Veteran's career serves as model to new recruits

Revealing an opportunity

The drumbeat of youth often settles into a familiar groove - an individual wandering aimlessly after high school graduation armed with few plans or resources. Yet occasionally, the hand of fate grasps one by the shoulder and leads them down the path of opportunity.

After graduating from high school in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1992, local veteran Brian Farrow was unsure as to what the future held for him.

Exasperated with his seemingly dull and listless situation, the recent graduate began visiting with a local Coast Guard recruiter to determine if military service was a good fit. Walking through the local mall one afternoon, he decided to enter ....