"And so it is with diving. It is quite simply the exploration of a fantastic world unseen by land-bound men. For a few of us, this world has become the driving force in our lives, the focus of our every waking minute as well as our dreams, and indeed the very reason for our existence. It is not a sport ~ it is a way of life. This is the world that I would like to share with you." ~ Gary Gentile
I'd like to meet:
"Change is the Law of Life. And those who look only to the Past or the Present are certain to miss the Future"
~ John F. Kennedy, LT.,U.S Navy,Senator and U.S. President
The United States Navy will remain the preeminent maritime power, providing our country a global naval expeditionary force committed to global security and prosperity. We will defend our homeland and our Nation’s vital interests around the world. We will prevent war, dominate any threat, and decisively defeat any adversary. The Navy will remain a powerful component of Joint warfare by exploiting cutting edge technology and cooperating closely with the other Services, the interagency community, allies, and international partners. We will remain a superbly trained and led team of diverse Sailors and civilians, who are grounded in our warrior ethos, core values, and commitment to mission readiness and accomplishment.
Our Mission ~ With global partners, we protect the maritime freedom that is the basis for global prosperity and we address transnational threats to peace. As the preeminent maritime force deployed around the world, we conduct the full range of operations from combat to humanitarian assistance. We provide presence and operational flexibility with forward deployed maritime forces to ensure freedom of action. We deter and, if deterrence fails, win our Nation’s wars. We foster and sustain cooperative relationships with an expanding set of allies and international partners to enhance global security.
Who We Are ~ We are the United States Navy. The core values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment are the very fabric of our Navy military and civilian team.
We protect our homeland and prevent conflict ~ We offer unique capabilities in the defense of our country. We deploy our forces everyday around the world to keep adversaries far from our shores and to build trust.
We seize opportunities with enthusiasm and optimism ~ Part of our thinking, culture and processes is our willingness and ability to anticipate, plan for, and prepare to rapidly address change.
What We Believe ~ We operate as a Joint and combined force. We share a common responsibility with the Marine Corps and Coast Guard to set the standard for Joint operations. The combined access and capabilities of the Services, the interagency community, coalition partners, and non-governmental organizations are essential to sustain a security environment that allows the United States and the international community to flourish.
We balance our efforts ~ We will be both effective and efficient in building, sustaining and employing the force, informed by rigorous measures and a clear understanding of the return on investment. Our success in defending our Nation requires balance across the capabilities, capacity, readiness and people that combine to make the Navy a relevant force.
We manage risk ~ We will identify, analyze, mitigate and then accept risk, appreciating that we must always consider the risks in aggregate across the entire force. Zero risk is not achievable nor affordable. We must manage risk and move forward to accomplish the mission while safeguarding our people and infrastructure.
We are fiscally responsible ~ We will determine the right type and levels of output required of our Navy, and align our resources and processes to deliver that output at the best cost. To this end, we must understand the return we derive from our investments of people, time, and money, and maximize them to the extent that effectiveness, efficiency and risk remain appropriately balanced.
We communicate with purpose ~ We will synchronize words and actions, and assess results to ensure all understand our action and intent. Actions without corresponding words are open to interpretation. Words without corresponding action can ring hollow. Effective communication is fundamental to achieving desired effects in every domain.
We strengthen and cultivate relationships ~ Our Navy interacts with many people and organizations on a local, national and international level. We will strengthen our current partnerships and engage future partners to build steadfast relationships that advance global maritime security and our common national interests.
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy, directed the United States Navy to establish SEAL Teams. The U.S. Navy Comissioned SEAL Teams ONE and TWO to answer the call. Their mission: Conduct counterguerilla warfare and clandestine operations in the maritime and rivertime environments of Vietnam. Since that time Navy SEALs have taken the lead on virtually every military action and have operated around the world, including Grenada, the Persian Gulf, Panama, the Middle East, Somalia, Bosnia, Haiti, Liberia, Iraq and Afganistan.
The most important trait that distinguishes Navy SEALs from all other military forces is that SEALs are Maritime Special Forces, as they strike from and return to the sea. SEALs (Sea, Air, Land) take their name from the elements in and from which they operate. Their stealth and clandestine methods of operation allow them to conduct multiple missions against targets that larger forces cannot approach undetected.
Their equipment, vehicles and weaponry are chosen depending on the nature of the mission. Given the top-secret nature of many SEAL operations, some of this information remains classified. SEAL teams train in a wide diversity of environments from desert, urban, mountain, woodland, jungle and arctic. Special tactics, techniques and procedures apply to each setting and mission. SEALs' proven ability to operate across the spectrum of conflict and in operations other than war in a controlled manner, and their ability to provide real time intelligence and eyes on target, offers decision makers immediate and virtually unlimited options in the face of rapidly changing crises around the world. SEAL teams employ a wide variety of special equipment in accomplishing our nations top priority missions in winning the Global War on Terrorism.
