Marcus Luttrell made me feel raw emotion like I’ve never had to feel before because veterans and active service members are shielding those of us at home from experiencing them. How long did it take you after 9-11 to look up at an airliner and think it was flying a bit too low? Or how many of you are just waiting for the next terrorist attack, where it will be, or how it will happen? Television sure keeps us mindful of the existing threats, and we should remain vigilant. But how often are we reminded of the heroes of our military doing what it takes to contain and eliminate those who would take that which we think we value most. I’d venture to say that over 50% of this country would throw their hands up and surrender what they verbalize as so precious, yet appreciate so little.

Marcus Luttrell’s book scared me to death, thank God. He made me feel the terror of battle; the gut-wrenching grief, anger and sadness at losing a buddy; the comradeship that molds individuals into a team; an individual calmly accepting that what he’s about to do will kill him, but might bring his teammates life-sustaining support. It taught me that dying for something more noble than self should be a natural act – something you do without giving it a second thought; but he also taught me that struggling to live just to spite giving up is just as noble.

Lone Survivor gave me a very clear and renewed definition of how to “support our troops,” as it will for you should you choose to read it. But the strongest inner change I experienced came when I had the opportunity to personally hear him tell his story in San Diego several months ago, the highlight coming afterward when I got to shake his hand and personally thank him for his service and continuing dedication to his fallen team members. To feel the grip of a hero’s hand around mine was inspiring, but to look him in the eyes and literally feel the pain an ordinary human being is willing to suffer from battle wounds, but mostly from the loss of his buddies, gave me the personal confirmation of how vital it is to get involved as the means to literally support our troops and their mission. Every time he gets up in front of people and tells the story, he does so to honor his fallen team members, and it must be Hell for him to relive that horror, but, like our military, his sacrifices are of a higher calling. They get it.
When I talked to him in San Diego, I hesitantly asked if he’d sign my copy of his book. He proudly took it from me and inscribed “Kevin, NEVER QUIT.” That book sits in a prominent position on a bookshelf I pass by and look at every morning on my way out the door; what a way to start the day. The problems I face on a daily basis that make me wanna say “F*** it,” are much easier to deal with when an honest-to-God true hero personally reminds me each morning: “Kevin, Never Quit.”
Thanks, Doug, for your post encouraging people to read it! I second your motion…READ IT!

Anyway, no matter what the court’s martial of these three SEALS determines, they were, are, and always will be heroes. The true measure of their self-control and mission success was following through with their orders to bring an epitome of pure evil back alive if at all possible. Mission accomplished, with Valor. And considering that these SEALS probably all lost buddies in the Battle of Fallujah, (the battle sparked, by the way, by the above mentioned epitome of pure evil), delivering him alive was a mark of self-control to which a punch in the gut pales in comparison.