Raising the flag at Iwo Jima

Hardly seems possible. The Wizard of OZ, Santa and the Tooth-fairy seem more likely than to say that 25 years ago today I was eating my first breakfast – having not slept for more than 24 hours – on Parris Island.

My Marnie adventure was just beginning and everything was moving so fast that I had little time to think. That’s not a bad thing – really.

My time in the Marines is a mixed bag of emotion for me.

On the one hand, I spent the required amount of time, overcame all the obstacles, met all the requirements necessary to become a Marine. I walked across the parade deck and was declared a “Marine”. That can never be taken away from me.