Frontiers, Front Lines, and Forehands

By Brian Lee Gambill

About the Book
There is no book out there quite like this.
Frontiers, Front Lines and Forehands is a story about a young man with varying interests—Education, Animal Welfare, Tennis, Linguistics, and Military Operations—and loads of determination and passion to find success within them. From this far-ranging tale, hopefully readers will be inspired to travel different avenues of life, to pursue their interests, no matter where their origin is or where they may take them.

About the Author
Brian Lee Gambill volunteered every week when he served in the United States Air Force for children’s events in Schools, Marching Parades, Veterans’ Affairs Events, assisting people facing Real Life Crisis Situations, and Arts & Crafts Events. He has devoted 100+ hours of personal time at The John Cochran Veterans Affairs Facility in St. Louis, Missouri as an Administrative Assistant to help with the process of assisting struggling Veterans. Gambill enjoys collecting coins and sports cards, fishing, playing Tennis, getting involved with Veterans’ issues and helping them transfer smoothly into civilian life through effective and impactful writing along with sharing commonalities with Military Service experiences. He also enjoys studying Foreign Languages and Cultures. Family has been challenging, but he has managed it. To him, family includes close friends and mentors that he has had for many years. He is a Certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, has a master’s in international relations and business Administration, a Bachelor’s in Spanish and Anthropology, and an Associate’s in Transportation and Mobility Management. Gambill is an honorably discharged United States Air Force Veteran, a Certified Professional Résumé Writer through the Professional Association of Résumé Writers and Career Coaches (PARW/CC) in St. Petersburg, Florida and a Small Business Owner. In connection with writing, Gambill has written for people from different Countries, Veterans and Tennis Players.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dorrance Publishing Company
• Release date: Mar 16, 2023
• ISBN: 9798886836196

Book preview

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The contents of this work, including, but not limited to, the accuracy of events, people, and places depicted; opinions expressed; permission to use previously published materials included; and any advice given or actions advocated are solely the responsibility of the author, who assumes all liability for said work and indemnifies the publisher against any claims stemming from publication of the work.      

All Artwork presented in this book are original creations by the author.

All Rights Reserved

Copyright © 2023 by Brian Lee Gambill

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted, downloaded, distributed, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, including photocopying and recording, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented without permission in writing from the publisher.

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ISBN: 979-8-88683-531-1

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PROLOGUE v

CHAPTER 1 THE EARLY YEARS 1

CHAPTER 2 SCHOOL LIFE IN SERBIA 11

CHAPTER 3 LOVE OF THE GAME 21

CHAPTER 4 THE INTERVIEW 45

CHAPTER 5 PREPARATION FOR A NEW LIFE 63

CHAPTER 6 THE ADVENTURE 73

CHAPTER 7 "TRANSITION AND CONTINUED

                       EDUCATION ABROAD"  83

CHAPTER 8 TEEN-TEAM TRIUMPHS 97

CHAPTER 9 UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY 111

CHAPTER 10 ACTIVE-DUTY MILITARY AND PILOTING 135

CHAPTER 11 TENNIS COACHING 159

EPILOGUE 169

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 171

PROLOGUE

Several years ago, I began studying the way of life in Serbia. This includes the History, Education, Culture, Animal Welfare, Art, Languages, Nature, Cuisine, International Relations, Business Ventures, Military Operations, Veterans Affairs, and Sports within the country. Through my studies I have met many new, interesting and friendly people and have become fascinated with the vast beautiful Landmarks of Serbia. Through these studies, it has sparked my interest to write something unique and different to share with the world from the perspective of a young person that was raised there and emigrated to the United States with his family. This book, although fictitious, reflects a tale of these experiences.

Being from a Military background in the United States Air Force, I discovered there are many similarities between how Service Members are groomed, both in Serbia and in the United States. Attention to detail and discipline are key components to be effective in this realm. As we have seen through the annals of History, some of the most impactful leaders have come to light through Military Training. In this case, my inspiration to create this book was driven by this virtue and through the love of Tennis.

To be a prodigy, I believe it is crucial to have a deep mixture of both the mindset of being a Member of Military Service and translating that experience into the world of Sports or any Business endeavor for that matter. The main character in the story has the unparalleled vision and desire to reflect this experience and inspire people from all diverse backgrounds spanning across the globe. His uncanny ability to lead both small and large teams of people is embedded in his soul. I passionately believe that after a broader audience reads this book (kngija in Serbian), it will illustrate how people can find happiness with continued perseverance and make lifelong friends from other Nations.

There are many fascinating aspects of the country, as you will see in the story. The Landscape, Friendliness, Ingenuity, and Charm of the people will also capture you. Without further ado, I will introduce to you Mr. Branislav Lazović!

