The past and the future.
Aug 7, 2016 2:17:45 GMT -5
Stuart Slane and "Invincible" Damian Kaine like this
Post by Oath Breaker on Aug 7, 2016 2:17:45 GMT -5
A CLIPPING FROM A STORY IN WAR AND GLORY MAGAZINE.
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North Carolina National Guard Soldiers of the 514th Military Police Company stand rigidly and about 30 friends, family members and guests look on in admiration as Army Staff Sgt. Andrew Braxton and Army Sgt. Tommy Hawk march to the center of the formation to be honored for valor in Afghanistan.
"They are heroes in our midst," said Army Col. Eric Kohl, commander of NCNG's 130th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, to the crowd during the ceremony.
Several Soldiers of the 514th with Afghan Uniformed Police while on patrol were attacked by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan, Oct. 1, 2012. Three Soldiers were killed and three others were wounded. During that attack, Braxton and Hawk earned their valorous medals.
"We lost very great Soldiers, they should be remembered," said Hawk.
The ceremony is brief. The Soldiers salute and Kohl pins the medals, an Army Commendation Medal for Hawk and the Bronze Star for Braxton to the Soldiers' uniform. Each medal has a small 'V' signifying that the medal was awarded for courage in battle.
"The 'V,' is very humbling, it sets them apart," said Kohl.
A few words from Kohl tell a story so few know. Braxton's exceptional courage and dedication to mission helped save the lives of three wounded Soldiers. Kohl also recounted the heroism and leadership of Hawk's service.
"When they told me I got it, the only person I told was my father and Hawk," said Braxton.
Hawk shares his modesty, "I did not tell anyone."
"They are heroes in our midst," said Army Col. Eric Kohl, commander of NCNG's 130th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, to the crowd during the ceremony.
Several Soldiers of the 514th with Afghan Uniformed Police while on patrol were attacked by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan, Oct. 1, 2012. Three Soldiers were killed and three others were wounded. During that attack, Braxton and Hawk earned their valorous medals.
"We lost very great Soldiers, they should be remembered," said Hawk.
The ceremony is brief. The Soldiers salute and Kohl pins the medals, an Army Commendation Medal for Hawk and the Bronze Star for Braxton to the Soldiers' uniform. Each medal has a small 'V' signifying that the medal was awarded for courage in battle.
"The 'V,' is very humbling, it sets them apart," said Kohl.
A few words from Kohl tell a story so few know. Braxton's exceptional courage and dedication to mission helped save the lives of three wounded Soldiers. Kohl also recounted the heroism and leadership of Hawk's service.
"When they told me I got it, the only person I told was my father and Hawk," said Braxton.
Hawk shares his modesty, "I did not tell anyone."
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Tommy looked at the medal. A reminder of something he would rather not remember if given the choice, yet every time he brought the medal out, all he got was bad memories. Tommy lived for now and planned for the future, but this medal kept him anchored to the past and was slowing him down. He did what was right, but had to perform acts of ultimate evil to accomplish the good.
People died.
Hawk most vividly remembered going through the bodies after the battle, searching for a means of identification so that loved ones, even of our enemies, could be notified. When searching the body of a rather young Afghan man, one that he himself had shot, he found a piece of paper. Not just any paper. A sonogram of an unborn child.
Tommy tosses the medal into a nearby trash can. The past can stay in the past. Don’t need an award for killing a man with a future child.
With a deep breath, Tommy brings himself to the current time. Bringing himself to his upcoming match at Slam. He ponders to himself the other participants.
Damian is damn good at what he does in the ring. Meteoric, or whatever, was a bit of an unknown. His partner, Benson, was adequate. Tommy also had the realization that his tag matches so far had been him and another guy versus whoever, and that needed to change.
Success breeds success, and TUS was very successful for Tommy. He wanted to keep the winning ways moving forward. So instead of him and another guy, he would feverishly study his own partner. Wanted or not, there would not be two men facing against Damian and Meteoric, what it would be is ‘the tag team of ..’ versus Meteoric and Kaine.
The army had taught him well how to work with others to make a single unit, and he would have to do so again. So tommy figured a 20/20/60 split in study would be the best bet where 20% of the study effort each for Kaine and Meteoric, with 60% more intensive study of how to work with Benson better.
It was time for Tom-O-Hawk to stop being the full frontal assault physical match type, and start using his brains and knowledge to the forefront. Ironic how once again, words from his trainer, Freezer Burn, come to light once again. Perhaps the old man isn’t so much a fool as I had been thinking.
I had taken to heart and worked my balls off when it came to physical training, but had mostly not bothered to pay attention to the lessons the old man had to teach. Perhaps I was the fool.
It’s too late to go back and train again to learn it right this time. I’ll just have to remember what I can and learn through experience the hard way. This time though, my brain is engaged.
Should I say something to Kaine and Rise? Should I talk smack like so many others? No. I’ll let them see for themselves at match time that I’m taking this match, and the future of my career as a wrestler, very seriously.
