Travis Manion, a Marine Corps officer, was an assignment I was given to study before I went the Marine Corp’s Summer Leadership and Character Development Academy during the summer of my tenth grade year to have background knowledge on before we spoke to his family. Travis Manion gave his life to save his Marines in combat and on American soil, as told by his sister and family, who travels the country to tell his story, Travis Manion always lived by his motto: “If not me, then who…”. When asked by his loved ones who doesn’t he just let someone else go to combat instead of always volunteering to go Manion always told them, “If I don’t go, someone less qualified then me might have to go, or someone younger with less experience will have to go to take my place. …show more content…
Travis Manion’s motto of “If not me, then who…” has not influenced me to go into the United States Navy to serve our country as Travis Manion did, but it has also inspired me to lead a life of initiative. We were sitting in a large auditorium and there were over 250 kids listening to Travis Manion’s sister talk about what they Travis Manion Foundation was about, and how many people they have inspired with his motto. While she was speaking of his acts of courage on the battlefield it felt as if she was speaking directly to me and it opened up my mind to the possibility of me being the service and serving our country like the many others before me; right then and there I knew I was going to commit to being in the service and bring his motto to my school and inspire others with his encouraging and inspiring