But that
is Brendan, or “Big Red” as his grandmother affectionately dubbed him when at
age 12 his height surpassed hers. He is one who loves a challenge and who as a
young child surprised everyone with is achievement-oriented choices. He has
studied the facts, and knows the arduous road ahead for him. He also knows that over 50 percent of soldiers
drop out in the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program, and that once selected
for Ranger School, three out of five wash out in the first week. A quick web search
gives this:
For those soldiers who would like to be part of the elite
specially trained unit called the Army Rangers, there is much to be considered.
Preparation to be a Ranger takes more than just sheer determination. In
addition to physical strength, resilience and grit, it demands mental
fortitude. Once a soldier has made it through the first phases of training,
which includes nine weeks of boot camp, several more weeks of Advanced
Individual Training and three weeks of Army Airborne School, he is assigned to
the 75th Ranger Regiment and is ready to begin the US Army Ranger
Indoctrination Program and eventually Army Ranger School.
Believe me when I tell you that
Brendan is an uncommon man. After knowing him since he was seven when our son
married his mother, and especially now after two weeks with him, I am convinced
he has the determination to accomplish whatever he sets his mind to do. And the
Army isn’t the only plan he has. While serving his country, Brendan plans to
take college level courses to prepare him for law school when the Army is done taking
a significant portion of his hide. He’s not only ambitious, he’s smart.
And there’s more. In those two weeks
with us, he carved out space to visit three great-grandparents who live in
assisted living centers and detailed our two cars. He spent time with other
family members, fishing with 2 uncles, and on two separate occasions went to a
White Caps game and dinner with another grandparent. He attended two Detroit
Tiger ball games (one with us, one with friends) and watched them on several
other occasions from our family room. He visited a special uncle and aunt of
mine in Livonia, baked 4 dozen cookies and two cheesecakes, most of which he
gave away to family. We saw two movies, hit 2 buckets of golf balls, and he crushed
me at the bowling alley. On our way to Detroit he hooked up his phone to our car
radio to entertain us with an assortment of music from Beethoven to the Beetles (how in God’s name does he do that?), helped
us understand our Nintendo Wii games that have been mostly unused for two
years, and tutored us on our smart phones.
Yes, I’m bragging, so what’s my
point? Everybody with grandchildren brags on them, right? More than the long
list of accomplishments in these two weeks, I admire the character behind his
actions. Teenagers, so we hear, are self-absorbed; focused only on that which
brings them the most satisfaction. In the face of that and other unfortunate myths
about today’s adolescents, I give you Brendan, the antithesis of that
pessimistic labeling. And if there is one iota of hope in you for the future of
America, hang that hope on Brendan and his contemporaries, because while he is
uncommon, I wager there are millions like him, more or less, living admirable
lives, who will not only give unselfishly of themselves; they will forge a path
for others in their generation who haven’t yet awakened, and for their younger
siblings who are looking for role models.
Hats off to Big Red and his generation.
Of course I am biased when it comes to family; but I will gladly place our
future in the hands of the likes of Brendan.
Anybody who loves both Beethoven and the Beetles has my attention, respect
and considerable appreciation.
