Todd, during the first Gulf war, in January 1990, a buddy and me went to the recruiting office to sigh up. We did the physical and written test. I passed everything but the eye exam for my right eye. My friend made it into the army and ended up with a tank unit.

I tried to get a waver through Jack Fields, my Congressman. He wrote to the military and they responded by sending me to a specialist. After that, the military still said no and wouldn’t let me join.

I was depressed from it. It sucks when you want to serve for your country and they tell you know. I knew I had a bas eye, but there were a lot of jobs I could have done for the military. I really wanted to go fight for my country and I couldn’t. I knew I could die doing it, but dying for freedom, IMO, is not a bad way to go. It beats dying in a car accident or of cancer. We all got to go sometime.

Would I do it today if I could get in. Yes I would.

My friend, who I have known since 7th grade, is going to Iraq in a couple of months. He is with the Texas National Guard. He quit the army two years ago to go join the Police Academy. He joined the Guard that same year. He leaves a wife and new baby girl. We are all proud of him. He accepts his duty with honor.

Anyway, I tried very hard to get into the Miliary 14 years ago.