During Operation Enduring Freedom, SEAL forces carried out more than 75 special reconnaissance and direct action missions, destroying more than 500,000 pounds of explosives and conducting searches for terrorists trying to escape by sea.
SEALS have also played a role in Operation Iraqi Freedom, where they ran numerous special reconnaissance and direct action missions including the securing of off-shore gas and oil terminals, and raiding suspected chemical, biological and radiological sites. The SEALs also rescued the first POW since WWII. SEALs are currently fighting the war on terrorism in other global hot spots including the Philippines and the Horn of Africa. Their impact has contributed to the security of our country ~ and the demise of our enemies.
Navy SEALs conduct clandestine missions from the sea, air and land. SEALS are truly silent professionals with razor-sharp precision, who possess uncompromising standards with unwavering loyalty and teamwork. SEALs are considered the premier maritime special operations force in the world. Their missions include counter- terrorism operations, special reconnaissance, direct action operations and clandestine/unconventional warfare.
The Navy SEALs are unique. Uncompromising in their determination to achive ~ scarificing themselves to the toughest training in the world. Pushing themselves to the outer reaches of human capabilities. SEAL training is not your typical obstacle course. It weeds out all but the toughest, strongest and most determined individuals.
Just completing SEAL BUD/S training earns a great deal of respect to all who manage to complete it. Navy SEALs are considered by many to be the most highly skilled maritime force in the world. It is only fitting that they would employ the most up-to-date, cutting-edge equipment the military has to offer. And pulling through with the most intense, electrifying career in existance. In total, they make up less than one (1) percent of all U.S. Navy personel.
There are soldiers, and there are warriors. U. S. Navy SEALs are highly trained to plan and succeed. SEALs depend on their teammates. But sometimes the SEAL operation is a lone mission as members are dropped behind enemy lines or placed alone in hostile environments. Even in these dangerous situations, SEALs are equipped with high-powered satellite communications. And trust me, the contents of this SEAL’s backpack can’t be bought at the local surplus store.
While the mission dictates the equipment, SEALs often have at their disposal: spotter scopes, GPS, CAR 15s with M-203 grenade launchers, a SASR .50 caliber sniper rifles and shotguns if the tasks involve close-in work.
Taking out key enemy targets for superiority and effective military advantage. Conducting reconnaissance for future military actions. Standing ready to neutralize the threat of terroism around the world at a moments notice. And utilizing the latest technology in transportation, reconnaissance and weaponry to get the objective done.
A typical SEAL mission could involve insertion into an objective by parachute, submarine, helicopter, high-speed boat, foot patrol or by a combat swimmer insertion. SEALs are also capable of operating a variety of high-tech, specialized equipment. Most deployments last 6 to 8 months.
If you want to become a SEAL, the U.S. Navy Special Warfare Community has a challenge for you. The SEAL program consists of more than 12 months of initial training — followed by an additional 18 months of pre-deployment training — and intensive specialized training designed to push you to your physical and mental limits — again and again. If you succeed, you’ll be part of a SEAL Team and conduct missions and operations that most people can only dream about.
www.navy.com/about/navylife/onduty/seals/training
In times of war or uncertainty there is a special breed of warrior ready to answer our Nation’s call. A common man with uncommon desire to succeed. Forged by adversity, he stands alongside America’s finest special operations forces to serve his country, the American people, and protect their way of life. I am that man.
My Trident is a symbol of honor and heritage. Bestowed upon me by the heroes that have gone before, it embodies the trust of those I have sworn to protect. By wearing the Trident I accept the responsibility of my chosen profession and way of life. It is a privilege that I must earn every day.
My loyalty to Country and Team is beyond reproach. I humbly serve as a guardian to my fellow Americans always ready to defend those who are unable to defend themselves. I do not advertise the nature of my work, nor seek recognition for my actions. I voluntarily accept the inherent hazards of my profession, placing the welfare and security of others before my own.
I serve with honor on and off the battlefield. The ability to control my emotions and my actions, regardless of circumstance, sets me apart from other men. Uncompromising integrity is my standard. My character and honor are steadfast. My word is my bond.
We expect to lead and be led. In the absence of orders I will take charge, lead my teammates and accomplish the mission. I lead by example in all situations.
I will never quit. I persevere and thrive on adversity. My Nation expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight.
We demand discipline. We expect innovation. The lives of my teammates and the success of our mission depend on me - my technical skill, tactical proficiency, and attention to detail. My training is never complete.
