Barry Drumheller is a veteran who served in the Air Force and Air National Guard. Drumheller served for 38 years, five months, and one day. Drumheller states, “Military service really does teach you so much more about life and responsibility than you can imagine. Both the good and the bad. But that’s what life is.” Though there were harsh conditions, Drumheller thought his basic training was not difficult. Drumheller says, “I thought basic training was pretty easy, you know you’re going to get yelled at, take it serious, do what you’re told, do your best, and don’t take it personal. It’s all to see how you handle pressure. But it wasn’t like Forrest Gump. I went through basic in San Antonio in June and July, so every day got pretty hot. It was ninety degrees by 11a.m. and often got over one hundred. That meant that most of our running and physical training was finished by noon.”
Veteran’s Day is important to Drumheller. Drumheller states, “It means a lot to me. It shows that a majority of Americans understand that there are men and women willing to put their life on the line so everyone can enjoy the same freedoms.”
