Billy Billingham

I've gone off at a tangent. That's how I was growing up. 13, I got thrown out of school. 11, I was in juvenile court for being in a gang, fighting. I was shaming on my family. I was putting a lot of pressure on my mom and dad. And I knew I was. My mom, as every mom does, he got in with her own crowd. I was their own crowd. I knew what I was doing. And kids do know. So there's lesson one.

I've gone off at a tangent. That's how I was growing up. 13, I got thrown out of school. 11, I was in juvenile court for being in a gang, fighting. I was shaming on my family. I was putting a lot of pressure on my mom and dad. And I knew I was. My mom, as every mom does, he got in with her own crowd. I was their own crowd. I knew what I was doing. And kids do know. So there's lesson one.

Don't let people make excuses for you. Own it. 11 in court, 13, I have a great idea in school to be the hero. I glued the maths teacher to the chair. It didn't go down very well, true. And I got thrown out of school. So my education stopped at 13 years old. I ended up working in a factory illegally at 15, earning money. And then at 15 again, my whole life changed. The fighting got out of control.

Don't let people make excuses for you. Own it. 11 in court, 13, I have a great idea in school to be the hero. I glued the maths teacher to the chair. It didn't go down very well, true. And I got thrown out of school. So my education stopped at 13 years old. I ended up working in a factory illegally at 15, earning money. And then at 15 again, my whole life changed. The fighting got out of control.

Don't let people make excuses for you. Own it. 11 in court, 13, I have a great idea in school to be the hero. I glued the maths teacher to the chair. It didn't go down very well, true. And I got thrown out of school. So my education stopped at 13 years old. I ended up working in a factory illegally at 15, earning money. And then at 15 again, my whole life changed. The fighting got out of control.

I got stabbed and nearly died. And when I was recovering from that, I remember looking at my mum and dad and my family who'd been told he's probably going to die. And I could hear everything going on inside my head, but I couldn't react to it. And I just said to myself, I've got to change my life. I need new direction. I've got to go to the military.

I got stabbed and nearly died. And when I was recovering from that, I remember looking at my mum and dad and my family who'd been told he's probably going to die. And I could hear everything going on inside my head, but I couldn't react to it. And I just said to myself, I've got to change my life. I need new direction. I've got to go to the military.

I got stabbed and nearly died. And when I was recovering from that, I remember looking at my mum and dad and my family who'd been told he's probably going to die. And I could hear everything going on inside my head, but I couldn't react to it. And I just said to myself, I've got to change my life. I need new direction. I've got to go to the military.

So when I recovered a little bit later, it took a while. Then I got injured working in a factory, which I won't go into. I then joined the army at 17. And the army, day one of joining the army, I'd left my hometown where I thought was a big fish in a small pond. I had a reputation. I was now stood in front of real men. My instructor, I remember looking at him on day one.

So when I recovered a little bit later, it took a while. Then I got injured working in a factory, which I won't go into. I then joined the army at 17. And the army, day one of joining the army, I'd left my hometown where I thought was a big fish in a small pond. I had a reputation. I was now stood in front of real men. My instructor, I remember looking at him on day one.

So when I recovered a little bit later, it took a while. Then I got injured working in a factory, which I won't go into. I then joined the army at 17. And the army, day one of joining the army, I'd left my hometown where I thought was a big fish in a small pond. I had a reputation. I was now stood in front of real men. My instructor, I remember looking at him on day one.

He had a big scar across his face. He'd been shot in the Falklands. He was still healing. But there was an aura of respect all around him. And I remember looking at him thinking, I want people to feel about me the way I feel about that man there. And I said to myself, this is going to be horrendous. I was the youngest, I was the skinniest, and I was the mouthiest. That hasn't changed.

He had a big scar across his face. He'd been shot in the Falklands. He was still healing. But there was an aura of respect all around him. And I remember looking at him thinking, I want people to feel about me the way I feel about that man there. And I said to myself, this is going to be horrendous. I was the youngest, I was the skinniest, and I was the mouthiest. That hasn't changed.

He had a big scar across his face. He'd been shot in the Falklands. He was still healing. But there was an aura of respect all around him. And I remember looking at him thinking, I want people to feel about me the way I feel about that man there. And I said to myself, this is going to be horrendous. I was the youngest, I was the skinniest, and I was the mouthiest. That hasn't changed.

And I thought to myself, there's no way I'm going out that gate unless they throw me out or I die. I've got to do this. And I did. And we started with 70, 7-0, and we finished with 7. And I was one of those 7. And then I had a great career with the parachute regiment, joined this regiment, came to Belize, my very first trip. I'd never been... To America. Yeah, I've never been out my hometown.

And I thought to myself, there's no way I'm going out that gate unless they throw me out or I die. I've got to do this. And I did. And we started with 70, 7-0, and we finished with 7. And I was one of those 7. And then I had a great career with the parachute regiment, joined this regiment, came to Belize, my very first trip. I'd never been... To America. Yeah, I've never been out my hometown.

And I thought to myself, there's no way I'm going out that gate unless they throw me out or I die. I've got to do this. And I did. And we started with 70, 7-0, and we finished with 7. And I was one of those 7. And then I had a great career with the parachute regiment, joined this regiment, came to Belize, my very first trip. I'd never been... To America. Yeah, I've never been out my hometown.

The only time I've ever seen an aircraft is when it flew overhead. I've now been on an aircraft nine times and never landed once. I've been thrown out the frigging door. And then all of a sudden, I'm landing in an aircraft in a place called Belize, Central America. Now, when I got told I'm going to my battalion... And they're in America. That's all I heard. I didn't hear Central America.

The only time I've ever seen an aircraft is when it flew overhead. I've now been on an aircraft nine times and never landed once. I've been thrown out the frigging door. And then all of a sudden, I'm landing in an aircraft in a place called Belize, Central America. Now, when I got told I'm going to my battalion... And they're in America. That's all I heard. I didn't hear Central America.

The only time I've ever seen an aircraft is when it flew overhead. I've now been on an aircraft nine times and never landed once. I've been thrown out the frigging door. And then all of a sudden, I'm landing in an aircraft in a place called Belize, Central America. Now, when I got told I'm going to my battalion... And they're in America. That's all I heard. I didn't hear Central America.