We train for war and fight to win. I stand ready to bring the full spectrum of combat power to bear in order to achieve my mission and the goals established by my country. The execution of my duties will be swift and violent when required yet guided by the very principles that I serve to defend.
Brave men have fought and died building the proud tradition and feared reputation that I am bound to uphold. In the worst of conditions, the legacy of my teammates steadies my resolve and silently guides my every deed. I will not fail.
I AM A WARRIOR. I WILL NEVER ACCEPT DEFEAT. I WILL NEVER QUIT. I STAND READY TO DEPLOY, ENGAGE, TO ELIMINATE THE ENEMIES OF THE WORLD. I AM A GUARDIAN OF FREEDOM AND THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE.
I am, a NAVY SEAL.
President George W. Bush stands with Dan and Maureen Murphy, parents of Lt. Michael P. Murphy, after the Navy SEAL was honored posthumously with the Medal of Honor during ceremonies Monday, Oct. 22, 2007, in the East Room of the White House. White House photo by Joyce N. Boghosian
Lt. Michael P. Murphy, fondly referred to by friends and family as "Murph," was born May 7, 1976 in Smithtown, N.Y. and grew up in the New York City commuter town of Patchogue, N.Y. on Long Island. Murphy grew up active in sports and attended Patchogue's Saxton Middle School. In high school, Murphy took a summer lifeguard job at the Brookhaven town beach in Lake Ronkonkoma -- a job he returned to each summer through his college years. Murphy graduated from Patchogue-Medford High School in 1994.
Murphy attended Penn State University, where he was an exceptional all-around athlete and student, excelling at ice hockey and graduating with honors. He was an avid reader; his reading tastes ranged from the Greek historian Herodotus to Tolstoy's "War and Peace." Murphy's favorite book was Steven Pressfield's "Gates of Fire," about the Spartan stand at Thermopylae. In 1998, he graduated with a pair of Bachelor of Arts degrees from Penn State -- in political science and psychology. Following graduation, he was accepted to several law schools, but instead he changed course. Slightly built at 5 feet 10 inches, Murphy decided to attend SEAL mentoring sessions at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point with his sights on becoming a U.S. Navy SEAL.
Murphy accepted an appointment to the Navy's Officer Candidate School at Pensacola, Fla., in September, 2000.
He was commissioned as an ensign in the Navy on Dec. 13, 2000, and began Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training in Coronado, Calif., in January 2001, graduating with Class 236. BUD/S is a six-month training course and the first step to becoming a Navy SEAL. He graduated from BUD/S, he attended the Army Jump School, SEAL Qualification Training and SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV) school. Lt. Murphy earned his SEAL Trident and checked on board SDV Team (SDVT) 1 in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in July of 2002. In October of 2002, he deployed with Foxtrot Platoon to Jordan as the liaison officer for Exercise Early Victor.
Following his tour with SDVT-1, Lt. Murphy was assigned to Special Operations Central Command in Florida and deployed to Qatar in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. After returning from Qatar, Lt. Murphy was deployed to the Horn of Africa, Djibouti, to assist in the operational planning of future SDV missions.
In early 2005, Murphy was assigned to SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1 as assistant officer in charge of ALFA Platoon and deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. On June 28, 2005, Lt. Murphy was the officer-in-charge of a four-man SEAL element in support of Operation Red Wing tasked with finding key anti-coalition militia commander near Asadabad, Afghanistan. Shortly after inserting into the objective area, the SEALs were spotted by three goat herders who were initially detained and then released. It is believed the goat herders immediately reported the SEALs' presence to Taliban fighters.
A fierce gun battle ensued on the steep face of the mountain between the SEALs and a much larger enemy force. Despite the intensity of the firefight and suffering grave gunshot wounds himself, Murphy is credited with risking his own life to save the lives of his teammates. Murphy, intent on making contact with headquarters, but realizing this would be impossible in the extreme terrain where they were fighting, unhesitatingly and with complete disregard for his own life moved into the open, where he could gain a better position to transmit a call to get help for his men.
Moving away from the protective mountain rocks, he knowingly exposed himself to increased enemy gunfire. This deliberate and heroic act deprived him of cover and made him a target for the enemy. While continuing to be fired upon, Murphy made contact with the SOF Quick Reaction Force at Bagram Air Base and requested assistance. He calmly provided his unit's location and the size of the enemy force while requesting immediate support for his team. At one point, he was shot in the back causing him to drop the transmitter. Murphy picked it back up, completed the call and continued firing at the enemy who was closing in. Severely wounded, Lt. Murphy returned to his cover position with his men and continued the battle.
