I wrote this story for my two daughters in hopes that they can see what influenced my life and why I became the person I am, making the choices I did. Events and people sometimes beyond our control help mold and shape our character into who and what we are. The road we travel is not always straight, but how we get to the destination is a reflection of our true values. I grew up in an occupied war-torn country until I was almost 7 years old. You grow up fast when your life and freedom are severely curtailed. We speak openly of freedom and use the word indiscriminately when what we consider constraints, by an orderly and democratic society, which impedes our ideas or values we would like to impose on others to satisfy selfish, immature and so-called intellectual behavior. My life was shaped by war and the eventual peace and freedom given me by the sacrifices of thousands of men and women who had no idea that I existed, but never-the-less gave their lives so that others like myself could experience freedom. I knew at an early age that I would someday try to give a little back to the country which rescued me and my family and millions of others like us. I served that country both in war and peace.