So why did the guys in my unit and the civilians who helped me in the second war do it? For a simple reason: they’re just plain good people. They didn’t get paid bonuses. They received no medals on their chests. They just gave. Over and over. As I left the hospital down south, I knew I needed to return the favor. I needed to give something back. And that’s when it hit me. The second thing you owe to people who save your life: You’ve got to live your life fully. You’ve got to get back to being an asset.