As a result of Murphy's call, an MH-47 Chinook helicopter, with eight additional SEALs and eight Army Night Stalkers aboard, was sent in as part of the QRF to extract the four embattled SEALs. As the Chinook drew nearer to the fight, a rocket-propelled grenade hit the helicopter, causing it to crash and killing all 16 men aboard.
On the ground and nearly out of ammunition, the four SEALs, continued to fight. By the end of a two-hour gunfight that careened through the hills and over cliffs, Murphy, Gunner's Mate 2nd Class (SEAL) Danny Dietz and Sonar Technician 2nd Class (SEAL) Matthew Axelson had fallen. An estimated 35 Taliban were also dead. The fourth SEAL, Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (SEAL) Marcus Luttrell, was blasted over a ridge by a rocket-propelled grenade and knocked unconscious. Though severely wounded, the fourth SEAL and sole survivor, Luttrell, was able to evade the enemy for nearly a day; after which local nationals came to his aide, carrying him to a nearby village where they kept him for three more days. Luttrell was rescued by U.S. Forces on July 2, 2005.
By his undaunted courage, intrepid fighting spirit and inspirational devotion to his men in the face of certain death, Lt. Murphy was able to relay the position of his unit, an act that ultimately led to the rescue of Luttrell and the recovery of the remains of the three who were killed in the battle.
Lt. Murphy was buried at Calverton National Cemetery less than 20 miles from his childhood home. Lt. Murphy's other personal awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Ribbon and National Defense Service Medal.
Lt. Murphy is survived by his mother Maureen Murphy; his father Dan Murphy; and his brother John Murphy. Dan and Maureen Murphy, who were divorced in 1999, remain close friends and continue to live in N.Y. Their son John, 22, attends the New York Institute of Technology, and upon graduation will pursue a career in criminal justice, having been accepted to the New York City Police Deparment.
OPERATION REDWING ~ Killed In Action ~ KIAs
On June 28, 2005, three of four SEALS on the ground (Murphy, Dietz, Axelson) were killed during combat operations in support of Operation Red Wing. ON the same day, a QRF of eight Navy SEALs and 8 Army Night Stalkers were also killed when the MH-47 helicopter that they were aboard was shot down by enemy fire in the vicinity of Asadabad, Afghanistan in Kumar Province.
NAVY CROSS PRESENTATION -- Secretary of the Navy Dr. Donald C. Winter presents the Navy Cross to the wife of Petty Officer 2nd Class (SEAL) Matthew G. Axelson during a ceremony at the Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 13, 2006.
On June 28, 2005, deep behind enemy lines east of Asadabad in the Hindu Kush of Afghanistan, a very committed four-man Navy SEAL team was conducting a reconnaissance mission at the unforgiving altitude of approximately 10,000 feet. The SEALs, Lt. Michael Murphy, Gunner's Mate 2nd Class (SEAL) Danny Dietz, Sonar Technician 2nd Class (SEAL) Matthew Axelson and Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (SEAL) Marcus Luttrell had a vital task. The four SEALs were scouting Ahmad Shah - a terrorist in his mid-30s who grew up in the adjacent mountains just to the south.
Under the assumed name Muhammad Ismail, Shah led a guerrilla group known to locals as the "Mountain Tigers" that had aligned with the Taliban and other militant groups close to the Pakistani border. The SEAL mission was compromised when the team was spotted by local nationals, who presumably reported its presence and location to the Taliban.
A fierce firefight erupted between the four SEALs and a much larger enemy force of more than 50 anti-coalition militia. The enemy had the SEALs outnumbered. They also had terrain advantage. They launched a well-organized, three-sided attack on the SEALs. The firefight continued relentlessly as the overwhelming militia forced the team deeper into a ravine.
Trying to reach safety, the four men, now each wounded, began bounding down the mountain's steep sides, making leaps of 20 to 30 feet. Approximately 45 minutes into the fight, pinned down by overwhelming forces, Dietz, the communications petty officer, sought open air to place a distress call back to the base. But before he could, he was shot in the hand, the blast shattering his thumb.
Despite the intensity of the firefight and suffering grave gunshot wounds himself, Murphy is credited with risking his own life to save the lives of his teammates. Murphy, intent on making contact with headquarters, but realizing this would be impossible in the extreme terrain where they were fighting, unhesitatingly and with complete disregard for his own life moved into the open, where he could gain a better position to transmit a call to get help for his men.
Moving away from the protective mountain rocks, he knowingly exposed himself to increased enemy gunfire. This deliberate and heroic act deprived him of cover and made him a target for the enemy. While continuing to be fired upon, Murphy made contact with the QRF Quick Reaction Force at Bagram Air Base and requested assistance. He calmly provided his unit's location and the size of the enemy force while requesting immediate support for his team. At one point he was shot in the back causing him to drop the transmitter. Murphy picked it back up, completed the call and continued firing at the enemy who was closing in. Severely wounded, Lt. Murphy returned to his cover position with his men and continued the battle.
