Son's Enlistment Adds Meaning to Veterans Day

by Rita-Lyn Sanders, Director of Marketing and Communication

GRAND JUNCTION, COLO. - (Nov. 8, 2023) 

For the first time in my life, Veterans Day is tangible — no longer something that I observe only in appreciation for the men and women who have protected the freedoms that I value so much. It is now going to be a day to honor my own hero. Just a few short weeks ago, my son, Hayden, enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and shipped out for boot camp in San Diego.

His decision came as a surprise to my husband and me. While Hayden has proven himself to be quite capable at everything he pursues, he has never been very physical. With few exceptions (recreational soccer, a 40-mile backpacking trek through the majestic Eagle Cap Wilderness, hunting trips), he had not demonstrated his athleticism beyond the hand-eye coordination that comes with hours of video gaming. But last winter, after trying and deciding that sitting in college classes was not where he wanted to be, he expressed interest in serving in the military.

My husband and I didn’t encourage him. We thought, like our military family before him, that he would complete college first. My brother graduated from Southern Oregon University. He entered the U.S. Army as a warrant officer and flew combat operations in the Middle East before transferring to the U.S. Coast Guard. Now he flies rescue missions in the pilot seat of the iconic orange Dauphin helicopter as a commander. My older cousin, a professor of economics, retired from the U.S. Army Reserve as a special forces colonel after being mobilized in Operation Desert Storm and Bosnia. My second cousin (the colonel’s son), is my age and graduated from West Point. While on active duty with the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), he was part of the initial campaigns in both Afghanistan and Iraq.

What we learned is that once he chose his path, Hayden didn’t need any encouragement. He drew on a passion so deep that it led him to the Grand Junction Recruiting Station and weekly workouts with the gunny sergeant and other poolees. So intense was his desire to be at the tip of the spear that he pushed himself to lose 40 pounds in the time span of a few months. He combined strength training with running and cardio and consumed a steady diet of canned chicken with mustard.

Now Hayden is at boot camp — tackling the obstacle course, running 4x–400 meter intervals, learning martial arts and combat survival skills — and preparing for the ultimate 48-mile, 54-hour Marine recruit test: The Crucible.

To say that we are proud of him for pursuing his passion with vigor and determination is an understatement. I think about him more often than not, and because we are only permitted to communicate through letters, I handwrite one every day.

Protecting this country against our enemies requires a selfless act of character, strength, resilience, and determination like no other. The men and women of our armed forces uphold a commitment to fight for democracy and human rights. For them, and for our sake, failure is not an option. As this Veterans Day approaches, let us be grateful for their resolve. I know that I am. And since mid-September, I’ve given in to thinking about it every day.