
I started working at a young age doing all kinds of jobs. I picked berries in the fields, washed dishes in my mothers restaurant, bucked hay in the fields, put out forest fires, and even worked for the telephone company. All of these jobs put just enough money in my pocket but not enough to get me anywhere. They taught me hard work and motivated me to jump at a higher paying job as soon as it presented itself. I was always on time, worked hard, and left each job well liked by my employers. What I did not understand at the time was it was also taming my ability to accept risk.
Prior to graduating high school, I signed up for the militaries delayed entry program. I thought it was a good backup plan to my non-existant plan for my future. By the time the recruiter called me up and told me my date was coming up and strongly encouraged me to honor my commitment (during Desert Storm), I had already forgotten I had signed up. So, I joined the military. I had no interest in the military and knew very little about any opportunity other than enlisting and going to bootcamp. Nobody took the time to explain the differences between officers and enlisted, ROTC, or the different jobs I was eligible for. I was only aware that if you joined, they paid for a ticket out of town. To be fair, my father was an Army Officer and could have provided endless lectures on the military but I was avoiding those lectures and did not tell him I was leaving until the day prior to me shipping out to bootcamp.
Some of the other high school graduates that joined the military returned home shortly after getting a haircut for one reason of the other. I vowed to not be like them and do my best. As soon as I arrived at bootcamp, I excelled at everything they threw at me. I was successful partly because of the work ethic I learned growing up but mostly because it was an even playing field from day one. Every person there got the same haircut, same clothes, was yelled at, took the same classes, and was held to the same physical fitness standards. Nobody got a head start and when you started in the same spot as me, I had above average chances of winning.
My entire eight years in the military was filled with successes, people who believed in me, and a few key mentors. I got in trouble a lot but learned from each mistake and took pride in myself. I stepped out of the shadows of others and started to develop my own set of keys skills in both my job and as a person.
The military exposed me to a lot of opportunities, countries, death, love, lust, cultures, and life long friends. I had no problem taking orders from people who did not earn my respect and used them as examples of what I hoped never to be. I was fortunate to be taken under the wings of some great men during my life and coupled with my ability to take risk, jumped at any opportunity that came along. The foundation was hard work and sacrifice which is a theme you will hear often in my story. As I matured and learned, I became both appreciative and resentful of my hometown and my childhood. First, I was resentful because I cannot recall one person who believed enough in me to give me better mentorship. Appreciative because it taught me early about people and how to work hard. I soon learned expectations of others only leads to disappointment. Entitlement is like a tank of gas, it soon runs out and leaves you stranded as others pass you up. I have never felt entitled for anything.
I worked hard to put myself through college with the support of my wife, although that support was born out of embarrassment and a feeling of mistake as she realized all I had was my wit and work ethic. She ridiculed me into education and mentally abused me until I broke. I had never let anyone else do that to me and will never let anyone else treat me that way again. I am proud of my accomplishments in education and firmly believe I was one of the last educated when college actually taught you something and very little politics were involved. The professors knew their stuff and the students listened.
So that is who I am today. Still hard working. Still sacrificing. Still taking risks and opportunities. Just better educated and a life of experience to lean on.
I was honorably discharged from the Navy 24 years ago. Then the fun began.