You are not awarded five Bronze Stars (one with valor) and two Purple Hearts by being an average soldier. You receive them because you set yourself apart in the forms of leadership and bravery. Brigadier General Don Bolduc served his country in the US Army from 1981 to 2017, rising rapidly through the ranks during his military career. His basic training took him to Fort McClellan in Anniston, Alabama, and at 19 years of age, he wasnât fazed a bit. âMy grandfather required all Bolduc men to serve, he was a great patriotâ¦I grew up on a farm in Laconia, New Hampshireâ¦I was born with a shovel in one hand and an ax in the otherâ¦got up early to work on the farm and when I came home from school, did the same thing until supperâ¦went to Catholic School where the nuns ruled, so basic training wasnât a culture shock for me,â he recalled.