Ethics 101

Call me old fashioned, but I believe in heroes. I had the pleasure of growing up during the "Decade of Decadence" and I am grateful. During this period there no lack of Hollywood Action stars shooting up the bad guys on the silver screen. Big haired guitar Gods paying vicious solos at deafening volume. The sports legends that lead their teams to win the big game. Everywhere you looked there was a hero, someone too look up to, someone who was wholesome and could do no wrong in a little boys eyes.

I watched Rambo at way to young of an age. My parents took my sister and I to a double feature at the local drive-in. ET, The Extra-Terrestrial was the number one family movie at the time and the other was a action flick staring Sylvester Stallone, First Blood. After we watched ET my mom told us we could not watch the next movie and we had to go to sleep. At first I behaved, but it wasn't long before I was sneaking a peak through the seats. That movie changed my life, I no longer wanted to be a fireman or a truck driver, I was going to be a Soldier.

That night started a fascination that is still with me today. Before that night, I had only known clean family movies. I knew nothing of war movies, I had no idea such movies existed. My family consisted of strict Christians, that believed that everything and anything was a sin, and watching Rambo would surly damn me to Hell. The same town I lived in consisted of one bar, 1 grocery store, one hardware, and about 20 churches. The strong church community fought cable television from coming into town, and tried it's best to shut down the town only bar. My mother was the worst of all. She was very overprotective, and tried her best to control everything I did and who I chose as friends. Watching an R Rated movie would never happen on my mother watch. This forced me to become sneaky. I spent days with friends watching Steve Segal Chuck Norris, Michael Dudikoff, Dolph Lundgren, Bruce Willis, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and the king of all action stars Arnold Schwarzenegger.

If First Blood changed my life than Invasion USA gave me my first true hero. This was the first time I saw Chuck Norris in action. In my circle of friends it was rumored that Chuck Norris was a ninja, all 12 year old boys want to be a ninja. I secretly watched every Chuck Norris movie I could get my greedy little hands on. When a new Chuck Norris classic would come to the local theater, my friends and I would be the first in line. Chuck Norris was the wholesome hero that made me want to do something special with my life. He made me a better student, neighbor, and son. I wanted to be just like my hero when I grew up.

I joined the Army after my High School Graduation and have not looked back. The Army seemed to be the best choice for a poor kid from the coal fields of West Virginia. The Army has sent me all around the world. I have been to places that my family and old friends could only dream to see. It has not been an easy life; the Army has also sent me to places that no one in their right mind would want to see. Through all of the good times and bad, I have always known that the Army would be there to take care of me. Joining the Army was the best decision I have very made, it has turned me into the man I am today. I have my hero to thank for that decision.

Throughout the 90's my heroes turned into B-Movie jokes. The big haired guitar Gods were replaced by flannel shirt wearing jerk offs with daddy issues. The heroes packed their bags, they settled for syndicated television, infomercials, and some ran for office. My heroes were long forgotten, placed in a "break glass in case of cheesy war movie emergency" container. They were not missed by a generation that idolized the disgusting acts of Marilyn Manson or even worse The Backstreet Boys. Yet these were the musical heroes that the youth of America chose. In my eyes the 90s produced some of the worst music ever; however the 90s got me interested in something I had never really cared for before, sports.

During the 90s there were numerous spots heroes for an entire generation to look up to. There was Michael Jordan leading the Chicago Bulls to six NBA Titles. Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were in a heated home run race in 1998. The "Great One" Wayne Gretzky was the NHLs Most Valuable Player and the league's leading scorer. Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Jeff Gordon tore up race tracks all over the country in a heated rivalry. With all of these great sports legends there was one young man that was a true standout during the 90s, Eldrick