Lone Survivor

Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell

There are a few things that I need to preface this review by saying.
A) I am a firm supporter of our military men and women.
B) I set aside a bunch of quotes from the book but really you just need to read the entire book.
C) I read this in anticipation of the movie coming out. I knew the story but wanted the details.
D) I am not a fan of the media. Primarily the American media. a
E) I'm not a fan of politics. Any politics

Marcus Luttrell was 1/4 of the Seal team dispatched for Operation Redwing. An operation took them to the mountain of Afghanistan where a decision cost 3/4 of them their lives. Michael Murphy, Matthew Axelson, and James Suh gave their lives that day for the country they pledged to fight for.

There is something about a Navy SEAL that demands respect. Before they earn their tridents, they are a breed apart from most of the civilization. They are the .05% of the population. They approach life not with the decision to be warriors; they are warriors. It is sewn into their DNA like a calling.

The fabric of who they are in encapsulated in one of the lectures Luttrell received in BUDs.
"Accountability.... Respect.... Integrity.... Reputation...."

There were a whole bunch of words between those key words and the message was character-building and life-changing. The tangible difference between men of SEAL caliber and normal citizens is they possess a determination that won't allow them to quit. They are ingrained with a sense of justice and fight for what is right with unyielding perseverance.

In my opinion this very character trait is the sticking point which put Operation Redwing in dire straits. Faced with killing three unarmed goat herders or risking the consequences of letting them go, they made the decision their conscience could live with.  It pinned them down in enemy territory outnumbered 30-1.

As the three other members of Operation Redwing were gunned down, Marcus Luttrell dug deep and fought to survive. Determined to not let his teammate's deaths be in vain, he crawled to survive. The kindness of an Afghanistan man and an ancient principle known as Lokhay kept him alive until he was reunited with American soldiers.

In an age of technological connection, it was a village on the side of a mountain disconnected from the rest of the world where two men from different cultures both risked their lives to save another. Four SEALS spared the lives of innocent farmers while an Afghan village protected an American warrior from the Taliban.

I have many opinions on the vultures who front as reliable news media personnel. I have opinions on the bureaucrats who effectively tie the hands of our military men, leaving them as targets to the enemy who don't fight the war with dignity.

Mostly though I know there are a select few in our Country who are stitched together with loyalty, courage, determination, perseverance, and a confidence to be the best that ever wore a uniform. Marcus Luttrell is one of these men and he told the inspiring story of his survival and the brave men of Operation Redwing.

In Memoriam
http://www.navy.mil/moh/mpmurphy/soa.html