Eric Wood

1 March 2015
Personal Statement

This I Believe by Eric Wood

I believe happiness and fulfillment are found throughout the structure of what
I stand for; God, family, and country. Life is not meant to be all about ones self. A
selfless life is much more rewarding than a selfish life. Satisfaction cannot be sought
out strictly through tangible items. There is no better gratification than the act of
serving something greater than yourself with the support from family, friends, and
most importantly the guidance of God.
My senior year of high school I decided to apply for an Army ROTC
scholarship. To this day I train to be the best officer I am possibly capable of.
Country is much more than a piece of the Earth that houses millions of people. It is
home to various cultures, practices, and religions. America is the symbol of
freedom. She has given me so much to be thankful for that I feel obligated to give
back. Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your
country. My country has served me every day of my life and I wish to give back what
she deserves.
I believe in loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and
personal courage. I vowed to uphold these values. I believe in the right to life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Most importantly I believe in freedom. With
everything this one word, freedom, has done for me, how can I not be its
guardian? My freedom has allowed me to defend what I stand for, and wishfully
train to protect my country. I believe freedom should never be taken for granted.

I believe in being a warrior and living with an edge. I will always place the
mission first. I will never accept defeat. I will never quit. I will never leave a fallen
comrade. Quitting will get me nowhere in life. Only losers are afraid of failure.
Winners embrace failure and turn it into future success. Without risk, reward will
never be found. What is life without an ethos to believe in and pledge to? This is
where my motivation is driven from. I believe in taking chances.
I believe in doing today what others will not, so that I will have tomorrow
what others do not. There is no time in life to give below 110%. The only regret in
life is having regret. Everything should be done with purpose and meaning. This
brings me fulfilment in life. There was an 18 year old American soldier in the
Revolutionary War captured by the British for being a spy. Before they hanged him,
the British soldier asked him, Do you have any regret now, young boy? The boys
last words were, My only regret is not having another life to give for my country.

I believe in being an American Soldier.