Much respect...

[speedster1219]

For Pat Tillman and his family...A TRUE hero for all to follow...May he RIP

[YuJinha]

Amen. Rangers lead the way. But really, why is the press making such a big deal about him as opposed to the others? Just b/c he was gonna be a big football player. It doesn't do all the other soldiers respect that he gets all this post-mortem respect/publicity and all they get claim to be being that +1 to the nightly news of total deaths in Iraq.

Kind of makes you wonder where American's priorities/morals lay (lie?).

Hmm, one of the articles says he did Airborne in November and RIP in december. Anyone know what year he did it in cuz I know my friend and I did Airborne at the end of October and he did RIP in december and was placed with the 75th Ranger Bat. in Ft. Lewis as well.

[speedster1219]

I believe that because of the life he could of had...the loyalty he showed...to the Cardinals and to our country.....

if you had millions of dollars and the luxury of athlete statue..would you volunteer to put yourself in harms way? (not directed to you) get paid 1/10 of what you could be making? decline a commission so you are ensured of being in the thick of things?

I see myself similar to him....I have the chance to be an officer right now..but im gonna go enlisted.....Id rather class up for BUDS as an enlisted later this year than go get a lucrative job somewhere else (stop calling buymoto:-p ) but im patriotic..i believe in my country and I believe im a suited for my job choice.. but i am no hero...im just another american citizen


to each their own....if ya wanna go fight...go..if you dont...dont..just support your troops and those who try to help.(not like the Japanese and their hostages who came home...)


just my .02 cents..


:rifle:

[triumph_s4]

yes they are giving him maybe much undu attention. but he DID give up alot for his beliefs... i dont know if there are many that have given up that much to fight for what they believe in. Its something you dont see in america too much. I still think that everyone that is fighting for our country are hero's and deserve much respect and attention as well, but as in everything in life, what stands out gets focused on.

[LV_styles]

Originally posted by speedster1219
I believe that because of the life he could of had...the loyalty he showed...to the Cardinals and to our country.....

if you had millions of dollars and the luxury of athlete statue..would you volunteer to put yourself in harms way? (not directed to you) get paid 1/10 of what you could be making? decline a commission so you are ensured of being in the thick of things?

I see myself similar to him....I have the chance to be an officer right now..but im gonna go enlisted.....Id rather class up for BUDS as an enlisted later this year than go get a lucrative job somewhere else (stop calling buymoto:-p ) but im patriotic..i believe in my country and I believe im a suited for my job choice.. but i am no hero...im just another american citizen


to each their own....if ya wanna go fight...go..if you dont...dont..just support your troops and those who try to help.(not like the Japanese and their hostages who came home...)


just my .02 cents..


:rifle:


Well put Carlos, and I'm sure that YOU actually are a hero in the eyes of many. Especially, in the eyes of your son. I commend you for your loyalty to this country, and willingness to jeopardize your future for the well being of others :clap:. I do believe that a story like this encourages patriotism, and support for our loyal troops. Many of whom are just everyday guys, but are equally as heroic abd respected as those soldiers that are officially recognized for their heroism.

[YuJinha]

Originally posted by speedster1219
I believe that because of the life he could of had...the loyalty he showed...to the Cardinals and to our country.....

if you had millions of dollars and the luxury of athlete statue..would you volunteer to put yourself in harms way? (not directed to you) get paid 1/10 of what you could be making? decline a commission so you are ensured of being in the thick of things?

I see myself similar to him....I have the chance to be an officer right now..but im gonna go enlisted.....Id rather class up for BUDS as an enlisted later this year than go get a lucrative job somewhere else (stop calling buymoto:-p ) but im patriotic..i believe in my country and I believe im a suited for my job choice.. but i am no hero...im just another american citizen


to each their own....if ya wanna go fight...go..if you dont...dont..just support your troops and those who try to help.(not like the Japanese and their hostages who came home...)


just my .02 cents..


:rifle:

I can see where you're coming from. Everyone and their mom who knows me from my military career asks me why I don't go to ROTC and become an officer. I guess from their point of view, I'm over qualified to be an enlisted grunt since I not only go to college but it's UCSD, as if it has more prestige than Mira Mesa Community college or something. Even my Drill Sergeants at ITB said I should either be an officer or go Warrant. But while I haven't read all of the articles on Tillman, if what you said about him is true, then much in the same respect, we are very similar.

To me however, it just doesn't make sense to be an infantry officer (I'll leave my reason to myself as there are 11A's on this board). And so does that mean I deserve all kinds of bells and whistles when if I die in war? Because I'm overqualified to be an enlisted person yet I took the cut to volunteer to be in the ****? By no means do I have the cushion of elite althlete status but it's not like I'm begging for money either. So in some respect, I'm taking a pay cut as well by taking up a military career when I could be making way more, even without a college degree, doing paperwork behind a desk office space style.