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Chapter 1

THE EARLY YEARS

Branislav was only ten years of age and lived with his Mother (majka) Ana, his Father Dragan (a first name, male) and his younger Sister (sestra) J(Y)elena. They lived in a small house that is in the countryside outside of the village of Drvengrad (also known as Timber Town), which is located in the Zlatibor District near the city of Užice, approximately 200 kilometers (kilometara) southwest of Serbia’s capital Belgrade. At such an early age, Branislav found that he had a love and passion for the Military and Tennis. He watched Military Aircraft flying over his house and was very curious what the people did or were trained to do to fly such a machine in the air at high velocities. As they whizzed by from the clouds, he wondered if he could accomplish this someday. The maneuverability and speed of these Aircraft mesmerized him.

While sitting in his house with his family to relax or watch the television, he also found an interest in professional Tennis. He idolized Mr. Novak Djokovic, who is currently the BEST male Player in the world and a Serbian Legend in all regards, both personally and professionally. Branislav found himself wanting to frequent the Tennis courts at Kopaonik to practice his game, which is close to 210 kilometers from his home village. His father was gracious enough to drive him there routinely so that he could practice and improve on his game. He quickly Learned that he possessed a forehand (forhend) that was agile and equipped to handle any type of rapid response from local Players in his age group.

On a beautiful Autumn (Jesen) morning, the sun (sunce) rose with a magnificent combination of red and yellow hues over the Zlatibor and Tara Mountains (plani[ee]ne) that surrounded his home. Branislav woke to the pleasing smells of his mother’s delicious cooking consisting of eggs (jaja) with tomatoes (paradajz), onions (luk), mushrooms (pećurke), cheese (sir), and sauce (sos). The breakfast was also served with toast (tost), grape jelly (žele od grožda) and cantaloupe (dinja), accompanied with freshly squeezed orange juice (sok od narandže). The family enjoyed a nice breakfast every morning, and Ana was routinely awake at six in the morning every day to ensure her family had a pleasant start to the day. On this Sunday (Nedelja) after breakfast and Church, Branislav’s father had a pleasant surprise for him, a fishing trip. Fishing is extremely popular in Serbia and the destination for this particular day was Zaovine Lake (Jezero), which is approximately 50 kilometers from Drvengrad. Zaovine Lake is popularly known for various types of fish that include Pigo, Rainbow Trout, Squalius cephalus, and Common nase.

Branislav and his father packed the vehicle with two fishing poles, gear, lunch, and plenty of drinking water for the expedition to Zaovine Lake on Tara Mountain, which is in central-west Serbia. While seated next to his beloved father Dragan on the trip, Branislav continually noticed a bird (ptica) flying overhead while en route to their destination. This bird was a Eurasian Sparrow Hawk (Accipiter Nisus, derived from Latin) and it appeared to be following them. He did not understand why it was following them and was very curious about this fascinating creature of Nature. It was like eyes in the sky.

Upon arrival to the beautiful Zaovine Lake, the two unpacked their fishing gear and lunch for a wonderful day of fishing. They found a perfect spot to throw their fishing lines in the water using live worms, which are a special treat for all the fish (riba) species within the Lake. Branislav looked into the tree line after he and his father cast their lines into the water and saw the same bird just looking at him. It was the same bird as he saw on their voyage. Its eyes were solely focused on him. Only ten minutes after casting, both had big Rainbow Trout on their lines simultaneously. Both fish were of extraordinary size, roughly five kilograms per fish. Both Branislav and his father were successful pulling the fish to shore. The amazing creatures were so beautiful, and the sun illuminated off their scales, bringing a radiant and vibrant tone to their appearance. When they hauled in their first catch, the bird soared in to take a glance. It sat near them, and it was closer than most birds normally approach humans in proximity. This unique occurrence sparked further interest from Branislav, and he continued to wonder what the symbolism was. Was it because the bird just loved him, or did it characterize something else?

As proven through History, when an Animal of Nature is keenly interested in you, it typically resembles an attraction that later proves to resemble or reflect something of a deeper meaning. Dragan and his son kept reeling in fish of all types. It was a glorious day for fishing! One thing both the father and his son noticed at the same time during this day was that there were interesting cloud formations in the sky. The clouds seemed to be forming angels that will later be elucidated in the story. Their forms replicated something of a Holy Nature, like Heaven came and was protecting them. Two things are happening at the same time here, creatures of Nature and the sky above. One cloud even closely represented the shape of an Airplane, the other one that was clearly observational, was in a form that made it look like a Tennis racket.

