Feb 27: Week 9

"Lone Survivor" by Marcus Luttrell with Patrick Robinson

Like I said before, I am really starting to love autobiographies! It's that raw, harsh truth that just really sucks me in and Lone Survivor was no different. I have to admit, it did take me longer than a week to read this one because of a variety of factors and I have no doubt if I had begun reading this at any other week, I would have finished earlier. But I didn't so here's my late post on it!

Marcus Luttrell tells this story as if he's sitting in his favorite chair in his own living room. Just reliving the Navy SEAL life. At times it could be annoying, but this was the raw reality I was talking about. There are times he's more laid back and humerous in telling the story and then he is focused and serious when he needs to be to make you see and feel what he went through.

I had a lot of emotions reading this story as I often do with a true story. I don't normally cry when I'm reading a book, but this one I had to stop a few times because I couldn't see the words from tears overflowing. It was intense. Not only with the main story of the book, when Marcus and three other Navy SEALs became over-powered by the Taliban in the Afghanistan mountains, but when he expressed how military men and women are treated by the USA. The very country they are fighting for. It was gut-wrenching, heart-breaking, embarassing, how we don't give these very brave people the respect that they deserve. As Marcus says in the book, not everyone can be a SEAL. It takes a very special person who is physically and mentally strong to go through what these men and women go through to protect us who are constantly judging them. It's sickening and I am ashamed at how they are treated. They deserve so much more.

Marcus pays a beautiful tribute to the three fallen SEALs that were with him on the mountain as well as the others that sacrificed their lives to rescue them. The details he gives to their lives and their last breathing moments really pulled me in.

If you don't think the military does enough or they don't deserve the best of care, read this book. Even if you do have a deep respect for them, this book moves it to an entirely different level. Finishing the book, I couldn't help but hope that my own son would be brave enough to join the military, at any level. Nothing would make me prouder. Thank you to all that have served, are serving, were hoping to serve but couldn't for any reason, thank you for all your sacrifice and loyalty to the USA.