Risk Management Magazine

I think everybody has at least one “there-I-was” story. In my 30 years in Army aviation, I have acquired a few. To me, these stories are life lessons. After all, if it didn’t kill you, it should make you smarter. Here’s one of my life’s lessons.

Have you ever wondered how a Soldier feels after coming home from a deployment in a country like Iraq? After living in dangerous and demanding conditions for a year or more, some of us feel incredibly strong — almost invincible. That feeling of invincibility got me into a dangerous situation during the winter of 2007.

I grew up in the Midwest and spent a large portion of my early childhood living out in the country. It was there I formed my earliest memories of using various firearms while under the direct supervision and training of my father.