If I still had my legs, I would be in line for a battalion command, and instead, I'm flying a desk.
Tammy DuckworthRead
As I recovered at Walter Reed, I worried about the soldiers who pulled me out of my helicopter that Friday afternoon. Would they make it back okay? And what about all the other soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen who were also putting their lives on the line every day?
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects concerns for the well-being of fellow soldiers who risk their lives for others.
In this quote, Tammy Duckworth expresses her profound gratitude and worry for her fellow service members during her recovery at Walter Reed. She acknowledges the sacrifices made by those in the military and highlights the deep sense of camaraderie and responsibility that exists among soldiers, emphasizing a shared commitment to each other's safety and sacrifice in service to their country.
Themes
CourageMilitarySacrificeBrotherhoodService
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote in a speech to honor veterans during a Memorial Day ceremony.
More from Tammy Duckworth
All quotes →It was the combination of hard work and a hand up that allowed me to become one of the first women to fly in combat missions and achieve my American Dream.
Tammy DuckworthRead
I went to Iraq in 2004 because I believe in doing my duty, not because I agreed with the war.
Tammy DuckworthRead
The women putting their lives at risk for our country deserve better than to be treated as second-class citizens.
Tammy DuckworthRead
The wheelchair and the prosthesis give me a soapbox to stand on. If it helps me get my message across, I'm glad; then we need to talk about what we need to do for this country.
Tammy DuckworthRead
My experience in Iraq made me realize, and during the recovery, that I could have died. And I just had to do more with my life.
Tammy DuckworthRead
Similar quotes
Desire urges me on, while fear bridals me.
Giordano BrunoRead
Someone is always at my elbow reminding me that I am the granddaughter of slaves. It fails to register depression with me.
Zora Neale HurstonRead
In a word, I was too cowardly to do what I knew to be right, as I had been too cowardly to avoid doing what I knew to be wrong.
Charles DickensRead
To gain a crown by fighting is great, to reject it divine.
Friedrich SchillerRead
I know not what others may choose but, as for me, give me liberty or give me death.
Patrick HenryRead
It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.
Edmund HillaryRead