Army Veteran Daniel Kim ’09 Shares His Story of Service

Army Veteran Daniel Kim ’09 Shares His Story of Service

Solid preparation is the key to success in high-stakes situations, Army veteran Dan Kim ’09 told Upper School students during this year’s Veterans Day Assembly.

“All kinds of things can go wrong, all sorts of bad things,” Kim said. “But that’s why you train. You study, you plan, and you prepare ahead of time. And when it’s time to execute, it’s time to stop worrying about the unknown and the hypotheticals. It’s time to rely on your preparations, your own abilities to rise to the challenge. Focus on the problem at hand that actually exists instead of all the could-be problems at this point. What will be will be, and worrying about the outcome is not going to change anything. Things are stressful enough without having to borrow from the future. So when it’s time to execute, meet the moment with confidence, focus without worrying about the possibilities, and smile.”

Dare to Lead

Uncertain times demand great leaders—and great leadership demands courage, intellect, and unshakable sense of ethics. Milton centers these ideals in its classrooms and community at large. Alumni at the tops of their fields cite their Milton experiences as foundational in preparing them to lead. On campus, students begin leading as soon as they begin learning, readying themselves for the world they will inherit with the confidence needed to effect positive and lasting change.