An MH-47 Chinook helicopter, with eight additional SEALs and eight Army Night Stalkers aboard, was sent is as part of an extraction mission to pull out the four embattled SEALs. The MH-47 was escorted by heavily-armored, Army attack helicopters. Entering a hot combat zone, attack helicopters are used initially to neutralize the enemy and make it safer for the lightly-armored, personnel-transport helicopter to insert.
The heavy weight of the attack helicopters slowed the formation's advance prompting the MH-47 to outrun their armored escort. They knew the tremendous risk going into an active enemy area in daylight, without their attack support, and without the cover of night. Risk would, of course, be minimized if they put the helicopter down in a safe zone. But knowing that their warrior brothers were shot, surrounded and severely wounded, the rescue team opted to directly enter the oncoming battle in hopes of landing on brutally hazardous terrain.
As the Chinook raced to the battle, a rocket-propelled grenade struck the helicopter, killing all 16 men aboard.
On the ground and nearly out of ammunition, the four SEALs, Murphy, Luttrell, Dietz and Axelson, continued the fight. By the end of the two-hour gunfight that careened through the hills and over cliffs, Murphy, Axelson and Dietz had been killed. An estimated 35 Taliban were also dead.
The fourth SEAL, Luttrell, was blasted over a ridge by a rocket propelled grenade and was knocked unconscious. Regaining consciousness some time later, Luttrell managed to escape - badly injured - and slowly crawl away down the side of a cliff. Dehydrated, with a bullet wound to one leg, shrapnel embedded in both legs, three vertebrae cracked; the situation for Luttrell was grim. Rescue helicopters were sent in, but he was too weak and injured to make contact. Traveling seven miles on foot he evaded the enemy for nearly a day. Gratefully, local nationals came to his aid, carrying him to a nearby village where they kept him for three days. The Taliban came to the village several times demanding that Luttrell be turned over to them. The villagers refused. One of the villagers made his way to a Marine outpost with a note from Luttrell, and U.S. forces launched a massive operation that rescued him from enemy territory on July 2.
By his undaunted courage, intrepid fighting spirit and inspirational devotion to his men in the face of certain death, Lt. Murphy was able to relay the position of his unit, an act that ultimately led to the rescue of Luttrell and the recovery of the remains of the three who were killed in the battle.
This was the worst single-day U.S. Forces death toll since Operation Enduring Freedom began nearly six years ago. It was the single largest loss of life for Naval Special Warfare since World War II.
The Naval Special Warfare (NSW) community will forever remember June 28, 2005 and the heroic efforts and sacrifices of our special operators. We hold with reverence the ultimate sacrifice that they made while engaged in that fierce fire fight on the front lines of the global war on terrorism (GWOT).
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class (SEAL) Michael Monsoor
Posthumously Awarded Medal of Honor by President Geroge Bush and presented to his Mother and Father on April 8, 2008.
When a grenade bounced off his chest and fell to the floor near his fellow troops, Petty Officer 2nd Class (SEAL)Michael Monsoor acted out of instinct.
President Bush awards the parents of Michael Monsoor a posthumous Medal of Honor. One (1) of his three (3) actions didn't stem from a lack of training. His instant reaction was to protect his comrades. The Department of the Navy says he committed a selfless act: jumping on the grenade and taking the full force of the blast.
President Bush presented Monsoor's parents with a posthumous Medal of Honor for their son at an emotional White House ceremony on Tuesday. Bush quoted one of the SEALS saved by Monsoor as saying, "Mikey looked death in the face that day and said, 'You cannot take my brothers. I will go in their stead.'"
Monsoor was one of the U.S. military's most highly trained combatants, a U.S. Navy SEAL. He's the first SEAL to receive the Medal of Honor for actions in Iraq. On September 29, 2006, Monsoor was part of a major clearing and isolating operation to root out enemy fighters holding parts of Ramadi, the Sunni insurgent stronghold west of Baghdad.
Monsoor was in a sniper position on a rooftop along with two other SEALs when a grenade flew into his location from out of nowhere. It bounced off his chest and landed in an area where it probably would have killed or seriously wounded all three of them. Monsoor was in a position to escape before the explosion but instead leapt on the grenade.
"He recognized immediately the threat, yelled 'grenade' and due to the fact that two other SEAL snipers, our brothers, could not possibly escape the blast, he chose to smother it with his body, absorbed the impact and lost his life in the process," said Lt. Cmdr. Seth Stone, Monsoor's platoon commander.
