For perhaps the one thousandth time since I picked up the mysterious golden ticket off of that table, I wonder why I did it and what I was thinking. Of course I know the answer to that, in two words, my father. Veteran, Purple Heart recipient, Congressional Medal of Honor winner, the national hero with five stars glittering on his shoulders.
His history in the military began with his great great great grandfather, who organized the 84th Illinois Volunteer Infantry regiment during the Civil War and served as its commander. He was commissioned as Brevet Brigadier General of volunteers, near the close of the war for an act of bravery. The Waters men had served, and fought in every war since that time. Like his ancestors, his illustrious family left him to sign up anonymously as a private and make his way on his own. My dad literally lifted himself by his own bootstraps.
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