MAJ Scott Meehan, U.S. Army (1980-2005)

When I first signed on the dotted line to join the Army, my plan was simple: serve three years and get out. That changed quickly. Just over a year into my enlistment, I got married and soon had a child with another on the way. Life had shifted, and so had my path. I re-enlisted for an additional four years after receiving orders for an overseas assignment in Berlin.

It was in Berlin that my eyes were opened to new possibilities. The experience inspired me to pursue a long-term career as an officer. I explored several options: I applied to Warrant Officer School, then Officer Candidate School (OCS), and eventually made the tough decision to ETS (End Term of Service) so I could attend college and earn a degree. I then joined the ROTC program.

Those years in ROTC were some of my best. I excelled and came back to the Army three years later not as a private, but as a Regular Army Commissioned Officer. I went on to serve another fifteen years, including three deployments to the Middle East, before retiring as a Major.

Never Quit
Less than a year after entering the Army, I had already completed Basic Training, AIT, Airborne School, and Phase I of Special Forces training. I was stationed at Fort Sam Houston, preparing to begin Phase II the rigorous 300-F1 Special Forces Aidman course.

But on the very first day of class, things took an unexpected turn. The commander announced that four regular Army soldiers had to step aside temporarily so that four Alabama National Guard members, whose arrival had not been anticipated, could take their seats due to funding logistics. I was one of the four asked to step down, with the promise that we could return for the next course cycle.

Instead of letting disappointment drag me down, I took three weeks of leave and traveled to the Amazon jungle in Ecuador, where my parents were missionaries. While there, I met a young schoolteacher who was also doing mission work. We connected immediately, and after she returned to the States, we got engaged that summer and married in the fall.
That was 44 years ago. And none of it my career, my marriage, my family would have happened if I hadn t learned the value of staying flexible and refusing to quit when the road changed course.
Major Scott A. Meehan (Ret.)

LESSONS LEARNED & ADVICE FOR NEW RECRUITS

1. Flexibility isn’t weakness it’s strategic resilience. Plans change. Orders change. Life changes. Your ability to adapt will be one of your greatest assets.
2. The Army may redirect you, but it won t define you unless you let it. Use detours as opportunities, not dead ends.
3. Stay mission-focused, but never ignore the unexpected gifts life throws your way. A delay in training might lead to a life partner. A reassignment might reveal your true calling.
4. Quitting is easy. Sticking it out builds character. There will be moments when quitting feels like the only sane option.

Read the Military Memories of our Runner-Ups.