Mark McElroy, Jr., with his M249 SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon) hunkered down in his foxhole.

At the age of 21, McElroy has experienced life-changing events than many of us could never comprehend.
While still in high school, McElroy chose to model himself after a deep-rooted family tradition — he followed in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps and enlisted in the Army.

His parents, Mark and Pauline McElroy Sr., had mixed emotions about their son’s enlistment.

“I felt proud but sad and knew I would miss him,” Pauline responded. “There was the possibility of him being killed. We are so glad he is home. We prayed hard.”

“He did not have to prove anything [by joining],” Mark Sr. explained. “We worried about him.”
After graduating from Jefferson High School in 2010, he was sent to Fort Benning, Ga., for basic training and jump school, where he trained as a paratrooper.