Take the Hard Road, it’s Worth it. – Wounded By War

At least you're doing something for your country. Better than being a 20 or 21 year old drunk and druggies with a 9th or 11th grade education taking drugs and driving my wife and I crazy because of their personal problems od'ing, paramedics being called due to drug withdrawals, seeing them take off and be kicked out of school and then seeing them get welfare are still bugging you/us weekly for money and rides to see friends and get high not to get a job.

At least you did something with your life in the SF instead of my two older step kids that never give my wife and I peace of mind. Being a warrior has its drawbacks to such as PTSD, suicide or marital problems but that is a side effect of sacrificing yourself for your country instead of being an idiot and acting like Cheech and Chong. I have the utmost respect for the Warriors that are being overused in today's day and age who often get killed in combat in remote locations throughout the world. You are the quiet professionals.

I have had the honor of meeting a few of you at the JFK Center at Fort Bragg and also meeting some of you at a Forward operating base PRT Farah in Western Afghanistan were some of the Marine Special Forces invited us for lunch back in 2009.

SSG Chris Erickson SSgt GG-15 RET Jim Lint SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas MAJ David Potter CPT Chris Loomis 1LT Sandy Annala SFC (Join to see) SFC Shirley Whitfield Capt Sabrena Goldman MAJ (Join to see) LTC Ivan Raiklin, Esq. SMSgt Lawrence McCarter LT Brad McInnis PO3 John Wagner LTC John Shaw PO1 John Miller Capt Dwayne Conyers

Incredible story, SSG Kevin Flike. My thanks to you for sharing it, but more importantly, my thanks to you for your service and sacrifice.
The title to your reminiscence reminds of the last lines of Robert Frost's poem, "The Road Not Taken":

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."

Some kind of service is better than none, IMO. Thanks for sharing.