once an eagle
...” is one of maintaining strong moral character and upholding the time-honored values espoused by the United States Army. Principal among those values are loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage. Though many values are noted, they caused me to contemplate this idea: "Is it possible that there is one value that could be judged too demanding for the average man to aspire?" Sam Damon, the protagonist in the novel, always puts his values above self-interest. As a hard-working soldier who genuinely cares for people, he not only demonstrates the high moral character consistent with Army values, he epitomizes them. He often sees his peers undeservingly ascend above him in rank and position; yet he does not use his military links to rise in the ranks. He regularly chooses what is morally correct over what he might have been ordered to do, which also did not help his quest for attaining higher rank. How he must have questioned his convictions; yet, he remains steadfast in his thinking: "I must do what is right, even when it may not count, or even if I do not gain reco...