He's 40 years old and looking for life beyond the poverty of hisHawaiian community. Can the Army give Clayton Beaver and his family afuture? In this week's issue of Washington Post Magazine, Michael Leahy meets the older recruit. View the photo gallery.

Michael Leahy is a staff writer for the Magazine. He can be reached atleahym@washpost.com.

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Michael Leahy: Thanks for joining us. I see we have quite a few questions, so we'll get started.

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Bethesda, MD: This is a raw and extraordinary story and beautifully told. I've never fully appreciated why anybody joins the Army, but I can relate to and appreciate a good man who wants his family to have a home and opportunities. I admire Clayton Beaver delivering for his family and your story revealed all this powerfully. But I have concerns. My question is what if, three, four, five years down the road, this doesn't work out for him? What does a 43 or 45 year old man do then? Are there serious reasons to worry if it doesn't work out?

Michael Leahy: Thanks for the kind comment and the question. There are no guarantees in the Army experience. If he finds it fulfilling and excels in his work, he could rise, put together a secure existence for his family, and have a long, stable career in the military. But it doesn't work out for everyone, not even for everyone who has thrived in boot camp. And it takes only one glimpse at all the homeless military veterans out there to know that a military career is no ticket to a successful post-military career. That said, Clayton Beaver is off to a terrific start in his Army career, having excelled in boot camp (he was chosen by his Drill Sergeant as the Assistant Platoon Guide (APG) for the platoon) and graduating from boot camp (after this story went to press) on November 9. He is excited now to have begun his occupational training as a Cargo Specialist and looking forward to receiving work on where he'll be stationed. Teresa and Kalani, who attended his graduation at Fort Jackson, are looking forward to joining him for good once he is stationed.

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Alexandria, VA: I loved the article. It's a great examination of one family and how the war affects it, and by extension how it affects other families.

Could I ask a silly question? The captions indicate that Clayton Beaver is a PFC, but the photo of him cleaning his weapon shows him with sergeant's stripes. Is that an indicator of his role as assistant platoon guide, or has he already been promoted to sergeant, or is there something else afoot?

Michael Leahy: Thanks for the nice words.

And re that insignia (which I've had a lot of questions about): you hit it right on the head. It's an insignia used at Fort Jackson to indicate leadership positions within the platoon -- in Beaver's case, it designates his standing as an APG (Assistant Platoon Guide).

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Baltimore, MD: It was gripping to read how Beaver went back and forth between evidently pumping himself up for what was coming and expressing reservations about what he was getting himself into. Thanks for telling the story so honestly and letting all the complexities of his motives and worries come through. Beyond the concerns that he expressed in your story, did you have any other sense of his worry or on the other hand his excitement. And does the Army have any special programs/counseling for older vets dealing with any special anxieties?

Michael Leahy: Thank you. Of course, the military has many programs for soldiers dealing with anxieties, but, no, the Army has no particular age-based program for 40-year-old-plus soldiers grappling with anxieties.

And, yes, I observed many moments during my time with Clayton where he oscillated between worry and fascination over what was coming. He was a wonderful subject precisely because of his extraordinary openness. He gave voice to what most of us would feel in similar circumstances: He talked several times about his concern about his well-being and worried aloud a couple of times about how Teresa and Kalani would cope if anything ever happened to him. But he had a measure of peace, too, believing he had done everything in his power both to be true to his pledge to the military and to bring himself back in one piece for his family. He made no secret of trying to minimize the risk to himself. For instance, he talked one day about how, in choosing a military occupation, he could have opted to repair roads. But then, as he said, he remembered that roads in places like Iraq and Afghanistan often meant deadly mines and said, No, he didn't want that.

On the other hand, he was intrigued by the notion of getting in great shape and living a new adventure. So, as I said, my days with him involved observing this frequent oscillation of sorts.

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Re: Bethesda's concern: Is Mr. Beaver's Cargo Specialist training something that he could apply back home? Honolulu is a substantial port. If he is unable to pursue a full career in the army, can he take his skills to Honolulu or Pearl Harbor (as a civilian employee)?

And I bet he'd make a heck of a recruiter for the Army, too...

Michael Leahy: To your question: Absolutely.

