MMI cadets, faculty & staff had the pleasure of hosting Mike Durant, CW4 (Retired) as a distinguished speaker on Wed. April 5. Addressing the Chapel audience, he shared examples of perseverance from his 22-year Army career, recalling multiple times when he opted for Plan B to reach career goals (such as flight school or special forces). He advised the college students to seize opportunities as they present themselves. With nearly 4,000 flight hours, having participated in combat operations Prime Chance (Persian Gulf), Just Cause (Panama), Desert Storm (Kuwait), and Restore Hope (Somalia), Durant is best known for a pivotal moment in U.S. military history: On Oct. 3, 1993, while piloting a Blackhawk in Mogadishu, Somalia, he was shot down by an RPG and held captive by hostile forces. The sole survivor of his flight crew, suffering severe injuries, he was released 11 days later. Told he would "never fly again," Durant finished the Marine Corps Marathon in fall 1995 and received a medic...