Military Regrets and Missed Opportunities: The Two Choices That Still Haunt Me

A retired Lt. Colonel reflects on military regrets and

missed opportunities in uniform and family life.

Regrets. We all have them. No life, no matter how disciplined or determined, escapes without a few. Looking back, especially after writing A Soldier Against All Odds, I was surprised to find that I only carried two real regrets with me.

The first was professional. I had a shot at Ranger School—a grueling course reserved for the best of the best in the infantry. I had earned my slot. I was ready, both mentally and physically. But when I fully grasped the level of sleep and food deprivation involved, I got scared. I let fear make the decision for me, and I walked away. I chickened out. That choice still lingers in the back of my mind. Those military regrets and missed opportunities taught me that fear can be as powerful as any enemy on the battlefield.

The second regret is personal. I wish I had more than one child. Fatherhood was, and still is, the greatest role I've ever known. It changed me in ways nothing else could. But by the time I realized how deeply it fulfilled me, my spouse and I were older—and the window had closed.

Two regrets. One missed opportunity in uniform. One missed chapter in the family. But even so, I count myself lucky. Because I kept going. I kept fighting. And I told my story—flaws and all.

Jason Pike

Veteran, Bestselling Author & Inspiring Speaker

jasonpike.org