Sweat dripped from his brow and his head rested limply on his M16A2 rifle, but he refused to stop training with his brothers and sisters in arms. Although he had difficulty resisting his power, it struck me that the young man still had the true presence of a warrior. Waiting for his turn at the Basic Rifle Marksmanship Qualification Range while battling serious illness, PVT Steven A. Young truly embodied the values ​​of personal courage and indomitable spirit. This was the last time I saw my PVT Young "Battle Buddy" while he was attending basic combat training for the United States Army. I never said a proper goodbye to him because later that night he was rushed to hospital after collapsing. A few days later he died from the cancer that, unbeknownst to anyone, had been slowly attacking his body for weeks. Young was only 18 years old when he realized his lifelong dream and enlisted in the United States Army. I met him on a bus headed to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, where together we experienced the transition from civilian to Soldier. Somehow, Young had not been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and had completed the first eight weeks of core training without complaint, but as the training wore on, his body became progressively weaker. Even as the clandestine assassin burrowed into his body and physically beat him down, his spirit never wavered. This was highlighted by the letter he wrote from the hospital urging the rest of our company to complete basic training in his place. PVT Young died that summer, but his memory remained with me through five years of military service and more than two years of service overseas, pushing me to make my dreams come true. The experience of having befriended Young ta...... middle of paper ......working closely with patients from underserved populations, I believe I can truly make a difference and impact the health of our nation. My aspirations to contribute to the field of medicine have continually developed since that scorching summer day on the M16 range at Fort Leonard Wood and the memory of Steven Young has never been far from my mind. The honor, integrity, and discipline I developed in the military, combined with my drive to continuously learn about health promotion and the human body, make me a great candidate to become an osteopathic doctor. Through my studies and eventual practice of medicine, I hope to revere my friend's memory by achieving my goals in medicine and am excited about the possibility of attending LECOM and ultimately providing high-quality osteopathic and primary care medical care and focused on the person to patients in the Erie area and beyond.