Living here in breathtaking Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, it is difficult to go very far without meeting someone who has served our nation in uniform. Veterans are our neighbors, business owners, coaches, church members, parents, and grandparents. Military service is woven into the fabric of this part of Northwest Florida.
That should come as no surprise. Just a short drive from our community is Eglin Air Force Base, one of the largest and most critical military installations in the world. Nearby are some of America’s most highly trained warriors, including soldiers of the Army’s 7th Special Forces Group. Throughout our region, men and women serve today while thousands of others carry with them the experiences of military service from years gone by.
I understand something of that journey. I am a retired Army chaplain who now calls Santa Rosa Beach home. My years of military service took me to places I never imagined I would go and allowed me to walk alongside remarkable men and women during some of the best—and most difficult—moments of their lives.
Those experiences taught me something important: Military service changes you.
The military teaches discipline, teamwork, sacrifice, courage, and perseverance. It teaches you that the mission matters and that the person standing beside you matters. It also gives many service members something that can be surprisingly difficult to replace when their military career ends: a powerful sense of purpose.
When the uniform comes off, the mission can suddenly seem less clear.
For some veterans, that transition comes easily. For others, it does not. The military once provided a mission, a team, a structure, and a clear understanding of where they fit. Civilian life can sometimes feel very different. The question quietly becomes, What is my mission now?
I have spent much of my life helping people—including veterans—answer that question.
I believe every person needs a sense of purpose. We need to know that our lives matter, that we are contributing to something larger than ourselves, and that there are still hills worth climbing. Retirement from the military does not mean retirement from significance.
In fact, some of a veteran’s greatest contributions may come after military service.
The leadership learned in uniform can strengthen a business. The loyalty learned within a military unit can strengthen a family. The courage developed through hardship can encourage someone who is struggling. The commitment to serving something greater than oneself can strengthen an entire community.
Perhaps that is one of the greatest resources we possess here in Northwest Florida. We don’t simply have a large veteran population. We have an extraordinary reservoir of experience, leadership, resilience, wisdom, and service.
Our challenge is to put it to work.
The military teaches us that every mission eventually comes to an end. But a life of purpose does not.
The uniform may eventually be hung in the closet. The rank is a crucial part of our history. But the opportunity to serve remains.
For veterans—and really for all of us—the question is not simply, What have I done with my life?
The better question may be: What is my mission now?
The Mission Doesn’t End When the Uniform Comes Off
Living here in breathtaking Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, it is difficult to go very far without meeting someone who has served our nation in uniform. Veterans are our neighbors, business owners, coaches, church members, parents, and grandparents. Military service is woven into the fabric of this part of Northwest Florida.
That should come as no surprise. Just a short drive from our community is Eglin Air Force Base, one of the largest and most critical military installations in the world. Nearby are some of America’s most highly trained warriors, including soldiers of the Army’s 7th Special Forces Group. Throughout our region, men and women serve today while thousands of others carry with them the experiences of military service from years gone by.
I understand something of that journey. I am a retired Army chaplain who now calls Santa Rosa Beach home. My years of military service took me to places I never imagined I would go and allowed me to walk alongside remarkable men and women during some of the best—and most difficult—moments of their lives.
Those experiences taught me something important: Military service changes you.
The military teaches discipline, teamwork, sacrifice, courage, and perseverance. It teaches you that the mission matters and that the person standing beside you matters. It also gives many service members something that can be surprisingly difficult to replace when their military career ends: a powerful sense of purpose.
When the uniform comes off, the mission can suddenly seem less clear.
For some veterans, that transition comes easily. For others, it does not. The military once provided a mission, a team, a structure, and a clear understanding of where they fit. Civilian life can sometimes feel very different. The question quietly becomes, What is my mission now?
I have spent much of my life helping people—including veterans—answer that question.
I believe every person needs a sense of purpose. We need to know that our lives matter, that we are contributing to something larger than ourselves, and that there are still hills worth climbing. Retirement from the military does not mean retirement from significance.
In fact, some of a veteran’s greatest contributions may come after military service.
The leadership learned in uniform can strengthen a business. The loyalty learned within a military unit can strengthen a family. The courage developed through hardship can encourage someone who is struggling. The commitment to serving something greater than oneself can strengthen an entire community.
Perhaps that is one of the greatest resources we possess here in Northwest Florida. We don’t simply have a large veteran population. We have an extraordinary reservoir of experience, leadership, resilience, wisdom, and service.
Our challenge is to put it to work.
The military teaches us that every mission eventually comes to an end. But a life of purpose does not.
The uniform may eventually be hung in the closet. The rank is a crucial part of our history. But the opportunity to serve remains.
For veterans—and really for all of us—the question is not simply, What have I done with my life?
The better question may be: What is my mission now?
Bruce R. Duty
Major, U.S. Army Retired
President, CrossCountry3
crosscountry3.com
Santa Rosa Beach, Florida