I guess in the end, I can see how he was the exception and I guess exceptions deserve special notice. But at what expense? At the expense of all those others who have died. I guess I just have qualms with he's getting a grip of press when others haven't gotten ****. It's basically saying he's a better "American" than the others because he supposedly "sacrificed" more than the rest. What about those who joined the Military because they didn't have the luxury of anything to sacrifice? What about those types of soldiers who died? Are they any less "American" because they didn't/couldn't give up anything in the name of Patriotism? The only news most of these "normal" soldiers get are their names listed in the local obituaries and maybe a 3 second sentence mentioning their death in their hometowns local news station. That to me is a frigging travesity.

[YuJinha]

I guess part of my response comes out of the fact that I been to countless military funeral burials and it sucks when you see that a lot of these World War II vets, those who you can probably assume have been in or seen far worse **** than anyone of the soldiers in these more recent wars has been in and all you see are like 4 people attending the ceremony. It just doesn't do them any respect.

I mean I attened one funeral. The man was retired by he both Army Special Forces and Navy SEAL (Not at the same time of course). If that's not a badass, then I don't know what is. While there was a good portion of people at his service, I didn't see anything in the papers or news about this badass passing away.

I guess what I'm getting worked up about is everyone is like God bless Tillman, a true American hero AND all of the others who have died in the name of their country. Whiskey tango foxtrot. Are all those others not deserving of names too? If Tillman gets his own name in the sentence, then in keeping with military uniformity, then everyones name should be mentioned in that same sentence.

Old soldiers never die; they only fade away.

[Philo]

I think I read he rode a bicycle to play for the Cardinals as a walk on, getting paid nothing at first. Busted his azz, got offered a $3.6 million dollar contract to play for the Cardinals, then turned it down to go to war. All I can say is DAMN. Very few of us would even have the thought of giving that up cross our mind for a second, me included. Much respect to him. Just as much respect for the nameless, unkown thousands (millions) just like him that aren't in the press.

I would go to war and fight if I HAD to. I wouldn't flee the country or anything, but I swell up with patriotic feelings when I think of all the people (like Carlos) who stood up from their chairs first and raised their hand, before anyone started calling names.

Can't say much more than........thank you.

[speedster1219]

it sucks when people who come back and who did serve get no respect and get trampled on.....I graduated from USCD..am serving....and according to a majority of the campus..im a NAVY WHORE...( I was actually called this to my face in class)....I really hope that all those who do come back alive do not get treated like the individuals who came back Vietnam......

Infantry Officer..we all know Jae....I have much respect for him ( even though he doesnt want to swim this squid)....and i have much respect for everyone.....to those who take the courage to create change and try to help......

On my way back from Ft. Knox earlier..i grabbed a audio book to make the drive easier...it was Tom Brokaw's Greatest Generation ..made me realize who differnt indiviudal's thinking regarding country have radicly changed....people back then were lining up to enlist....people lied about ages to join the fight......I listened to that book (UCSD grad who hates reading!) 12 times....and I wish there were more people like them...they are out there....common folks who make the sacrifice and humbly note that they wre doing there job....well after rambling on here i just believe that people now a days are more self centered....that we are living a self centered world...Mr. Tillman wasnt..and he paid the ultimate price for it..as did countless others...

[speedster1219]

Originally posted by YuJinha
I guess part of my response comes out of the fact that I been to countless military funeral burials and it sucks when you see that a lot of these World War II vets, those who you can probably assume have been in or seen far worse **** than anyone of the soldiers in these more recent wars has been in and all you see are like 4 people attending the ceremony. It just doesn't do them any respect.

Old soldiers never die; they only fade away.

true very true...:(

[cbrsmurf]

The press just prints whatever catches people's attention.

Also, it's not that people don't respect military personnel who sacrifice better pay elsewhere to serve their country -- I think many people do, but it's just plain rare to have rich people enlist. People like to read about rare/strange/weird occurences and having a famous, rich person who enlisted and was kia is something that people will want to read about.

[AWP]

Kinda freaky, he went to my high school. Back when our team was actually good. RIP :errf:

[AWP]

good article about why there is such a big deal about him:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylc=X3oDMTBpbmdmam0wBF9TAzI1NjY0ODI1BHNlYwN0 bQ--?slug=dw-tillman&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

... not meaning that anyone else should receive ANY less respect

[EvilKawi]

RIP

[deathblow]

Godspeed. What he does is bring to light what all have done in sacrificing their lives for our freedom. They are all heroes and all deserve to be honored.