Lessons in Liberty ; Bringing Patriotism to America ’ s Youth
Volume 7
Lessons in Liberty ; Bringing Patriotism to America ’ s Youth
By Staff Sergeant ( Ret .) Mark Burleson , USMC EOD Boot Campaign Hero Ambassador
Staff Sergeant ( Ret .) Mark Burleson , USMC , EOD
As the evening sun was setting on December 9 , 2011 , a U . S . Marine took a walk of faith down a small alleyway in Sangin , Afghanistan . That walk would not end the way he wanted it to . He had the most dangerous job , in the most dangerous place in the world . He was a bomb tech , a highly trained and respected warrior , and was considered to be absolutely nuts by many of the service members with whom he worked . That night has lived with me every day since I took that walk . It was the end of my military career , and the beginning of a journey that has been more challenging , and more rewarding , than anything I could have imagined .
September 2016 Edition
up , they gave me an opportunity to use my knowledge and experience to find a purpose and give back to my brothers in arms . I began volunteering and eventually became part of the staff . I was able to use my experience to help guide and even create programs that would actually make a difference .
We wanted to create a program that would reengage our youth with pride and love for the freedoms we so often take
for granted . That program is Boot Campaign ’ s Patriot League .
( SSgt . ( Ret .) Mark Burleson shares how 9 / 11 inspired him to enlist in the Marines , and how Boot Campaign made a job feel like a family . Courtesy of Boot Campaign and YouTube )
I was given a second chance at life through Boot Campaign . They didn ’ t offer me a hand out , like so many other organizations . They offered me a hand
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