United States Master Sergeant (Retired) Joshua D. Wenger decided to join the military while he was stuck in traffic. After his long daily commute to work had turned into a four-hour ordeal, Wenger was frustrated and indignant with his situation. Just out of high school, he had never really considered the military as an option for his future; however, when he finally reached the mall where he worked, he was approached by a recruitment officer. At that moment, Wenger’s military ambitions were born. 

Originally, Wenger’s plan for his military career was simple: he would fulfill his four years, save some money, and then get a college degree. So, just a year later, Joshua D. Wenger joined the United States Army. Following basic training, he, now a 73C financial technician, was assigned to a mission in Germany. After two years, however, Wenger’s long-term plans began to change. Having been given an assignment to his home state, Maryland, he decided that if he could be at home anyway, why not serve the full twenty years required to retire with a pension? He did, and over the course of his remaining years, Wenger served several different positions within the army, receiving training in everything from how to cut down trees, jump out of airplanes, and drive using evasive maneuvers to qualify to transport large sums of money. Years passed, and Wenger continued to serve both in Maryland and all throughout the world through various deployments. 

Over twenty years after that life-changing four-hour commute, Master Sergeant Wenger retired from the military to live on a farm in New York with his growing family, the farm meaningfully titled, Warrior Ethos, reflective of the Army creed stating, “I will always place the mission first, I will never accept defeat, I will never quit, and I will never leave a fallen comrade.” 

Like many of his fellow veterans, Wenger has stories that can remind Americans of what it means to be a member of the military. Wenger recalls the discomfort of riding in planes to deliver supplies in Iraq, the thrill of parachuting, and the powerful camaraderie among his fellow servicemen. In fact, Wenger relates that such camaraderie was what he remembers most fondly about the military. He notes that this unparalleled fellowship was “instant”, founded simply upon common loyalty to each other, to their country, and to their experiences as members of the military. 

Though Wenger may have joined the military on a whim, his years spent in the service of his country established unwavering dedication and loyalty to his fellow servicemen, his country, and to the Army Warrior’s Ethos. Even after retirement, whether to himself, his family, or his friends, Wenger retains his devotion to these standards. Wenger has never fired a weapon in an active combat zone or flown an airplane through a deadly firefight. However, such experiences are not what define a hero, but rather, the service that one exhibits for others. Thus it is clear that a lifetime of dedicated service such as that exhibited by Joshua D. Wenger is a prime example of what it truly means to be an American hero.

A Lifetime of Service

by Liam Palumbo