I am not supposed to be here. In fact, I almost didn’t graduate from high school. I missed half of my junior year in high school watching over my Mom. Success wasn’t supposed to happen for me. I am a Surgeon today but back then I was just trying to survive.

If I know how to do anything in this life, its survive.

My Uncle was my standard for success. He always had beautiful women, fast, expensive cars, and he always had money. He was my idol. I remember him serving in the U.S. Army during Desert Storm. His success was built upon that foundation. Growing up poor, I wanted and craved that type of success. I needed it to save my family.

Although we did not discuss it openly, my brother also had a similar idea, . One day at the beginning of his Senior year of high school, he came home late and proudly stated he joined the Army. My Brother wanted to go to college and we had no way to pay for it. So, he decided he’d let the Army pay the bill and secure his future. In doing so, he fueled my curiosity.

I never had financial security before the age of 17. When it came time to figuring out how to take care of my family in the midst of my Mom struggling with Bipolar Disorder, I knew we desperately needed financial security. This time in my life happened to coincide with my college basketball recruitment picking up.

In return for my commitment, I changed the financial future for my family. My collegiate basketball career did not work out, however if I had to do it again today, I wouldn’t choose different. That security meant the world to me.

As I grew older, I started to understand the military is in the business of exchanging time for money. This also taught me about life. There is money and financial security in desired skill sets. The greater the perceived worth of a skill, the more money you could make. Once I realize that relationship I understood the military more.

I had set a goal of becoming a Surgeon when I was a Plebe (Freshman) at the Academy. However I was 24 years of age when I finally applied. At the time, I was responsible for my Mother’s finances. The possibility of placing the financial security of my family in jeopardy was never an option. Thus I was not willing to take on massive student loans to pursue becoming a Surgeon and once again the Navy stepped in.

Because of the Health Professions Scholarship Program, I was able to minimize my dependence on student loans. Making financial decisions from a standpoint of financial insecurity is not a great feeling. However I did what I had to do to secure my financial future.

We all make choices like these. Whether, it’s you deciding to go to the local community college because it’s cheaper or becoming a tradesmen because of the immediate paycheck. Our financial well-being influences our decisions.

Financially it was a smart decision to go into the military. I leveraged my time and skill to create the financial security my family needed. As result, I catapulted multiple socioeconomic classes in exchange for my time.

Because time is money and I understand that I may have lost out on some increased wages as a Surgeon. However the military has trained me beyond that of what I would’ve been able to afford on my own. For that I am incredibly grateful.

Do not be afraid to leverage your skill/potential to increase your socioeconomic standing and gain financial security. There are a lack of opportunities for success for minorities. WE have to go out and create the success that we need to thrive. Financial independence and generational wealth is hard to build without success. My success was created via the Military. How will you create your success?