I was not old enough for the Vietnam War; by the time of the first Gulf War, I was too old. Was this for my good, or did it make me less of a person, I cannot say.
In some ways I do feel it did not allow me to mature as fast as I should, but from what I understand sometimes you can mature too quickly as war has a tendency to do. Yet again, I have been around several ex-military type that still lacking in maturity.
Now as I get closer and closer to retiring I look at my grey hair that has now become white. I wonder how much longer I will have to live in this body. A body that ages and falls apart.
In my senior year in High School they gave out that aptitude test that tell you, what they think you are best suited for. Me? They said I would make a great helicopter mechanic. It is amazing how things go full circle. Now I work for a company that manufactures helicopters. Some of which are used by the military. I have always liked aircraft. I enjoy making them. It is a very fulfilling job.
I have always been a planner, especially when it comes to traveling. Now I am planning for my ultimate trip. Not death and what lies beyond that until I get the new body promised to us all, but the traveling I have planned for my retirement years. It takes a warrior’s planning to map out finances and making choices as to where to go and when. The main factor will be the temperature though. It gets too hot, northward we will go. It gets too cold, south is the destination.
My biggest issues that has faced me to date had been getting around once I get to whatever destination I get to. I think I have solves that though, A Can-Am Spyder. That made picking what type of RV limited, but still not one hundred percent sure about that. Still time to think and plan on that, but I shall always feel like a warrior lost.