Chester Nez and Loyalty

"When I went into the service in San Diego, they told us we had to develop a code in our own native language.  This was the most important thing we did."  The best word to describe Chester Nez is loyal.  Chester grew up on the reservation on his grandmother's land.  His family raised sheep together, however, there wasn't a lot of green grass for them to eat so he'd have to walk 15-20 miles a day to a location that did have it.  As a child he went to boarding school where he and the other Native American children were mistreated for their culture.  They were not allowed to use their Navajo language.  Therefore, they were forced to become fluent in English.  This helped them later on because it made them multilingual and able to receive and send the messages in code.  Another negative factor of boarding school was that their culture's traditions were neglected and not accepted.  Chester was a different person between school and home.  At school it was like "wearing a different face."  Once home, he felt free to be himself.  Despite all of these awful things he endured as a young boy, Chester still answered the call when he heard that the marines needed Navajo for a special mission.  That's what it means to be loyal.  He didn't know what he'd be doing, and all through his life this country hadn't treated him well.  Yet, Chester stayed with his country.  Chester Nez is much like Louie Zamperini in this way.  Both of them were willing to go through hardships and difficulties to remain loyal to their country.  No matter what they had to go through, neither wouldn't leave when needed.  "I'm so happy I changed the war.  I'm glad to say I served my country."