Don Slesnick was born in Harlingen, Texas in 1943 during WWll. His father served in WWll, and recalls he spoke highly of his service to the military. At the University of Virginia, Don volunteered for the ROTC and graduated in 1965 as a 2nd Lieutenant. He was then commissioned and committed to serve 2 years but was deferred for 4 years while attending law school. He graduated in 1968, then reported to active duty in 1969 to Fort Sill, Oklahoma for basic artillery officer training and was assigned as a Forward Observer. He then went to Buren, Germany for 2 years as a U.S. Army Nuclear Weapons Advisor to NATO forces, then to Fort Gordon, Georgia to learn civil affairs, then to Vietnam where he served for 8 months during 1971. He said the military influenced the rest of life. A year after returning home, he joined the Army Reserves and became active in a number of military related organizations and was an Army Reserve Ambassador for Florida. He retired from the Army as a Lt. Colonel after 27 years of service and had received combat ribbons and awards.