He hopes his Cargo Specialist skills will translate to a great job in the private sector, if and when he leaves the military -- whether that's a few years from now or 20-plus years down the road.

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Arlington, VA: This story struck me somewhere deep. I found myself becoming quite emotional in reading about all of Clayton Beaver's attempts to make a good go for his loved ones. My best to him and my compliments on a superbly written and reported story.

My question is this. Does the Army think that they have a chance to get a lot of 40 year old people like Clayton? Would his potential success or a setback likely have an effect on this in any way? Might it have an effect on an Army decision to keep the program going?

Michael Leahy: The numbers for the 40-plus group are small in relative terms. But the program is reflective, in part, of the military's determination to look to new groups to recruit more soldiers.

If the 40-plus program were to be a disaster, then certainly the Army would be compelled to rethink it. But early indications suggest the 40-plus group is holding its own.

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Great Mills Md: The money question: did Mr. Beaver finish basic training?

If he did, where is he stationed now?

If not, did he return home and how was his inability to finish basic training viewed by his family?

Also, thanks for the insight into the Hawaii the tourists never see.

Michael Leahy: Since the story went to press, Beaver has graduated from basic training and has begun his occupational training (Cargo Specialist) training. Word of where he'll be stationed will come upon completion of that training.

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Quantico, VA: Where or how did you hear of this story?

I was so moved by the article I could barely put it down. I cried more than a few times.

Michael Leahy: In wake of the Army's decision to raise the age ceiling for recruits from 35 to 40 and then to 42, we had wanted for a while to do a story about a 40-plus recruit. We conveyed our interest to the Army's Public Affairs officials, who at some point told me about Clayton Beaver, among other people. I spoke with Beaver over the phone and concluded he was exactly the kind of subject I was looking for: someone at once open, unflinchingly honest, articulate, and a bit ambivalent about things in moments.

I flew out to Hawaii a week after that conversation and the interviews and research began.

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Waldorf, MD: I left Hawaii 24 years ago (at 19) for the same reasons Beaver joined the Army. Reading this story almost brought me to tears. My brothers back home are still barely scraping by. It's a shame that the opportunities for the kids back home are still so limited. I am not in the military, but I have a rewarding career in IT and have a wonderful family and newborn son. I applaud PFC Beaver for doing what he had to do to take care of his family and I wish him all the best. Aloha and God Bless!

Michael Leahy: I wanted to post this comment from a former resident of Hawaii, who has commented on his own experiences.

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Kaneohe, Hawaii: Excellent article. I'm a LT in the Navy and I've been stationed in Hawaii for the last four years. Sometimes I cannot imagine how non-military people afford to live here when the median cost of a home is over $500,000 and a gallon of milk at Safeway costs $7. I applaud Mr. Beaver for his decision to enlist, but I'm sad that it took that drastic of a measure to provide for his family. Did he try to get stationed in Hawaii at Schofield Barracks or did he want to be on the mainland for his first tour? Where did he end up getting stationed?

Michael Leahy: Thanks for your perspective, as well as for your comments and question. Beaver has yet to be stationed (again, that will occur after he completes his occupational training). His hope is that he will be stationed either on the mainland or in Western Europe, and that his wife, Teresa, and son, Kalani, will join him there soon after. He dreams in particular of Kalani's life being enriched by such an experience.

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Arlington, VA: Great story and great writing. As a former baseball little leaguer, I was wondering how the son's baseball season turned out?

Michael Leahy: Well, as the story notes, Kalani put baseball aside after Clayton went off to boot camp in South Carolina. Clayton hopes that when they're reunited for good that perhaps Kalani will resume his promising high school baseball career. As an impartial observer, let me comment that Kalani is an incredibly nimble young man who'd likely excel in baseball and several other sports.

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Newark, NJ: I was moved by Clayton's determination to carry on and provide for his family despite his obvious worry about what military service entails. Thank you for a vivid and moving account of his last days on the Islands and his boot camp experience. How has Teresa been bearing up in his absence? And did you have any thoughts on Clayton's future while watching him in S. Carolina?

Michael Leahy: Thanks for the kind assessment. Teresa has been doing fine. She is not the kind of person to mope. Until she went off to see her own son and then Clayton graduate, she had been busy working long days at her job as a banquet manager, and then coming home to look after her grandchild.

