In 1984, I had flunked out of college, was working a minimum-wage job, was dating a girl, and felt like I had no future. I had studied athletic training in college, so I decided to pursue a career in health care. I chose the Army because the Marines didn’t have their own medics, and the Navy wouldn’t guarantee me a position with the Fleet Marine Force (FMF). My time in the Army provided me with good and bad experiences I would never have had otherwise. These experiences shaped me into the person I am today.

Donald Timothy Tribble, American Legion Post 362, Folsom, Calif.