“During Air Force Academy’s graduation on Thursday, senior cadets will be told about the uncertain world they are entering and the battles they may face. It may be underwhelming for 22-year-old Parker Hammond. He’s already fought a private war.”

“Hammond went from a strapping 275-pound offensive lineman as a freshman to a shriveled and shivering senior as he fought through chemotherapy. He battled cancer, and he battled bureaucracy to get the lieutenant’s bars he’ll pin on after he crosses the stage in Falcon Stadium on Thursday.”

“‘It changed how I look at stuff on a day-to-day basis and how I look at things long term,’ Hammond said last week as he prepared for what he once thought would be the biggest day of his life. ‘I am very hesitant to look too far into the future right now.’”

Read more at The Gazette.