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Oxford, Miss: Thanks for a very fine piece. A couple of questions - - Did Beaver consider less drastic sacrifices, such as relocation to a state with a lower cost of living? There are many of us that could not afford life in Hawaii. Also, in the course of your research, did you get the idea the Army plays on the needs and weaknesses of prospects to boost their efforts?

Michael Leahy: Well, Clayton did try two regular jobs on the mainland for a while during his Nevada days -- having worked first as an assistant golf pro and later for an airline at the Las Vegas airport. While life in Nevada was less expensive than in Hawaii, Clayton was homesick and despairing that his airport job was unfulfilling.

Re your second question: Doubtless, the Army draws many recruits from the ranks of the desperate, who see the military as a last resort. A recruiter told me at a length about a homeless person on the Waianae Coast who'd signed up because she believed she had no other viable options. There are many tales like that.

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Fairfax, Va.: It seems like Beaver has had opportunities before the Army (college at Brigham Young, well-paying jobs, etc.), but he squandered those opportunities and partied too hard. Do you think he chose the Army as a perceived "easy" solution to his problems in the form of a $25k signing bonus? What evidence do we have that he won't blow this chance, too? Do you think his wife married him to get a piece of the money?

I know this sounds cynical, but I can't help but ask.

Michael Leahy: These are fair questions. Because there are quite a few questions here, let me boil them down to two, if that's all right. First, as the story indicates, Beaver does have deep regrets over not having worked harder in college ("Too much aloha," he says) and on his golf game. He blames only himself for all that. I believe his resolve and success during boot camp evince a new determination. Moreover, in his desperation to provide for his family, he has never had a greater motivation.

Re Teresa: She is an incredibly strong woman who has successfully managed to care for herself and her children over the years. No, I saw nothing that indicated she married Clayton for anything other than love.

Thanks for posing the questions.

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Herndon, Va: Mr. Leany - a great story! From my long, long ago days when I was stationed at Ft Polk, Louisiana - please don't call a rifle a "gun" - that's only used for artillery pieces! (unless nomenclature has changed in the past 40 years)

Michael Leahy: Many thanks for your comment -- and the admonition.

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Farragut Square, DC: Clayton Beaver is THE MAN, and I predict he will very quickly be elevated to leadership as he rallies his 19-year-old comrades to whatever task is at hand.

Being just a few days shy of 40, I could only read this story with admiration. If I tried to enlist, one exam of my knees would earn me a reply of "No thanks, Pops."

But beyond age quips, I admire him further for serving our country and for doing what it takes to improve things for himself and his family. I've seen Hawaii, and it's not all paradise. I also grew up in an insular area with limited local opportunities (Eastern Kentucky) and made the decision to move elsewhere. The alternative is to stay home and spin your wheels forever. If Mr. Beaver makes a career in the Army, he and his family will get to see the world beyond Oahu. If he eventually returns home, he will bring with him perspectives and energies that can be applied towards improving the lives of his family and his local community. Yes, there's risk in serving, but that's life. "If you want to walk on water, you've got to get out of the boat."

Clayton Beaver, if you're reading this: all the best, sir.

Michael Leahy: I'm posting this reader's comment as well as the next reader's comment to provide a window on to how the debate over American involvement in Iraq and elsewhere natually spills over to a story about the Army's attempt to attract recruits like Clayton Beaver.

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Washington, DC: Your article is complete BS. There are plenty of good jobs in the U.S. other than volunteering to fight wars for the oil companies. People like Clayton Beaver are the problem, not the solution.

Michael Leahy: Here is the other reader's comment.

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Minneapolis, Minn: Excellent article!! I especially appreciate the article length - very in depth. I assume there will be follow-up articles on how things are going for Mr. Beaver and his family? I hope so. Again, good job!

Michael Leahy: I suppose a follow-up story in some section of the newspaper is always a possibility. If you drop me a line a year from now, I'll be glad to tell you how Clayton Beaver and his family are faring.

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Michael Leahy: As always, we've run well over our alloted time. Many thanks for all the great questions and observations. Looking forward to chatting with everyone again soon.

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