读者文摘:我在新兵训练营学到的经验(1)（在线收听）

A decade ago, when my son raised his hand and vowed to "support and defend the Constitution"while being sworn in to the U.S. armed forces,

十年前，我的儿子在向美国武装部队宣誓就职时，举手宣誓“支持和捍卫宪法”，

I felt a collision of emotions: burning pride, aching loss, jubilation, consuming worry—and the passing of years.

我感到一种情绪的碰撞：燃烧的骄傲、痛苦的失败感、欢乐、忧虑——以及岁月的流逝。

How had we gone from pacifiers to camouflage uniforms so quickly?

我们怎么这么快就从奶嘴变成了迷彩服？

A big part of my pride came from the fact that I had served a generation before my son,

我骄傲的大部分原因是因为我在生他之前参过军

so his enlisting felt like the beginning of a family tradition.

所以他参军就像是继承了家风。

In fact, he was born at Ireland Army Community Hospital in Fort Knox, Kentucky, in 1987.

事实上，1987年，我的儿子出生于肯塔基州诺克斯堡的爱尔兰陆军社区医院。

As my son prepared to follow in my boot steps, I was eager to pass along advice on how to succeed.

当我的儿子准备跟随我的脚步时，我急切地想向他传递关于如何成功的建议。

I began to craft a list of suggestions, as any dad would when his child was venturing into the world.

我开始起草一份建议清单，就像任何一位父亲在孩子冒险踏入社会时所做的那样。

But the more I wrote, the more I realized that this wasn't a guide to surviving boot camp.

但我写得越多，就越意识到这不是一本如何在新兵训练营中生存的指南。

It was a guide for life. Substitute department manager for drill sergeant,

而是一本生活指南。从部门经理替换成为教官，

and the advice rings just as true for the civilian world as it does for the military.

这个建议对平民和军队同样适用。

My son survived boot camp and is thriving today as a NASA engineer.

我的儿子从新兵训练营幸存下来，现在是一名美国宇航局的工程师。

Perhaps these words of hard-learned wisdom contributed to his success in some way;

也许这些来之不易的智慧话语在某种程度上促成了他的成功；

I certainly like to think so. If this advice worked for him, it just might work for all of us as well.

我当然愿意这么想。如果这个建议对他有效的话，那么对我们所有人都有效。

1. Never argue with drill sergeants. If you have a differing opinion, ask whether you can give yours.

1、千万不要和教官争论，如果你有不同的意见，询问是否能给出你的意见。

They'll tell you whether there's any room for discussion. If not, salute and move out smartly.

他们会告诉你是否有讨论的余地，如果没有，敬礼，潇洒地离开。

Don't roll your eyes or let your attitude show, either. The drill sergeants will pick up on it and eat your lunch.

不要翻白眼，也不要表现出你的态度。教官会注意到你，吃你的午餐。