Walk with me in my footsteps and I will take you through parts of Afghanistan where you can see through my eyes. Follow the footsteps of a proud Airborne Infantry Soldier seeking God amidst war and combat.
About the Author: Born in Hilo, Hawaii on January 13, 1981, I was raised in Pi'ihonua where I freely explored the jungles and pools of the upper Wailuku River. My adventurous spirit led me to join the Cub Scouts of America and later the Boy Scouts of America. During high school, I paddled with the Keaukaha outrigger canoe club, attended martial arts classes and participated in youth group activities at New Hope Christian Fellowship church. In 1999 I graduated from Hilo High School and left for the U.S Army basic training course at Fort Benning, Georgia. After finishing basic training, I went to airborne school, graduated as a paratrooper and received orders to report to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. When my tour of military service at Fort Bragg was ending, I reenlisted to volunteer for more military service at the 25th Light Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. There I received orders to go to Afghanistan for one year. My overall experience with the people and country of Afghanistan gave me a new sense of reality and an enlarged world view. There I also met private contractors who influenced and advised me to utilize my skills in Afghanistan as a mercenary. Honorably discharged in September 2005, I returned home to start my transition into the world of mercenary soldiers. My family, however, suggested that I attend college through the military education program. Although I told my family that college was not for me, I assured them that I would consider their idea. A month later as I was driving back to Hilo from Kona, I noticed the sun setting and the wind blowing through the grasses near the turn-off to the Saddle Road. After turning on to it and parking on the side, I watched the beautiful sunset. Instantly caught in the beauty of my homeland in Hawaii, I seriously questioned my reasons for returning to Afghanistan and strongly considered attending Hilo College. This was the pivotal point in my life because I chose Hawaii and college instead of Afghanistan and mercenary soldiering. I enrolled in the University of Hawaii at Hilo to study psychology because I wanted to learn how various phenomena impact mental and emotional processes that may influence a person's major life decisions. I believe that a greater purpose to life can be found in natural forces that sway and guide us to follow God and the Aloha Spirit.