I was sixteen years old and on the verge of becoming just another high school dropout. My life had become overwhelmingly complicated due to an initial depression, which grew stronger as I gave up on much of what was important for me at the time. This downward spiral had to end. Finally, I withdrew from high school halfway through my sophomore year, but not before voluntarily choosing to attend a military school 600 miles away from home. A free program designed for dropouts and sponsored by the national guard, this was a place where I could recover all of my high school credits and set myself up for success. I was never more isolated and afraid, yet I adapted to the situation at hand because I knew I had to. For the next six months, I trained
