Remember Pat Tillman

Click to read anArticle written by Kevin Tillman, Pat's brother and veteran as well.
Do you remember Pat Tillman? Pat Tillman thought he was doing the right thing, the patriotic thing, when he gave up his professional football career with the Arizona Cardinals to enlist (that’s right enlist) with his brother in the United States Army to be Rangers. It was a true American story of the spirit that made America great. A promising safety in the NFL turned down a $3.6 million dollar - three year contract to enlist in the U.S. Army. Enlist! Think about it. A millionaire consciously decided to take a pay cut, a lifetime opportunity kind of pay cut, to a poverty level to be enlisted in the Army. Check out how much lower enlisted receives for base pay (ok so Tillman would rake in an additional $110 a month jump pay, woo wee).

Pat’s brother gave up a similar future in baseball for the same reason. They did it together. They both carried out their goal, doing what some of us have done, completing basic training, AIT, Jump School, Ranger Indoctrination and eventually Ranger School all in order to accomplish being all they could be.

What’s wrong with this story? After he and his brother served with second battalion 75th Ranger Regiment in the invasion of Iraq, Pat was killed in action after redeployment to Afghanistan. If you remember Pat was killed, supposedly in a firefight with enemy combatants. Then it came out that there were no enemy involved. Pat was killed by friendly fire. The family was immediately informed of the death of Pat Tillman but not that it was by friendly fire. His brother, in the same unit but not at the location at the time of Pat’s death, wasn’t even informed that it was friendly fire for over a month. Since it all started the family of Pat Tillman has had a horrible time getting answers (click to read all about it.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Tillman

Happy Memorial Day, patriots

I am thankful for those who have sacrificed for our liberties today, both the living and the dead. I will wear my KIA bracelet all day bearing the name of Ranger PFC Roy Brown Jr. who was killed on 20 Dec 1989 during Op. “Just Cause” in Panama. I also helped carry Spc. Manriquelozano (Manrique) of D company 2/504 to a medi-vac helicopter who later died during that invasion. I pray for their loved ones today. I have no doubt these men believed they were doing what was right by their country. But I also want to remember true liberty itself today because it has been a casualty of our wars since at least World War II. I could write volumes myself on this but these two articles cover “patriotism” very well:
“Mindless patriotism is a destructive force. It is the sworn enemy of biblical Christianity” - Steve Wilkins.
“Christian Patriotism” - chalcedon.edu
“The Danger of False Patriotism” - Steve Wilkins

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_Day