Tell It to the Marines

I grew up in a patriotic home. My father was a Vietnam veteran, a Navy corpsman. He also served as an officer in the Naval Reserves. I remember as a young boy seeing him in his uniform. He appeared so prestigious, and I formed a sincere respect for what my father, and other others like him, did for his country. Having worked with the Marines during Vietnam, my father always spoke very highly of that branch. This respect gave me the desire to join the Marine Corps and serve my country, but my fearful nature told me I could never achieve that. I neatly tucked the dream away in the back of my mind.