Mount Pleasant Magazine Nov/Dec 2019

76 www.MPMcalendar.com | www.BestOfMP.com | www.ILoveMountPleasant.com feature military was as if I had just gotten out of high school.” Luckily, a friend who had established himself at Automaxx of the Carolinas opened a door there for him. With his knowledge of mechanized vehicles and a new enthusiasm for civilian life, Grana became a sales specialist, a position he holds to this day. So, what do a distinguished, ranking non-com with three decades of service and multiple degrees and a private first class with three years of service and no readily translatable skills have in common? For starters, both speak well of their years in service. Grana said that the Army taught him his work ethic, his discipline and his attention to detail. It also taught him that, unlike some of his peers today, he can never feel “entitled – that anything in life should just be handed to me.” Walker said that he “enjoyed every minute” of his service. “The Air Force groomed me and trained me to do all it ever asked of me. It was a place where everyone who took advantages of opportunities could be successful, while seeing a lot of the world as I did.” For another thing, unlike returning veterans from the Vietnam War, Walker and Grana returned home to praise, not rejection. Walker’s unit participated in a “huge parade” in Sumter, which was witnessed by President George H. W. Bush. Grana’s unit arrived home in the dead of night, yet they still had a big gathering to greet them. And neither former soldier can count the number of times people have thanked them for their service. Walker believes that every motivated student with the resources to attend college should do so. However, he added, “If you are not really sure what you want to do in life, I highly recommend the military as a place to get great training and the opportunity to be the best that you can be.” Grana credited his Army experience with “making me a better man – 110%. … Right now, I’m pretty happy in the car business. If I set my sights on something else, I’ll bring my military training and the military’s core values I learned to help me become a success.” While some headlines focus on veterans who had a rocky transition to civilian life, Walker and Grana are local examples of how that progression can be positive.