Throughout the day, Branislav and his father continued successfully gaining an impressive level of catches of fish in the area. It was almost as if it was preordained! Branislav, wanted to share their catch with the bird who had been observing him and his father all morning. Dragan gave him permission to share with the creature. He placed a fish on a nearby rock at their special location and the bird swooped into feast, almost looking like it was comparing shared ideas and smiling at him, knowing that there was a commonality between the two. The look in the bird’s eyes reflected something of affection and caring as it was enjoying the simple meal provided to it. Branislav immediately wanted to give his new friend a name, he called it Jesen.

As Branislav and his father returned home from their perfect day of fishing with plenty of fresh fish for the table, he looked out of the window of their vehicle and noticed yet again Jesen was following them from above in a circling pattern. This pattern is reminiscent of an onlooking higher power and something that can be interpreted as a companion from the skies taking care of them and keeping a close watch. Upon returning home, Branislav’s mother and sister were overwhelmed with the catch of the day (eight total Rainbow Trout and all of significant size). Ana immediately began preparing the spices and marinade for cooking the fish for dinner. She cooked the fish in a way that was unlike anything in their area of Serbia. It was special and something of a fashion that was desired by the masses, both in the direct area of Drvengrad and all surrounding areas. This was on the menu for dinner for the family and was to be served with rice (pirinač[ch]), corn (kukuruz), potatoes (krompir), salad (salata), and a sweet pastry (slatka peciva) for dessert (desert).

After dinner that evening, the family all sat down to watch television. Branislav was in for another special treat, Novak Djokovic was playing Tennis against Dominic Thiem, who is the second Highest-Ranked Player in Austrian History. Branislav loved to watch how Djokovic controlled the court, similar to a chess Match. His actions and demeanor inspired him. The highly skilled Serbian Player is more like a hero (heroj) in Serbia and children all try to mirror or replicate the way he plays. A true gentleman, both on and off the Tennis courts. Djokovic is also widely known for his Mental Toughness (Mentalna Jačina). In this particular Match, Djokovic played strongly as usual and walked away in the end with a 6–2, 3–6, 4–6, 6–0, 6–1 Victory.

Branislav watched very carefully how Djokovic struck his forehand with a surgeon-like precision. To him, it appeared to be similar to a magical laser. During this Match, Dragan watched his son’s enthusiastic interest in the game. His eyes were lit up brightly and were fixed on all the moves of his Tennis Champion. Branislav wondered if he could play competitively in this same manner someday. Dragan noticed astutely his son’s love for the game. After Djokovic had defeated his opponent, he asked him what he would like for his birthday in two weeks’ time. Surprised by this question, Branislav told his father that he wished for a Head Tennis racket in close resemblance to the one that Djokovic plays with. Dragan just smiled at his son with a glimmer in his eyes.

We shall see, he said with a positive and encouraging tone in his voice. After the family was all ready to go to sleep that evening, Dragan stayed awake and went to his computer to research what type of racket that Djokovic played with. It was a customized version of the Head PT113B1. He immediately ordered a similar type of racket that very evening to ensure that his son would have the item for his upcoming birthday.

Branislav’s parents were both firm believers in having a solid and thorough Education. Besides his native tongue of Serbian, Dragan also was fluent in English, Italian and Spanish. He Learned these Languages from his parents throughout his younger years and on into adulthood, as well as, in School. Part of the daily routine involved Dragan Teaching both Branislav and his sister these Languages. It is common for children to Learn either English, French or Italian in School in Serbia. This consisted of one and a half hours of private instruction every day, in the evenings. Dragan told his children that Learning these Languages would be beneficial to them later in life. The two children listened very closely to their father. Dragan introduced fun and creative Lessons to make Learning enjoyable. These Lessons included pictures of colors, numbers, cities, and towns in respective countries, as well as, Animals and emotions. While the children were Learning key words in these Languages, Dragan was also Teaching them Geography, so they understood where the Languages were spoken in the world and the roots of the Languages.

It is common in European countries for children to Learn different Languages at an early age, in addition to their native tongue Language. Branislav was curious to know the name for bird in Spanish, Dragan responded páj(h)aro. Branislav wanted to know this specific word because of his recent encounter with his new Eurasian Sparrow Hawk friend. Both children possessed the gift of intelligence and were quick to Learn new things and remember them. Dragan and Ana continually reminded their children that Education is valuable for all aspects of life, and it is something that no one can ever take away from you. At this point in the story, Branislav was in the fifth grade and his nine-year-old sister was in the fourth grade, both having a keen interest in the world and had high aspirations for success in many avenues.