The blast did not kill him right away; he hung on for 30 minutes clinging to life. His two comrades were wounded but survived the shrapnel that ripped through their bodies. Stone said: "He essentially saved [the] Navy SEALS on the rooftop and three Iraqi soldiers who were there."
Born in 1981 in Long Beach, California, Monsoor excelled as a high school athlete. He joined the Navy before the September 11 attacks. In 2004, Monsoor graduated from the basic SEAL training course as one of the top members of his class. By March 2005, he had completed his training and was assigned to SEAL Team 3, Delta Platoon.
In April 2006, that unit deployed to Iraq's troubled and violent western provincial capital of Ramadi. Monsoor would not return home alive. His (5) five-month stay in Ramadi was marked by constant attacks. As a heavy machine gunner, Monsoor had to stay behind the point man on foot patrols and protect the unit from attacks. Delta Platoon was involved in attacks on 75% of its missions in a highly contested part of Ramadi called the Ma'laab district, according to the Navy. On a patrol less than a month after arriving in Iraq, Monsoor showed some of his selfless instinct when gunfire hit a fellow SEAL in the leg. Monsoor "ran out into the street with another SEAL, shot cover fire and dragged his comrade to safety while enemy bullets kicked up the concrete at their feet," according to Navy documents. He received the Silver Star, the third highest award for valor in combat.
His unit continued to endure the constant barrage of attacks and some 35 firefights with insurgent forces over the scorching Iraqi summer. Monsoor also was saddled with carrying heavy radio equipment on his back as the "SEAL communicator" who called in tank and other support during firefights.
He received the Bronze Star for his work as an adviser for Iraqi troops.
"His leadership, guidance and decisive actions during 11 different combat operations saved the lives of his teammates, other [U.S.-led] coalition forces and Iraqi army soldiers," according to Navy documents.
But it was his instinct on his last operation on that Ramadi roof that solidified Monsoor's standing as a hero.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Mike Monsoor(SEAL), a Navy Explosives Ordinance Disposal Technician, was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously for jumping on a grenade in Iraq, giving his life to save his fellow SEALs. During Mike Monsoor's funeral in San Diego,CA, as his coffin was being moved from the hearse to the grave site at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery on Point Loma, SEALs were lined up on both sides of the pallbearers route forming a column of twos, with the coffin moving up the center. As Mike's coffin passed, each SEAL, having removed his Gold Warfare Designated Trident from his uniform, slapped it down embedding the Trident in the wooden coffin. The slaps were audible from across the cemetery; by the time the coffin arrived grave side, it looked as though it had a gold inlay from all the Tridents pinned to it. This was a fitting send-off for a warrior hero. This should be front-page news instead of the crap we see every day. Since the
media won't make this news, I choose to make it news by sharing it as my tribute to SEALs on my MySpace Profile and Friends. I am so proud of our military and particulary the United States Navy. If you are proud too, please share this on. If not, then rest assured that all of the men and women of our military, who give their all, will continue to serve and protect, honorably and with their hearts in the action. Ooh Ra!
Below are more Fallen SEAL Team members that have lost their lives in this long forsaken WAR!
May they all be with Jesus Christ in eternal heaven. God Bless these Special Warriors and their families for their sacrifice! Let us not forget the many who share this same ideology of defending and fighting for the land of the free and the home of the brave. God Bless all Airmen, Marines, Sailors SEALs, and Soldiers, who are overseas fighting for this Great Country of ours! God Bless the USA! God Bless America!
find and share recovery images at anonymousspace.com
The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for providing force projection from the sea, using the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. It is one of seven uniformed services of the Unites States.
Administratively, the Marine Corps is a component of the Department of the Navy, but it acts operationally as a separate branch of the military, often working closely with U.S. Naval forces for training, transportation, and logistic purposes.
Originally organized as the Continental Marines on November 10, 1775 as naval infantry, the Marine Corps has evolved in its mission with changing military doctrine and American foreign policy. The Marine Corps has served in every American armed conflict and attained prominence in the 20th century when its theories and practice of amphibious warfare proved prescient and ultimately formed the cornerstone of the Pacific campaign of World War II. By the mid 20th century, the Marine Corps had become the dominant theorist and practitioner of amphibious warfare. Its ability to respond rapidly to regional crises gives it a strong role in the implementation and execution of American foreign policy.
The United States Marine Corps, with 194,000 active duty and 40,000 reserve Marines, is the smallest of the United States' armed forces in the Department of Defense (the United States Coast Guard is smaller, about one fifth the size of the Marine Corps, but serves under Homeland Security). The Corps is nonetheless larger than the entire armed forces of many significant military powers; for example, it is larger than the active duty Israel Defense Forces or the whole of the British Army.
