Captain William “Bill” A. Robinson, USAF (Ret.), is the longest-held enlisted Prisoner of War in U.S. military history. He raised his right hand in 1961 and went where the mission demanded, ultimately deploying to Southeast Asia in 1965 as a rescue helicopter crewmember on the HH-43B “Huskie,” flying into danger for one purpose: bringing others home. On 20 September 1965, that purpose became his greatest challenge yet. During a combat rescue attempt for a downed F-105 pilot over Laos, Robinson’s Huskie crashed after taking fire, and the crew was captured. What followed was not a chapter, but an era: 2,703 days of captivity, coercion, isolation, and brutal deprivation that would have broken most people. In 1973, during Operation Homecoming, Bill Robinson returned to the United States after nearly eight years as a POW. Following his release, Robinson received a commission and continued his service to his country. He continued serving, ultimately retiring in 1984 as a captain after 22 years of service. Bill Robinson has spent the last few decades doing what great leaders do: turning suffering into purpose, and reminding every audience that resilience is not a slogan; it is a decision.