For many teenagers, a 17th birthday is usually marked by a small party, a few gifts, or simply the feeling of growing up a little more. But for Ross Andrew McGinnis, that day carried a very different meaning.

On June 14, 2004, his 17th birthday, Ross made a decision that few of his peers were ready for: he enrolled in the U.S. Army’s Delayed Entry Program. It was the first step on the path to becoming the soldier he had dreamed of since childhood.

Ross was not an impulsive person. This decision did not come from a sudden burst of excitement, but from years of thought. Since kindergarten, he had written that he wanted to become a soldier. Throughout his teenage years, Ross had always been drawn to the military’s discipline, honor, and sense of responsibility.

His family felt both proud and worried. They knew this was what he truly wanted, but they also understood that the military path was not easy—especially at a time when the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were still intense.

The Delayed Entry Program (DEP) allowed young men like Ross to enlist early, then finish high school before officially entering the Army. For Ross, it was a way to prepare both mentally and physically for a new life.

After graduating from high school, Ross officially joined the Army and was sent to Fort Benning, Georgia—one of the most well-known infantry training centers in the United States military.

At Fort Benning, Ross’s life changed completely.

Mornings began before the sun rose. The sound of the wake-up call echoed through the darkness, followed by hours of physical training, running, and combat drills. Everything moved under strict discipline. There were no more afternoons fixing cars in the garage or playing ball with friends. Instead, there was mud, sweat, and constant physical tests.

But Ross didn’t complain. Instructors later remembered him as a hardworking recruit—quiet, but always completing his tasks. He wasn’t the most outstanding, but he was dependable.

After finishing his training, Ross was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division—a unit with a long history that had fought in many major conflicts involving the United States.

For Ross, this marked the transition from training to the real life of a soldier.

In 2006, at just 19 years old, Ross received orders to deploy to Baghdad, Iraq. At the time, the war in Iraq was still intense, especially in urban areas like the capital.

Ross left the United States at an age when many of his friends were just starting college, looking for part-time jobs, or enjoying the freedom of youth.

In Iraq, Ross served as a Humvee gunner during patrols. It was a dangerous position, because the gunner was often the most visible target. They had to stand high on the vehicle, scanning every direction and ready to react to any threat.

The streets of Baghdad were nothing like anything Ross had ever known. It was not the peaceful town of Meadville, where neighbors greeted each other every morning. Here, every corner could hide danger. Every parked car, every half-closed window, could be a threat.

Even so, his comrades remembered Ross as calm and friendly. He didn’t complain about the missions or show fear during patrols. He simply did his job quietly, the same way he had in the Boy Scouts or in the garage back home.

At 19, Ross had traveled halfway across the world, carrying the responsibility of protecting his fellow soldiers and completing missions in a dangerous war zone.

The decision he made at 17 had brought him here—from a high school student in Pennsylvania to a real soldier in the streets of Baghdad.

Not everyone could understand that choice.
But for Ross, it was simply the path he had always believed he would follow.

The path of a soldier.