Tough, Rugged Bastards

SJB358

Ballistician
Dec 24, 2006
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Just wanted to throw out a plug for one of my buddies who wrote a pretty cool book about about how the Marine Corps entered USSOCOM. Anyhow, it’s on Amazon and if you’re an American, you should likely read it 😁

Name of of the book is Tough, Rugged Bastards written by John A Dailey.
 
Just wanted to throw out a plug for one of my buddies who wrote a pretty cool book about about how the Marine Corps entered USSOCOM. Anyhow, it’s on Amazon and if you’re an American, you should likely read it 😁

Name of of the book is Tough, Rugged Bastards written by John A Dailey.
Scotty, So just tonight we found out my brother in law, Major 2nd Ranger Bat. has been accepted into the USSOCOM Care coalition program. He has suffered from a variety of injuries suffered over his career having seen combat in every theater since Granada. He has been evaced from Panama, the Balkans and Afganistan; we nearly lost him there. Most recently his weight has dropped from a combat ready 250 to 157 pounds. He hasn’t weighed that little since the sixth grade. He’s been sick as hell, got shot to ribbons and then blown up. Internal organ damage on top of broken back and hip from the sandbox. Anyway, saw your acronym just after getting a note from my Sister regarding the Majors new care program through USSOCOM. I will be ordering the book.
 
Don, the SOF Care Coalition is an amazing organization. One good friend was burned over 95% of his body in Afghanistan. Serious wounds and as you can imagine it made his and his families life hell. Well, SOF CC had a home built in Texas, near the hospital for his family and it was specially designed for him to receive care. Eden passed 6 years after being blown up. I always send the SOF CC a bit of my retirement yearly since I know it’s going to the best cause.

I wish your brother some luck. Sounds like an old warrior.
 
We got about a month out of the USSOCOM Care Coalition. Absolutely an outstanding organization. The “Major” succumbed last night to a combination of war injury and cancer. My sister got him to his Oncologist for a scheduled appointment Monday morning but he was not doing well and was admitted to hospital. 0500 this morning he was gone. His first deployment as a butter bar Lt. was to secure the air field on Grenada after the Navy Seals were to have cleared it enough for his troops to land. The seals never made it to their objective. Many of them drowned in the Snafu. The Majors sargent, on learning they would be Jumping out of perfectly good aircraft onto a hostile LZ, had the freshly minted LT. Stand at the bulkhead. “Sir, stand here so you don’t fuck this up” The objective was secured. From Granada to Panama the Balkans, Africa, the Middle East, Iraq and Afganistan he soldiered on. So did my sister. The Major and his Sargent in my boat up in Alaska; the car, a gift from 2nd Ranger Bat to my sister. The bear nearly got knifed by the Sargent. I offered I had a 454 and spray, Sgt. Troy offered I should take care of the Major
 

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Don, It's always hard to say "Goodbye." It's somewhat easier when we say our Goodbye to one who accomplished something of note. Some people live a life; some people make a memorable life. It sounds as if the Major provided one of those memorable lives that enriched all who knew him.
 
What a man!

My goodness. Sorry for your loss, and it seems like he's one of those who contributed far more than his fair share.

Guy
 
I’ve known the Major since he was about 8 years old. When we moved to Oregon from Alaska his older brother and I became buddies. Never knew him to have a failure in honor , integrity or character. Afganistan injured him the most, perhaps it was cumulative, but there were some interesting nights in elk camp after he mustered out. The nightmares were not about the combat per se but were about the men he couldn’t save.
Perhaps the best thing about having him come up to Alaska, he would sleep. We would have to roust him in the morning, and wake him in the boat to fight a fish.
 

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Sorry to hear of his passing. His history tells of quite an accomplishment. Reminds me of what Mark Twain is credited with saying,
"There are basically two groups of people. Those who accomplish things and those who claim to accomplish things. The first group being less crowded." Respectfully grateful for his service. Dan.
 
Gosh Don I'm truly sorry to hear of your loss.
( Great warriors never die they just fade away ) Memories are ever lasting.
 
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