I’d like to tell you about the time since my graduation from Mountain Vista High School in June 1999.

I attended Gavilan Junior College for a semester. One month before the completion of my first semester I injured myself during training while playing for the junior college football team. I had to take time off to heal and in that time I decided if I couldn’t complete my education I would do everything I could to make a good living for myself.

I had 15 jobs in 2000 and 20 in 2001 before Sept. 11, 2001, at which time I found my calling. I joined the Marines. After boot camp, on Feb. 9, 2003, we flew out on orders to Kuwait in preparation for the Shock and Awe Invasion of Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. March 20, we moved in, racing for the heart of Iraq. I was a part of a Security Forces Detachment that was flown from one base to another, setting up security and protecting our fellow warriors and nation’s interests, while at the same time being able to meet the people of Iraq first hand, and seeing how relieved and excited they were to see Americans fighting to defend their freedom.

To cut a long story short, my unit, based out of Camp Pendleton, accomplished the mission and returned home Oct. 1, 2003. I was promoted to corporal, and spent my last year in the Marines as an NCO, leading from the front, training and preparing the next Marines to follow the meaning of honor, courage and commitment.

I got out of the Marines in November 2005 and returned home motivated as ever. I went back to college and was working two jobs, making good money, but that wasn’t enough for me. After 5 months of being home I flew the coup again this time ending in Mexico for three months and practicing my Spanish with a beautiful woman I met in San Diego from Acapulco.

At this time I missed being apart of something that kept me progressing at which time I decided to join the Army in August 2006. I went to school on Oct. 11 for retraining in a new military occupation skill, and am currently deployed to the region of Afghanistan in Kandahar. We live by the words, “We have a rendezvous with destiny,” that hasn’t been met yet.

In closing I’d like to leave you with words that will stay with you wherever you go, like us my fellow soldiers and I are a band of brothers, we all share a common bond no one can take away for today as well as the rest of your life.

SPC Brendan J. O’Donovan,
United States Army,
Afghanistan

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