Community College Drop-Out to Vanderbilt Professor: A Veteran's Story

I grew up in a community where education ended and full-time work started at eighteen. After high school graduation, I took a job and enrolled part-time in a community college. In short order, my grades suffered as work and social activities took precedence. I was immature and ill-prepared, with no vision or discipline. Realizing I needed to change, I dropped out of school to enlist and headed to 美国军队 's basic training.

The discipline and direction worked for me.

I grew years wiser in a handful of months and, with a scholarship in hand, enrolled in a four-year college. After school, I went on active duty. The military sent me to Infantry, Airborne, Jumpmaster, and Ranger schools. It offered me progressively more challenging roles, from platoon leader to company commander in the 82nd Airborne Division, U.S. Army It also helped me to earn a master's degree along the way.

Ten years after reporting to basic training, I left the Army as a different person with a plan for the future. My wife and I started a highly successful consulting firm, and a few years later, I started my doctorate at the University of Kentucky . Today, I'm a professor at Vanderbilt University , a Top 15 research institution.

I share my story on Veteran's Day (#veteransday) to encourage you in two ways:

1. Write your story and own your journey. You may or may not attend college or join the military — that part of the story is irrelevant. The point is to see what's possible and to make it happen regardless of your path.?
2. Reflect on those who have served. These people transformed me, and I owe them a debt of gratitude. Veterans bring a lot to the table, and I encourage all of us to offer them a seat.

Make it a Great Day! - Patrick

P.S. Thanks to Michael Story , Phil Parks , General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.) , LTG (Ret) Tom Seamands , Howard Friedman , Jason Hodell , and countless others who helped to shape my path.

#veteran #veterans