This past hunting season I went on a trip to Saskatchewan for whitetail. Having spent several weeks a year hunting in Canada since 2000, I know the days can be very long and sometimes uneventful!
Like most of my Canadian adventures I left RDU for a connecting flight in Minneapolis. During my lay over I passed a book store and decided to see if any books sparked an interest. Sitting on the Bestseller shelf was a book called Lone Survivor. After reading the synopsis I knew I wanted to buy this book to help pass time while sitting in the hunting blind. 

After a few hours in the ground blind in Saskatchewan and not a lot of deer movement, I pulled my book out and began to read. The problem was, I couldn’t put it down. It was a good thing there were 3 of us in the ground blind looking for deer. That gave me plenty of time to read the book. It only took me 8 hours to read it. By far the best book I’ve ever read!!!!!

When I got back home from the hunting trip I contacted my good friend Michael Allen that I worked with in the Public Affairs office for the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade at Camp Lejeune and asked him had he read this book. He said he had in fact read the book and he surprised me by telling me that Marcus would be speaking at one of his breakfast meetings in March and invited me to come. Without hesitation I accepted his offer.

 A couple of weeks ago I went to Richmond, Va to spend some time with my good friend Michael and to attend the breakfast where Marcus spoke. Marcus gave an awesome presentation. To be able to hear him tell the events that unfolded on that mountainside first hand was bone chilling! Thank God for Americans like this that fight to keep our Country free! I wish more American’s felt like Marcus about our Country!  

CBN Story on Operation Red Wing

United States Navy file photo of Navy SEALs operating in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. From left to right, Sonar Technician (Surface) 2nd Class Matthew G. Axelson, of Cupertino, Calif; Senior Chief Information Systems Technician Daniel R. Healy, of Exeter, N.H.; Quartermaster 2nd Class James Suh, of Deerfield Beach, Fla.; Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Marcus Luttrell; Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Eric S. Patton, of Boulder City, Nev.; and Lt. Michael P. Murphy, of Patchogue, N.Y. With the exception of Luttrell, all were killed June 28, 2005, by enemy forces while supporting Operation Red Wing.

My Good Friend Michael Allen and I pause for a picture after the breakfast that Marcus Luttrell spoke.