So What, Exactly is "Success?" Or is it more that we need to rethink how we define success. By all outward accounts, I think one would see me as a relatively successful man. And there's the rub. Those of us who start on our respective journeys from high school begin as equals. And we move through the Junior Officer ranks (for the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, you get to be Field Grade at O-4 and for the Navy, you get to be Senior at O-5...), we slowly see our friends reach "terminal paygrade." It's painful to watch your friends wind up there and it becomes even more painful to be there yourself. So what is success? For me, I married a nice lady I knew in high school and we brought a beautiful girl into the world who is already an artist with a portfolio who gets commission for her works at the ripe old age of 15. Yes, you read that right. My daughter has made more money selling her art than Vincent Van Gogh ever earned.
