Monday, May 25 is a special day to recognize all those who have served their country as a member of the armed forces. In honor of these men and women throughout the Memorial Day weekend, here is a testimonial about how football's inherent values have helped shape the life of Chris Medina, a major in the U.S. Army.
I'm a major in the United States Army attending the Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
I wasn't a big, fast or outstanding football player while in junior or high school in a small Texas town, however the lessons that football taught me have guided me through my life and while in the Army.
Football taught me about teamwork. It's a sport where everyone is dependent on each other in order to win. We had to synchronize our efforts in order to be successful. None of us could do it without the other. We had each other's back and would do anything for each other.
I realize now how much football prepared me for a career in the Army. It showed me the importance of teamwork, fitness, integrity, loyalty and selfless service. Sometimes we came up short, but we would learn from our mistakes and drive on with our mission.
Throughout the years as I led a platoon in Bosnia, a company in Kosovo and Germany and while deployed to Afghanistan, I have counted on, and built upon these lessons football taught me some 20 years ago.
