Because Marcus Asked Me To, That's Why

Exciting news! Country Music Star Joe Nichols has collaborated with our effort to create a music video featuring wounded warriors. What’s very amazing about it is the fact that Marcus Luttrell opens and closes the video, and 2 of our other wounded warriors are the actors. Army Special Forces Captain Ivan Castro is one of our blind guys who is still on active duty and Army Ranger Captain (Retired) Chad Fleming is one of our amputees who is now continuing to serve his country in a different capacity.

We need everyone's help to get this video out to the public. The video was featured as a WORLD PREMIER on CMT this morning and we have the embed codes to post everywhere possible advance. (SEE BELOW).

Our goal is to see this music video become the #1 requested music video on CMT and to bring awareness and attention to this worthy cause through this platform.

We’d love to have you guys promote this video on your website, social media, etc.

You can view the website by going to any of these sites: www.lonesurvivorfoundation.org
www.bootcampaign.com
www.cmt.com/videos/joe-nichols/615222/the-shape-im-in.jhtml

A little background. If you are not familiar with the name Marcus Luttrell, he is a former Navy SEAL who penned the book "Lone Survivor", which details the final mission of the SEAL team he was assigned to. It was the final mission because save for him all the other members of the team were killed by the Taliban. If you haven't already I encourage you to buy the book and read it. These are the heroes whom we ignore.

If Marcus told me to put on gasoline soaked underwear and wear them through the very gates of hell, as long as he was by my side, we would take off at a trot.

No Survivors

That is how this story probably would have ended if it had been me. God, I love Marcus Luttrell, and for those that don't know who is Marcus is, shame on you.

If you haven't read his book Lone Survivor you must, it is required reading.

These punks really don't know how lucky they are. They have all been caught now but are out on bail.

There is a special place in hell reserved for them.



I have always been a dog lover. For most of the time I served I was single and couldn't have a dog, but once I got married that changed. I have never been without one and sadly I have outlived a few. First there was "Grunt", a little guy but a scrapper and a guy my daughter absolutely adored. After that it was "Pretty Girl"; my wife named her, a Border Collie who epitomized the definition of sheep dog. Loyal, obedient and protective. Now I have another mixed breed named "Rocket". The name fits because she goes from being a 70 lb lap dog to a snarling mass of teeth and fury at anything she perceives as a threat to the family--like a rocket. You do not want to be on the receiving end of a greeting from her if you are an uninvited guest. Got that, ACORN?

Those guys really don't know how lucky they are and I am sure there are plenty of friends of Marcus who will make sure justice is done.

Marcus Luttrell Speaks to the NRA

For the folks that don't know Marcus Luttrell, he is the recipient of the Navy Cross and a member of the Navy SEAL team that got attacked by the Taliban, which resulted in the highest loss of life in a single engagement to SEALS, and author of the book "Lone Survivor," which I finally got around to reading, and this book should be required reading for every high school student in America.

For the folks that never get to hear about today's generation of heroes, here is one, even if he doesn't thinks so. The other members of that team might be familiar to some of you. They included Michael Murphy, awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously, Danny Dietz, awarded the Navy Cross and who was the subject of some controversy when his hometown in Colorado wanted to erect a statue in his honor and people objected because the statue would include him with a weapon. He got his statue and he kept his gun. The other member was Matt Axelson who was also awarded the Navy Cross.

Remember Michael, Danny and Matt this Memorial Day and all the service members who have paid the ultimate price in the service to their country.

But in the meantime listen to Marcus tell you why we are winning in spite of ourselves and why we will continue to win.



And, oh yeah, if you can help him out with that lawyer thing.....

H/T American Infidel.

Thanks to Jules Crittenden for the link.

Petty Officer Second Class Michael Monsoor Awarded the Medal of Honor

Or rather his family will be tomorrow. I wonder if anybody will notice? Will the esteemed members of Congress pause in their grilling of Gen Petraeus to at least mention the actions of this man or will they just keep beating the drum of American casualties with no names and no faces?

Petty Officer Second Class (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously in a ceremony at the White House April 8, 2008. He will receive the award for his actions in Ar Ramadi, Iraq on Sept. 29, 2006. On that day, Monsoor was part of a sniper overwatch security position with three other SEALs and eight Iraqi Army (IA) soldiers. An insurgent closed in and threw a fragmentation grenade into the overwatch position. The grenade hit Monsoor in the chest before falling to the ground. Positioned next to the single exit, Monsoor was the only one who could have escaped harm. Instead, he dropped onto the grenade to shield the others from the blast. Monsoor died approximately 30 minutes later from wounds sustained from the blast. Because of Petty Officer Monsoor’s actions, he saved the lives of his 3 teammates and the IA soldiers.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - Abraham Lincoln Gettysburg Address

And as always Jim Hanson "Uncle Jimbo" from Blackfive brings us his own thoughts on Michael Monsoor. Jim is with the National Heroes Tour recording it for posterity. They will be in Washington DC tomorrow to show their support for Gen Petraeus.
Here is Jimbo interviewing Marcus Luttrell about Michael.

Previous MOH recipients from the GWOT (Global War on Terrorism) here and here.
So far no living service member has been awarded the MOH during the GWOT, although David Bellavia, who is on tour with the Vets for Freedom is nominated.

"I beat my head on the wall everyday"

The National Heroes Tour kicked off in San Diego with a some Navy SEALS skydiving onto the deck of an aircraft carrier. Here courtesy of Blackfive is a clip of those SEALS along with Marcus Luttrell, SEAL, author of "Lone Survivor" and survivor of Operation Redwing which claimed the lives of many good men that day in Afghanistan.

Heros The New York Times Won't Tell You About

We noted Lt. Michael Murphy here recently and also mentioned the complete disregard for a local hero by the New York Times, to their eternal disgrace.

Today, the New York Post details the harrowing account of Murphy's final battle, as told by the only surviving member of his unit, Petty Officer 1st Class Marcus Luttrell.

This Monday, President Bush will present the Medal of Honor to Lt. Murphy's parent, Daniel and Maureen.

Don't expect the Times to cover the event.

"They were armed to the teeth," Marcus Luttrell said of the 100 Taliban fighters who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. "They were looking for a fight. And they found one."

With that, Petty Officer 1st Class Luttrell and his buddy, Lt. Michael Murphy of Patchogue, L.I., began the final battle of their Navy SEAL careers in a shootout that would cost Murphy his life. It also earned him the Medal of Honor.

With rocket-propelled grenades exploding all over the grassy Afghan terrain in Asadabad, in Hindu Kush province along the Pakistani border, the four Americans - also including Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Danny Dietz and Sonar Technician 2nd Class Matthew Axelson - took on the Taliban that day and wiped out about half of them.

But the Taliban whittled down the Americans, too, and that June 28, 2005, would become a tragic day for the Navy's Special Warfare Command.

Read the whole thing.