Dragan’s profession was in the field of International Business and Tourism. Being that Drvengrad is an extremely popular location for both, he always was busy with garnering new Business projects and clients from all over the world. The movie Life is a Miracle filmed by Mr. Emir Kusturica in 1992 was filmed in Drvengrad and was entered into the Cannes Film Festival in 2004. Dragan’s vast Education with a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations and a Master’s Degree in Finance directly suited his independent Business endeavors. The people in the local area in Serbia and many other countries loved to work with him on accommodations and arranging future events. He had his own office with three assistants whose primary duties included answering phone calls, filing paperwork and arranging travel for clients.

One of the most popular tourism events in Serbia is the Shargan Eight, which is a magnificent train ride winding through the beautiful mountains of Serbia. This unique train voyage is explored by people from all over the world. Couples and families will travel great distances to experience this highly regarded and frequently explored gem. Dragan loved his line of work and there was never a shortage of tasks and extensive planning involved. Drvengrad is also known as Küstendorf, as a word play on German dorf (village) and Kusturica’s nickname, Kusta. Drvengrad has a library, named the Ivo Andrić Library; an Artist Gallery named Macola in honor of sculptor Dragan Jovićević (it was previously known as Anika, after a character from Ivo Andrić’s prose); Stanley Kubrick Cinema; a main house, which houses a cinema-hall in the cellar, a living room, a guest room, a closed yard, a swimming pool, a gymnasium, a sauna, and private rooms for the Kusturica family; a Sports hall; a restaurant; a cake shop, as well as, a souvenir shop; and finally, a Church dedicated to St. Sava in Belgrade. It is important to note Dragan’s profession as it will prove to be valuable and Educational soon in the story.

The time for Branislav’s birthday (rođendan) was quickly approaching. The mail arrived two days before his birthday and Dragan looked in amazement as his son’s Tennis racket arrived in a timely fashion. The racket even came with a nice emblemed Head case, a set of Tennis balls and grip tape. Dragan was overjoyed that the package had arrived so promptly! That very evening, he eagerly wrapped the birthday gift in nice colored paper and placed a blue bow on it for pleasant presentation to his son. The evening before the birthday, Dragan and Ana began arranging everything for the special day, which included a cake with candles. Ana had secretly purchased a Novak Djokovic poster, as well as, a poster of a MiG-29 Fighter Aircraft (the most well known in Serbia) flying over the Tara Mountains to place in his bedroom.

Jelena also had something special in mind for her brother. She was a very clever Artist and decided to draw him a hawk to closely resemble Jesen. The birthday had arrived and Branislav was excited, so he woke up at 5:00 a.m. for his special day, waking before everyone in their house. Ana was surprised to see him sitting in the living room at 6:00 a.m. when she routinely made breakfast for the family. Branislav had a twinkle in his eye, and he said, Good morning (dobro jutro). Ana just smiled and she understood her son’s excitement. Ana asked her son if he would help her with preparing the family’s breakfast. He said, Yes, Mama. The two happily began preparing the day starter and setting the table. Dragan and Jelena entered the kitchen at 7:00 a.m. to a pleasant surprise, both Ana and Branislav were sitting at the table smiling and both said simultaneously, Let’s Eat! (pri[ee]jatno!). What a glorious morning, thought Branislav to himself. He was proud to help his mother with the cooking and setting the table.

While he was eating with his family, he could not help but wonder to himself what the day would bring. After breakfast, Dragan said he was going to sit in the living room and let his food digest and read the daily newspaper, when really, he was going to get all the gifts ready for his son. Ana asked her son if he could clean the plates and cutlery, this was so that when he was done completing the task, the others could all be ready for his birthday. When he was finished with the dishes, Branislav went into the living room to see an amazing sight, his family starting to sing the birthday song with big smiles on their faces. He saw the packages and cake with lighted candles sitting on the table in the living room and his excitement was unbearable. After the family was finished with the birthday song, they asked Branislav to make a wish and blow out the candles. Dragan asked his son to go ahead and open his birthday presents.

He first opened Jelena’s present and could not believe what he saw, his beloved friend Jesen had found its way into the house through his sister’s Art. He said, Thank You (Hvala). Next, he opened Ana’s present and his eyes opened widely when he saw the posters his mother had purchased for him. He so loved the Military Airplanes. Branislav just sat and looked at his father’s present and wondered what it could be. Dragan said, Go ahead, son, open it. Delicately, Branislav began opening the package and when he saw what it was, he began jumping around the room with joy. The family all started laughing and were so pleased to see him holding and swinging his new Tennis racket. What a beautiful start to the day, thought Branislav! The family then all enjoyed the cake with some ice cream.

The weekend had come, and Dragan asked his son if he would like to try his new