Following a long day on top of a long week and suffering from heat rash on his back, chest and neck, Fisher finds himself at his tent, bowing his head in prayer. He explains later: "I've been praying that God takes this stuff off my back." Basic training had given him a cold, hard appraisal of his limitations. His ambitions had dissolved amid repeated and futile efforts to pass his physical training. Injuries had hindered his performance. Fisher did a reality check: Instead of excellence, he would settle for survival.