I was not able to serve our country in the military. I have a partial hearing loss in my right ear and it prevented my enlistment into the Navy when I was 17. For good or bad, that's what I happened. I still wish, at times, that I would have been able to enlist and serve my country. But when I think about it, if I did enlist, then I probably wouldn't have married Shawna, and wouldn't have the great kids that I have today. So, while a part of me still wishes that I could have served, another part of me is very thankful for the wonderful life that I have. I life that I have because I went to college and worked hard all because I didn't serve. I hope that makes sense.
In any case, I still have a passion for the military and a profound respect for what they have done, do and continue to do on a daily basis. If you have never read a first hand account about what some of our brave men and woman have done for your freedom, then stop reading my blog and go grab a book. There are a ton of books out there for you to read. I personally prefer books about special operation forces, mostly SEAL's, but any spec ops from Vietnam to the present. Some of my favorite include:
Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell
American Sniper by Chris Kyle
SOG: The Secret Wars of America's Commandos in Vietnam by John Plaster
Rogue Warrior by Richard Marcinko
Brave Men Dark Waters by Orr Kelly
Also, if you haven't seen the movie, you really need to see Act of Valor. It comes out on DVD sometime in June if I remember correctly, and I will definitely be buying it for the house.
The other day, Shawna said that she thought that it was inappropriate that our 5 year old was able to tell the synopsis of the Battle of Murphy's Ridge as told in Lone Survivor, along with how Danny Dietz was killed. I told her that it is an extremely important story and that those men didn't die for us to simply forget about them. They fought to the death against overwhelming odds and never gave up, never letting their brothers down. I try to instill that same determination in my kids. Never give up, never surrender. Stand for what you believe in, and always have your brother's back. God, family and country; duty, honor, integrity.
Take the time today to remember the sacrifices of our military. Thank a veteran for his service, and find ways to help those returning veterans who might have a hard time coming back to the world. Watch the video and understand that you are free because of the sacrifice of great men.
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