The United States Marine Corps serves as an amphibious force-in-readiness. As outlined in 10 U.S.C. § 5063, and originally introduced under the National Security Act of 1947, it has three primary areas of responsibility:
"The seizure or defense of advanced naval bases and other land operations to support naval campaigns;
The development of tactics, technique, and equipment used by amphibious landing forces; and
Such other duties as the President may direct."
This last clause, while seemingly redundant given the President's position as Commander-in-Chief, is a codification of the expeditionary duties of the Marine Corps. It derives from similar language in the Congressional Acts "For the Better Organization of the Marine Corps" of 1834, and "Establishing and Organizing a Marine Corps" of 1798. In 1951, the House of Representatives' Armed Services Committee called the clause "one of the most important statutory—and traditional—functions of the Marine Corps." It noted that the Corps has more often than not performed actions of a non-naval nature, including its famous actions in the War of 1812, at Tripoli, Chapultepec, numerous counter-insurgency and occupational duties (such as those in Central America), World War I, and the Korean War. While these actions are not accurately described as support of naval campaigns nor as amphibious warfare, their common thread is that they are of an expeditionary nature,
using the mobility of the Navy to provide timely intervention in foreign affairs on behalf of American interests.
In addition to its primary duties, the Marine Corps has missions in direct support of the White House and the State Department. The Marine Band, dubbed the "President's Own" by Thomas Jefferson, provides music for state functions at the White House. Marines guard presidential retreats, including Camp David,and the Marines of the Executive Flight Detachment of HMX-1 provide helicopter transport to the President and Vice President, using the call signs "Marine One" and "Marine Two" respectively. By authority of the 1946 Foreign Service act, the Marine security guards of the Marine Embassy Security Command provide security for American embassies, legations, and consulates at over 110 posts worldwide.[
Another War, Another Hero, Another Fallen Marine!
Commitment, Courage and Valor! The Few, The Proud, The Marines! Semper Fi!
Sergeant Rafael Peralta (April 7, 1979–November 15, 2004)
He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, was a United States Marine killed in combat during Operation Phantom Fury in the city of Fallujah, Iraq. In September 2008, his family was notified that he will be awarded the Navy Cross, the second highest award a United States Marine can receive.
Rafael Peralta was born on April 7, 1979 in Mexico City. Son of Rafael and Rosa Peralta, the oldest of four siblings Icelda, Karen and Ricardo. He immigrated to the United States and joined the United States Marine Corps as soon as he had a green card. He later became an American citizen while serving in the Marine Corps.
According to accounts, Peralta served the United States with enthusiasm and patriotism: "In his parent's home, on his bedroom walls hung only three items - a copy of the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights and his boot camp graduation certificate. Before he set out for Fallujah, he wrote to his 14-year old brother, 'be proud of me, bro...and be proud of being an American.'"
On November 15, 2004, 25 year old Sgt. Peralta, deployed to Iraq as a scout team leader assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, along with his team was ordered to clear houses in the Operation Phantom Fury. Peralta was not assigned to enter the buildings, but chose to do so anyway.
Sergeant Peralta led his team through a series of house clearings before charging into the fourth house. He found two rooms empty on the ground floor. Peralta opened a third door and was hit multiple times with AK-47 fire, leaving him severely wounded. He dropped to the floor and moved aside in order to allow the Marines behind him to return fire.
The insurgents responded by throwing a grenade at the Marines. The two Marines with Sgt. Peralta tried to get out of the room but could not. Sgt. Peralta was still conscious on the floor and reports indicate that despite his wounds, he was able to reach for the grenade and pull it under his body absorbing the majority of the lethal blast and shrapnel which killed him instantly, but saved the lives of his fellow Marines.
In December 2004, U.S. Congressman Bob Filner of California introduced legislation to award Sgt. Peralta the Medal of Honor. As of January 22, 2008, a Medal of Honor award for Sgt. Peralta was awaiting presidential approval.
On September 17, 2008, Rafael Peralta's family was notified by LtGen. Richard Natonski that he would not receive the Medal of Honor, but the Navy Cross instead, the service's second highest award for valor. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates rejected the Marine Corps' recommendation, concluding that his appointed panel unanimously confirmed that his actions did not meet the standard of "without any possibility of error or doubt". The central argument posed relates to whether the already mortally-wounded Peralta could have intentionally reached for a grenade, shielding his fellow Marines from the blast. In a Marine Corps investigation of the attack, Natonski said, "I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt" that the gravely wounded Peralta covered the grenade.
Since the announcement that Peralta would receive the Navy Cross instead of the Medal of Honor, numerous groups and individuals have spoken out in support of the Medal of Honor for Peralta.The Congressional delegations from California and Hawaii, as well as the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, have requested a Presidential review of Gates' decision against a Medal of Honor award.
