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A decade ago, when my son raised his hand and vowed to "support and defend the Constitution"while being sworn in to the U.S. armed forces,
十年前，我的兒子在向美國武裝部隊宣誓就職時，舉手宣誓“支持和捍衛憲法”，
I felt a collision of emotions: burning pride, aching loss, jubilation, consuming worry—and the passing of years.
我感到一種情緒的碰撞：燃燒的驕傲、痛苦的失敗感、歡樂、憂慮——以及歲月的流逝。
How had we gone from pacifiers to camouflage uniforms so quickly?
我們怎么這么快就從奶嘴變成了迷彩服？
A big part of my pride came from the fact that I had served a generation before my son,
我驕傲的大部分原因是因為我在生他之前參過軍
so his enlisting felt like the beginning of a family tradition.
所以他參軍就像是繼承了家風。
In fact, he was born at Ireland Army Community Hospital in Fort Knox, Kentucky, in 1987.
事實上，1987年，我的兒子出生于肯塔基州諾克斯堡的愛爾蘭陸軍社區醫院。
As my son prepared to follow in my boot steps, I was eager to pass along advice on how to succeed.
當我的兒子準備跟隨我的腳步時，我急切地想向他傳遞關于如何成功的建議。
I began to craft a list of suggestions, as any dad would when his child was venturing into the world.
我開始起草一份建議清單，就像任何一位父親在孩子冒險踏入社會時所做的那樣。
But the more I wrote, the more I realized that this wasn't a guide to surviving boot camp.
但我寫得越多，就越意識到這不是一本如何在新兵訓練營中生存的指南。
It was a guide for life. Substitute department manager for drill sergeant,
而是一本生活指南。從部門經理替換成為教官，
and the advice rings just as true for the civilian world as it does for the military.
這個建議對平民和軍隊同樣適用。
My son survived boot camp and is thriving today as a NASA engineer.
我的兒子從新兵訓練營幸存下來，現在是一名美國宇航局的工程師。
Perhaps these words of hard-learned wisdom contributed to his success in some way;
也許這些來之不易的智慧話語在某種程度上促成了他的成功；
I certainly like to think so. If this advice worked for him, it just might work for all of us as well.
我當然愿意這么想。如果這個建議對他有效的話，那么對我們所有人都有效。
1. Never argue with drill sergeants. If you have a differing opinion, ask whether you can give yours.
1、千萬不要和教官爭論，如果你有不同的意見，詢問是否能給出你的意見。
They'll tell you whether there's any room for discussion. If not, salute and move out smartly.
他們會告訴你是否有討論的余地，如果沒有，敬禮，瀟灑地離開。
Don't roll your eyes or let your attitude show, either. The drill sergeants will pick up on it and eat your lunch.
不要翻白眼，也不要表現出你的態度。教官會注意到你，吃你的午餐。
