Serving as an Infantry Officer in the United States Marine Corps was the honor of my life, a terrific fulfilling experience. My service is scared. My contemporaries feel the same. We don’t do bumper stickers or wear hats or paraphernalia.

I am grateful to have had such an opportunity, surrounded by scores of great Americans, superstars from all demographics of our nation, young Marines who reaped the least of the American Dream, yet were willing to sacrifice their lives, united by a calling and bond with each other. Young Marines from the inner city, farms, trailer parks, suburbs, small towns, big cities, …. white, black, asian, hispanic, arab kids … were the best of the best. It was the privilege of my life to be their lieutenant.

II never understood what it meant to be an American until my service, particularly being deployed twice in 1983 and 1984. I was age 22 on my first deployment. Age 23 on my second.

Okinawa, Iwo Jima, Philippines, Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kenya, Somalia, Beirut. Witnessing the life experiences of folks in other nations and their genuine awe of Americans and America taught me a ton.

Donald Trump is a clear and present danger to the nation I swerved. Slugs like you enable him.