Lieutenant Colonel Greg Gadson lost his legs to an IED when his convoy was hit in Baghdad on May 7, 2007. A week before the tragic event, the battalion commander made the following statement to a reporter in Baghdad…
“We could build a fortress around ourselves that no one can penetrate, but then we will have lost,” said Lt. Col. Greg Gadson, who commands the 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery.
Several months following that tragic event, the former battalion commander met with the New York Football Giants on the eve of a big game against the Washington Redskins.
“I just spoke from the heart, as a soldier and as a former football player,” he said, “for about 10 or 15 minutes. I talked to them about appreciating the opportunities in their lives, how special and privileged they were, how everybody needs to understand what they truly have. And I talked to them about the power of sports in people’s lives, especially soldiers’ lives, how many times I’d watched soldiers get up in the middle of the night after a 12-hour shift if there is a chance to watch a game, or how soldiers would do anything to watch a game before they went on that kind of shift.
“I told them that of course after all the exteriors had been stripped away, they played the game for themselves. But that they had to play the game for each other. Then I talked about myself, how my old teammates came to my need, and how I was reminded again the power of a team, the emotional commitment teammates have for each other, that when a team finds a way to do things greater than they thought they could do, that they couldn’t have done individually, that a bond is formed that can live forever.
“I told them that truly great teams usually form that bond by going through something together, and how whatever they were going through at that point in the season that no success ever came easy. And finally I reminded them that nothing is promised to anybody in this life, starting with tomorrow.”
The New York Giants haven’t lost a game since. In fact, they’ve won 10 straight away games and find themselves in the Super Bowl. LTC Gadson is indeed an inspiration, not just to football players, but to us all. Sgt Hook out.
Congratulations to Miss Michigan Kirsten Haglund for her coronation as Miss America 2008. Although I did not watch the pageant and I’m sure Miss Michigan deserves the win, I was disappointed to learn that Miss Utah Sgt Jill Stevens was not crowned Miss America.
Photo Courtesy U.S. Army
For those of us serving in uniform, Sgt Stevens is our Miss America. Sgt Hook out.
I read the news today, oh boy… The “out by year’s end” mantra is really starting to get under my skin so I felt compelled to compose the following letter to the candidates.
I certainly hope I’m not told to go back on my word.Sgt Hook out.
Calendar Girl Gina Elise has a date with our wounded warriors currently recovering at WRAMC next month. She plans to visit with these brave men and women who have sacrificed more than should be asked to personally thank them for their service and to help raise their spirits. You can help by purchasing a Pinup for Vets Calendar that Gina will deliver to our heroes herself.
He was a famous trumpet man from out chicago way.
He had a boogie style that no one else could play.
He was the top man at his craft,
But then his number came up and he was gone with the draft.
He’s in the army now. he’s blowin’ reveille.
He’s the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B.
Some 200 Soldiers and Airmen recently returning from serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom will be honored during halftime of the Dallas Cowboys v. New York Giants football game later today thanks to the Cowboys Organization and the USO. I’m glad to see such recognition of true American heroes from the NFL, often the center for role models in today’s society. Unfortunately kick-off is just after midninght Iraqi time, but I’ll be sure to catch the re-runs on the Armed Forces Network tomorrow.
Hats off to the Cowboys, though their season will end today at the hands of the New York Football Giants. Sgt Hook out.
Not the famed Chicago Bears football player, but a Google Fridge that Dan Perry is giving away over at his place. How to win said fridge? Dan and a panel of judges will pick the best blog (essay) outlining why the author should win the fridge. I’m in…
The portable Google Fridge would come in very handy for my soldiers going outside the wire on patrol in our AO. Granted, it is a bit chilly this time of year, but last summer saw the mercury rise to over 120 degrees, and since we’re on the 15-month plan, this upcoming summer will undoubtedly see the same.
I’ve had the opportunity to put on all of our combat gear, affectionately known as “full battle rattle” and climb into an uparmored humvee and hit the streets of Iraq with your brave warriors. While there is not a shortage of bottled water over here, it is often hard to find a COLD bottle of water. How cool (pun intended) would it be to have a portable fridge inside one of our uparmored chariots filled with water bottles so that at the patrol’s end, the soldiers can enjoy a cold one?
And if that’s not enough to convince the judges, the fridge would be stocked with beer upon our return to the states so these great heroes could again enjoy a cold one after a long, hot, and dusty tour in the desert.
From Badgers Forward I discover that SGT Jill Stevens of the Utah National Guard, who also happens to be Miss Utah, has two possible ways of becoming a finalist in the upcoming Miss America Pageant.
I served with then SPC Stevens in Afghanistan and from what I remember, she did a fantastic job as one of our battalion medics. She also was very active with Operation Shoe Fly and continues to support the children of Afghanistan. I can’t think of a more fitting representative to hold the title of Miss America than SGT Jill Stevens. Can you? Sgt Hook out.
VA Mortgage Center is hosting an American Hero Award. There are 10 outstanding nominees… all members of YOUR military so get over and vote. My friend CJ Grisham is in the running and has my vote. Sgt Hook out.
grat·i·tude /ˈgrætɪˌtud, -ˌtyud/ [grat-i-tood, -tyood] noun: the quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful: He expressed his gratitude to everyone on the staff.
[Origin: 1400–50; late ME, ML grātitūdin- (s. of grātitūdō) thankfulness, equiv. to grāt(us) pleasing + -i- -i- + -tūdin- -tude]
Have you ever noticed a Soldier, Marine, Coast Guardsmen, Sailor, or Airmen walking through the airport and wanted to stop and say, “Thank You” but didn’t because you were late for a flight, felt awkward, or just weren’t sure if it was appropriate? Well, here’s an idea that just might work…
This site is a collection of my writings, thoughts, and ramblings and in no way reflects the official positions of the United States Army or the Department of Defense. OPSEC trumps everything.
♦ Veterans - Use your VA Benefits to Refinance your home loan with VA Loan Refinancing from VLC.
♦ Allured by a cheap car insurance and other cheap deals. Many tend to overspend on their credit card. This leads them to loans and eventually a debt. If you are planning to work at home, you will have to be careful about all this and more.
In view of a recent tendency to identify characters in fiction with real people, it seems proper to state that there are no real people in this volume: both the characters and their names are ficticious. The names or designations of any military units are ficticious. There are no living people nor existing military units presented in this book.
-Ernest Hemingway
Halfway down the road to hell,
In a shady meadow green,
Are the souls of all dead troopers camped
Near a good old-time canteen.
And this eternal resting place
Is known as Fiddler's Green.
-Author Unknown
The Blog of War
"Grab it before the Pentagon orders it burned..." - Vanity Fair
"...nonpartisan patriotism is the common thread tying together these reflections, love letters and stories of combat. They make for riveting reading." - The Washington Post
Winner of the 2006 Gold Medal for Anthologies - Military Writer's Society of America
"This collection is an excellent introduction to an emerging form of war reporting." - Booklist
