Awesome question. Its funny, in hindsight things appear to be a straight line, but in reality the path is more circuitous. My grandfather served in the Navy in WW2 and my great grandfather served in the Tzars band in Russian army. My father is a Devil Dog (Marine hoorah) so there was a natural inclination to serve. I went to the Naval Academy intending to be a pilot (too much Top Gun), then found this other community that was the right fit for me. One that suited my background and skill set and personality.