I was the pilot in command of super 64 which is one of the Blackhawks and I was
which is one of the Blackhawks and I was
which is one of the Blackhawks and I was actually leading an element of aircraft
actually leading an element of aircraft
actually leading an element of aircraft and and that means my responsibility is
and and that means my responsibility is
and and that means my responsibility is to fly in this case four aircraft into
to fly in this case four aircraft into
to fly in this case four aircraft into the target area and put troops on the
the target area and put troops on the
the target area and put troops on the ground
ground
ground you know the mission itself was to
you know the mission itself was to
you know the mission itself was to capture a warlord and some of his senior
capture a warlord and some of his senior
capture a warlord and some of his senior people we’d been doing that for a couple
people we’d been doing that for a couple
people we’d been doing that for a couple of months when the Black Hawk Down
of months when the Black Hawk Down
of months when the Black Hawk Down mission occurred on October 3rd you know
mission occurred on October 3rd you know
mission occurred on October 3rd you know there wasn’t a person involved in that
there wasn’t a person involved in that
there wasn’t a person involved in that mission who didn’t put their life on the
mission who didn’t put their life on the
mission who didn’t put their life on the line that day for someone or to support
line that day for someone or to support
line that day for someone or to support the mission and I think that’s a real
the mission and I think that’s a real
the mission and I think that’s a real important message you know we get caught
important message you know we get caught
important message you know we get caught up in a lot of other things but that
up in a lot of other things but that
up in a lot of other things but that selflessness and that commitment to each
selflessness and that commitment to each
selflessness and that commitment to each other and that commitment to the mission
other and that commitment to the mission
other and that commitment to the mission I think is a is at the core of the story
I think is a is at the core of the story
I think is a is at the core of the story the manifestation of it for me is Randy
the manifestation of it for me is Randy
the manifestation of it for me is Randy Shughart and Gary Gordon the Medal of
Shughart and Gary Gordon the Medal of
Shughart and Gary Gordon the Medal of Honor recipients who came to our crash
Honor recipients who came to our crash
Honor recipients who came to our crash site they insisted that they be dropped
site they insisted that they be dropped
site they insisted that they be dropped off and they were and that’s why I’m
off and they were and that’s why I’m
off and they were and that’s why I’m here today I went to survival school and
here today I went to survival school and
here today I went to survival school and in survival school they go without
in survival school they go without
in survival school they go without eating for three days and they slap you
eating for three days and they slap you
eating for three days and they slap you around a little bit and then for me
around a little bit and then for me
around a little bit and then for me having experienced it for real in the
having experienced it for real in the
having experienced it for real in the real world’s not even close in my mind I
real world’s not even close in my mind I
real world’s not even close in my mind I died when we crashed I was knocked
died when we crashed I was knocked
died when we crashed I was knocked unconscious and I think psychologically
unconscious and I think psychologically
unconscious and I think psychologically that was the end for me it was a violent
that was the end for me it was a violent
that was the end for me it was a violent crash it was you know you could argue
crash it was you know you could argue
crash it was you know you could argue not survivable by looking at it so you
not survivable by looking at it so you
not survivable by looking at it so you sort of have this rebirth where now you
sort of have this rebirth where now you
sort of have this rebirth where now you have the second life you thought your
have the second life you thought your
have the second life you thought your life was over
life was over
life was over and what do you do with it I have tried
and what do you do with it I have tried
and what do you do with it I have tried to raise the bar on myself elevate my
to raise the bar on myself elevate my
to raise the bar on myself elevate my game do things that I probably wouldn’t
game do things that I probably wouldn’t
game do things that I probably wouldn’t have done if I hadn’t had that
have done if I hadn’t had that
have done if I hadn’t had that experience I’ve done a lot of things
experience I’ve done a lot of things
experience I’ve done a lot of things that you know I would say stray outside
that you know I would say stray outside
that you know I would say stray outside the lines for me but I did them because
the lines for me but I did them because
the lines for me but I did them because I realized I’ve already had a second
I realized I’ve already had a second
I realized I’ve already had a second chance I’m not going to have a third so
chance I’m not going to have a third so
chance I’m not going to have a third so I’m going to take full advantage of
I’m going to take full advantage of
I’m going to take full advantage of what’s been offered to me from a
what’s been offered to me from a
what’s been offered to me from a military perspective this mission was a
military perspective this mission was a
military perspective this mission was a success that mission that day was a
success that mission that day was a
success that mission that day was a success we captured the people we were
success we captured the people we were
success we captured the people we were after you know if you define success
after you know if you define success
after you know if you define success from military perspective as casualties
from military perspective as casualties
from military perspective as casualties the casualties on the other side far
the casualties on the other side far
the casualties on the other side far outnumber dollars but we lost people and
outnumber dollars but we lost people and
outnumber dollars but we lost people and anytime we lose people we have such a
anytime we lose people we have such a
anytime we lose people we have such a high standard here with our military in
high standard here with our military in
high standard here with our military in the United States that any loss
the United States that any loss
the United States that any loss whatsoever is is viewed upon with great
whatsoever is is viewed upon with great
whatsoever is is viewed upon with great speculation but in the big picture
speculation but in the big picture
speculation but in the big picture that’s the price we’re going to pay I
that’s the price we’re going to pay I
that’s the price we’re going to pay I mean if we’re going to go try to fight
mean if we’re going to go try to fight
mean if we’re going to go try to fight Isis if we’re going to go try to to
Isis if we’re going to go try to to
Isis if we’re going to go try to to straighten out places like Afghanistan
straighten out places like Afghanistan
straighten out places like Afghanistan people are going to die and if we don’t
people are going to die and if we don’t
people are going to die and if we don’t accept that going in we shouldn’t go
accept that going in we shouldn’t go
accept that going in we shouldn’t go because that is the world that we live
because that is the world that we live
because that is the world that we live in it’s dangerous these missions are
in it’s dangerous these missions are
in it’s dangerous these missions are hard and there will be a price to pay
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