Staff Sgt. Russell Adam Burnham. Check out this Wikipedia entry – – which made it to Wikipedia’s English-language front page today. Burnham’s great-grandfather taught scouting skills to the guy who started the International Scouting Movement. Sgt. Burnham himself is an Eagle Scout. In 2004 – presumably before he became an NCO – he was soldier of the year.The first member of his family got to North America in 1617 – and there’s been a direct ancestor fighting for the United States in every war since the Revolution.

Somewhere in there – transferred to the Medical Corps – two years at Walter Reed.

Compare this to other Wasp-aristo resumes of recent vintage: no prep school, no Ivy League, no secret-handshake fraternities, jobs with investment banks.

Hats off, then, to Sgt. Burnham!