Olympic Torchbearer's Essay

The following, by Coast Guard SN Mallory E. Schafer, earned her a place as a torchbearer for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, during the torch's only North American stop, in San Francisco, CA, April 9, 2008. SN Schafer wrote:

On October 9, 2007, I turned my personal journey into my professional journey when I enlisted in the United States Coast Guard. No longer am I a civilian with a work life and a personal life. Instead, I find a balance between being available to serve 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and being a daughter and a friend. Any sacrifices made in the line of duty are well worth the end result, which is a country full of citizens who can sleep peacefully at night because the United States military members work round the clock to ensure the nation’s safety. In this respect, I feel as an Olympic Torchbearer, I’d represent the thousands of American military members, and the citizens we protect.

—SN Mallory Elizabeth Schafer, USCG
USCG Integrated Support Command, Alameda, CA