A couple of weeks after we last spoke, Coach calls me to check in on how things went with Casey. We chat for a few, and then he fills me in on his own day’s activities: taking his uncle M, a WWII veteran, to a ceremony where M received Senatorial honors alongside a tiny cohort of other Filipino-American WWII vets. Coach shows me a picture of M, and I am not surprised: even in his 90’s, he is strong, sturdy, and handsome, with the same steady and focused gaze that I recognize in the eyes of his nephew and great-nephew. Another part of the story is revealed to me: M served in the U.S. armed forces in order to earn citizenship in this country. He fought to earn his place here.
It is another remarkable aspect to an already remarkable family’s story of service, determination, and the fight that sustains them. A family who understands deeply that everything is earned and nothing is given.
There could be nothing more American.
[1] Names have been withheld to respect the privacy of an active duty servicemember.
This first appeared in The Havok Journal October 10, 2018.
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This first appeared in The Havok Journal on October 18, 2019.
Dr. Atalanta, Ph.D. is a writer, USA Boxing athlete, combatives instructor, philanthropist, and veterans’ advocate who is passionate about helping veterans tell their stories. Her latest project is an upcoming book with JC Glick, “Meditations of an Army Ranger,” but past clients have run the gamut from former SEAL Jeff Boss (author of “Navigating Chaos”) to the President of Floyd Mayweather’s $100m Money Team Brand. Dr. Atalanta is a sought-after commentator in the fight world on the topic of women’s personal defense, and she is available for booking as a Speaker-Buzz keynote speaker. For more information on how Dr. Atalanta might be able to help you turn your ideas into a book, please visit www.aliceatalanta.com.
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