Big Brass Ones

From Venture Hacks ..

"Marines view warfare as a domain of unexpected obstacles and fleeting opportunities." – http://bit.ly/xnzi. Sounds like a startup.

"[A marine] views war as a domain of inherent uncertainty, where the side that can best exploit uncertainty will win." http://bit.ly/1KgHzk

Replace 'warfare' with 'life' and you've got that right.



Here are some guys living the real deal, with great big brass ones: One battle, one Navy Cross, four Silver Stars.

On Nov. 16, 2005, (Lance Corporal Joshua) Mooi’s battalion was targeting al-Qaida operatives in New Ubaydi, along the Euphrates River. The missions were part of operation “Steel Curtain.”

Mooi’s platoon came under attack from insurgents firing automatic weapons and lobbing grenades from several fortified homes, officials said. Mooi fought back and helped recover four Marines hit by enemy fire.

Six times, he “willingly entered an ambush site to pursue the enemy and extricate injured Marines,” his (Navy Cross) award citation states. “Often alone in his efforts, he continued to destroy the enemy and rescue wounded Marines until his rifle was destroyed by enemy fire and he was ordered to withdraw.”

His “relentless and courageous actions eliminated at least four insurgents while permitting the immediate care and evacuation of more than a dozen Marines who lay critically or mortally wounded,”

Navy Secretary Winter also approved Silver Stars for:

2nd Lt. Donald R. McGlothlin, the platoon commander who was killed as he laid suppressive fire against insurgents in an effort to shield the evacuation of wounded Marines from the house, his citation states.

Staff Sgt. Robert W. Homer, 2nd Platoon’s sergeant, who fended off enemy grenades, small-arms fire and serious shrapnel wounds to lob suppressive fire and help treat and evacuate wounded Marines before he was ordered aboard a medevac helicopter, according to the citation.

Cpl. Javier Alvarez, a squad leader who directed several magazines of suppressive fire as Marines tried to aid and evacuate the wounded and who himself was seriously wounded after he grabbed an enemy grenade before it detonated, the citation states.

Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Jesse P. Hickey, the platoon corpsman who saved several Marines’ lives, at times running into the kill zone through enemy automatic fire to treat severely wounded members despite suffering injuries to one of his arms, according to his citation.

Our condolences to the family of Lieutenant McGlothlin.  Nothing can replace a loved one, but he died for his Marines and will not be forgotten.



My favorite Motivational Poster, ever.