My Father Tried to Force Me to Sell the House Until Police Walked In and Said My Rank Out Loud

them raise their right hands, I felt something settle in me that I hadn’t expected. They were so young. They had no idea what was coming, not the good or the bad of it. But they were choosing anyway, and that meant something.

A young ensign caught up to me after.

“Ma’am,” she said, “do you ever regret it? Joining?”

“Not once,” I said. “It taught me who continue reading …