I visited the town in Macedonia and the Makedonium monument; one of 25 Yugoslav-era monuments commissioned by Tito, touting the might and majesty of Socialism. Visiting this monument changed my service. This monument is a physical representation, not only of the Llinden uprising against the Ottomans in 1903, but also the complexity of Macedonian and Balkan history. This is a country of ancient history, war, ethnic tensions, fluctuating borders, hospitality, and strong family ties. In the photo I am looking at the monument, and in that moment I felt the necessity of maintaining an unbiased neutrality in my service. In order to serve the people of Macedonia I must never take sides, no matter the ethnic group with which I serve; I can never understand, but I can listen, I can serve.