My mother had tears streaming down her face that cold morning in December of 2001. She watched as her baby boy left on the bus to Marine Corps Recruit Depot. It was the hardest thing she had ever done, letting her son join the United States Marine Corps at age 18.

As a small child I wanted to be a U.S Marine. I can remember wandering through the hallway of my aunt’s house looking at the four portraits of my cousins in their Dress Blues with a steely expression engraved on their faces.

After my brother returned home from his grueling 12 week “paradise,”  he was a fully disciplined and mature young man with razor sharp creases down the pants of his Alpha uniform. Two fingers could precisely fit between his eyebrows and his green cover. Frog-voiced Drill Instructors had beaten the bad habits out of him.

Dealing with having family members in the military can be very hard. Thousands of families can relate to what my family and I have gone through–worrying and always asking yourself, “Are they ok?” Praying is a part of daily life. I also remember the mail my brother would send during boot camp. One letter that I clearly remember was him telling my parents to get my sister and I good presents for Christmas, and telling us he was doing well. Those little things helped us stop worrying for a few days.

When people ask what my brother’s job is, I proudly say, “He’s a United States Marine.”