Centerfield

Pat Tillman

You probably already know the sad end to the story of Pat Tillman. He was a little noticed college football player, and what little notice he received was because he overachieved. After college, he was drafted in a late round of the NFL draft, and he again proceeded to overachieve. Immediately after he struck gold in the NFL based on his overachieving, and soon after he had gotten married, he quit the NFL (and forfeited a future fortune) to join the Army. The Army offered to make him an officer immediately. He said no, and opted for the hellish training that an Army Ranger goes through. The media wanted to interview him about his decision. He refused. For him, it was all about a higher sense of duty to country that was nobody else's business. I can only dream of having the courage of this man or, for that matter, any of the other folks who put their lives at risk to defend this country.

P.S. I have disdain for anyone who attacks Kerry’s service record. It is within the bounds of acceptable political discourse to challenge his post-Vietnam service statements, but don’t suggest to me that a guy who volunteered to go to Vietnam and was awarded three Purple Hearts was not wounded enough to get a medal unless you were under fire beside him.

UPDATE/BACKDATE: I just came across this commentary by Peggy Noonan from 2002.