Sgt. Peralta is buried in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California.
The Seabees are the Construction Battalions of the United States Navy. The Seabees have a history of building bases, bulldozing and paving thousands of miles of roadway and airstrips, and accomplishing myriad other construction projects in a wide variety of military theatres dating back to World War II.
The official motto of the Seabees is "Construimus, Batuimus" – translated into English as "We Build, We Fight."
The Seabees have several unofficial mottos as well. Their best known unofficial motto is the simple phrase "Can Do!", featured on much of their promotional material.
Other unofficial mottos include:
"With compassion for others, we build, we fight, for peace with freedom."
"With willing hearts and skillful hands, the difficult we do at once, the impossible takes a bit longer, miracles by appointment only."
"We can build anything with nothing in no time at all."
"First we dig 'em, then we die in 'em"
"We will either find a way or make one."
"We build, we fight, we party all night."
"I may be a seabee, but my wife is the queenbee."
The "Song of the Seabees" was written in 1943. The lyrics were composed by Sam M. Lewis and the musical composition was written by Peter DeRose. It is as follows:
We're the Seabees of the Navy, We can build and we can fight, We'll pave the way to victory And guard it day and night And we promise that we remember The "Seventh of December" We're the Seabees of the Navy, Bees of the Seven Seas.
The Navy wanted men, That's where we came in, Mister Brown and Mister Jones, The Owens, the Cohens and Flynn, The Navy wanted more Of Uncle Sammy's kin So we all joined up And brother we're in to win
(Unofficial third verse) We're the Seabees of the Navy, The "Can Do" Bees in green, In war or peace you'll find us ready on the scene.
And no matter what our mission we'll uphold our proud tradition We're the Seabees of the Navy, Bees of the Seven Seas.
The first verse of the song, however, is usually the only verse to be sung or played at official functions.
The Seabees have built entire bases, bulldozed and paved thousands of miles of roadway and airstrips and many more construction projects from the islands of WWII, Korea, Vietnam, to the mountains of Bosnia.
In December 1941 after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Rear Admiral Ben Morell, Chief of the Navy's Bureau of Yards and Docks established Naval Construction Battalions. During WWII men were recruited from the civilian construction trades and placed under the Civil Engineer Corps.
After the War the Naval Construction Battalions were organized into 2 units: Amphibious Construction Battalions (PHIB CBs) and Naval Mobile Construction Battalions (NMCBs).
Following Korea the Seabees were assigned to provide construction work and training to underdeveloped countries.
During the Gulf War more than 5000 Seabees served in the Middle East. In Saudi Arabia Seabees built 10 camps for more than 42,000 personnel, 14 galleys, and 6 million sq ft of aircraft parking apron.
Seabee divers make up one of the Navy's smallest communities, numbering less that 120 Navywide. The job of the Seabee diver is underwater construction, repair, inspection, and demolition.
Divers are required to complete extensive and rigorous training. Amphibious Seabees find their work beneath the surface, installing cables, performing pier inspections, mapping out the contours of the ocean's floor or collecting bottom core samples.
Yes. You are! Turn off that little voice inside your head that chatters to you about your looks ~ about your height, your weight, your hair, your nose, your build..that voice is like the court advisor who knows he is weak and whispers poison in the ear of the king in order to gain influence and power. Give the voice no credit and no ground. Your beauty is beyond that.
So many of us struggle from day to day with that voice! We are bombarded with images and messages that we are not good enough- that we are, in some way, imperfect ~ and if ONLY we looked, dressed, talked like "this" or "that" we would be happy. But the happiness that the weak little voice promises
is an illusion. If each and every one of us looked exactly like Angelina Jolie or Johnny Depp our little voice STILL would not be silent! We can only be happy when we have come to love ourselves and stopped measuring ourselves by the standards of illusion.
Physical beauty is an illusion: You are beautiful physically because you are human! Society's standards of beauty change on a whim. What a monochromatic world we would have without the amazing aray of physical diversity that the people of our earth posess! Simply sit quietly for a moment and contemplate the miracle it is that we are here ~ that we have form! Examine your eyes in a mirror. See the flecks and colours there. Look at your finger prints! Unique to you! What a miracle! It doesn't seem like much, but if we can learn to appreciate the small miracles that make us up, we can come
to appreciate the larger picture.
Dear God, Please allow your Angels in Heaven to come down and watch over my Family and Friends here on Earth. Help them here on Earth to do your Will as in Heaven, Help Keep my Friends Safe from Harm, Bring them Good Spirits and give them Good Health. Allow them to Guide my Friends through all Trials and Tribulations here on Earth. I ask this in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen. Thank you Dear God in Heaven.
