Today 5 studs posted at the WWII Memorial at Town Commons for a humble and thoughtful Ruck.

The plan was simple. Load as much weight as we could and aim for all the hills and inclines we could find. We started with 5 men, so 4 60# sandbags were picked up. Grout, the Merciful (read his BB) had the Q across town at Boyd Lee, but Bono, the Brute, had different plans. After a quick stop by the Garden of Flags for a photo, the men took off for Summit St after listening to the story of Daniel Inouye, the Medal of Honor recipient who later became a US Senator. After getting shot in the belly, he told out 2 machine gun nest before picking a grenade out of his former right hand to finish off a 3rd next (read the story). Getting to the bottom of a hill and knowing that the only way out is straight back up, plays with your mind.

Then we moseyed down towards the parking deck. We often search for inclines in ENC, a man-made incline works in time of need. Our goal was to be at the top of the parking deck at 0745 to listen to some more stories of Medal of Honor hero’s. Stories that out the pain of the last 45 min into perspective. At the top of the “hill” (parking deck) we finally got to ground the sandbags for a bit, while listening to the story of Roy Benavidez, who made sure his men got on the medivac helicopter after the first one he loaded them on was shot down. When we got to the base of the deck, Stabler remembered that this Q likes to hide extra coupons down there. We had 4 Kettlebells, a 20# vest, a 50# team weight. That meant that 5 men got to experience what happens when you take 240# of sandbags and add in 210# in extra coupons. Each man had another 90# to take back up the parking deck to get to our 2nd medivac. It was amazing to see how they performed – like studs. We listened to a quick story about Randy Shughart and Gary Gordon, the two Delta snipers who protected the pilot in Blackhawk Down. That earned us the right to watch the extra coupons get “medivac” out, while we made it back to the flag in time to listen to the final story about Jason Dunham, who sacrificed his life to protect his fellow marines from a grenade. Today was a Ruck of Remembering.

Here’s the link to the stories read: https://amp.businessinsider.com/medal-of-honor-winners-incredible-stories-military-2018-3

COT/BOM– Prayers for injured pax. For T-Bone who’s still in Texas working his logistical magic for work. For safe travels. For our heroes who sacrificed and are remembered this weekend.

Moleskin– Today was a great day. Originally, there was disappointment because just Ma Bell, Stabler, and Bono showed for the Buddy Carry Challenge. We needed 4 to do the challenge, which would have been a great preview into the regular Q. Ma Bell came before work, just for that challenge. Sometimes, things don’t go according to plan. Sometimes a plan comes together, like Hannibal says when he’s chewing on a cigar.

Today was about talking to Stabler about his family vacation and worry when learning his bride was in a car accident. About doing what his bride wants to do and spending time with her. It was about learning the history of how Padre became Padre and how Stabler may have named him at first because he was from San Diego and is a Padre fan, but that name has such deeper meaning. It wasn’t until the COT that it was revealed that Padre is Double Respect – that man is a STUD.  It’s about watching Poppins get comfortable with being completely uncomfortable under a sandbag and grabbing the 50# KB on the last evolution. We all teamed up on that one, but he grabbed it. It was about listening to funny stories of the Star Course and knowing that Capt. Skynyrd is a legit stud.

Today was about remembering that if a Medal of Honor recipient can pick a grenade out of his right hand, which is barely attached to his body, and complete this mission to save his unit from a German machine gun nest, maybe we can carry some heavy coupons up a parking deck. Remembering stories of real heroes, provides us with the humility to suck it up and focus on our team mates with an outward mindset that can take a man past his individual limitations – because he’s doing it for his brothers.

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