In the military, you quickly learn that the information you’re given doesn’t always match what you actually find. A map might say one thing and the ground, another. When that happens, we can do two things. One, improvise, and two, overcome.

A mission may seem simple on paper: Get from Point A to Point B, on time. But those maps didn’t always show the rivers, obstacles, or other unknowns lurking in the jungle. We were issued new maps every mission, and each map seemed to stretch further and further into enemy territory.

In Vietnam, most of our cavalry missions were “search and destroy.” We spent a lot of our time in the thick of it, pushing forward.

Like the time we crossed into Cambodia - illegally, I might add. We were sent to recon the trails the North Vietnamese used to move supplies with small Asian elephants (yes, you read that right) packed with weapons, food, and medical supplies. 

Our orders were clear: no fire support and no extraction.

I was on the left flank with my squad of twelve men. The platoon sergeant held the right, and the lieutenant the center. My point man that day was a young soldier named Savage. We were cutting through thick underbrush, trying to make as little noise as possible, when Savage suddenly hustled back with wide eyes.

“Sergeant Pass! Sergeant Pass!” he whispered.

“What is it, Savage?”

“I heard a radio!”

A radio? Out there? That could only mean one thing: enemy forces.

We crawled up and laid in the bush, listening. At first, nothing. But just as I was about to give it up, crack! The squelch broke. Savage was right. It wasn’t just a stray radio. This was a sizable force, and we’d been ordered not to engage.

We were supposed to regroup with the lieutenant and platoon sergeant, then head back across the river. But instead of following the trail we’d been assigned, I improvised. We made a shortcut, shaved off time, and avoided walking into an ambush.

No shots were fired that day. We returned safely to the fire base. Later, I overheard Savage tell the others, “Sergeant Pass saved our necks today.”

I don’t know about that. All I know is sometimes life demands you trust your gut, pivot, and find a new path. You improvise. You overcome.

Not just in the military, but in our everyday lives. Plans don’t always match reality. Jobs change, relationships evolve, and health throws unexpected curveballs. 

But with courage and a little creativity, you’ll still get from Point A to Point B, even if the route looks completely different from what you expected.

Be well. Stay well. Thanks for readin’. 

Francis Pass

P.S. - Remember, a setback is just an invitation to try something new.