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Marines 1st Lt. Benjamin R. Cross, Cpl. Nathaniel F. Ordway and Pfc. Ruben P. Velasco (left to right) died in an accident which occurred while attempting to land a MV-22 Osprey aircraft on a Navy ship.
It’s a somewhat common phenomena to thank a veteran on Memorial Day. It’s understandable – in a country that since the early 2000s has so heavily ingratiated service members for their voluntary service to the nation, the automatic response on a military holiday is to seek one out and thank them for their service. There’s nothing particularly wrong with this, and most understand the sentiment and are grateful that there is recognition of the sacrifices made by those who are unable to be thanked. But today is not about those who can be thanked.
This Memorial Day I implore you, a member of a massive community with deep roots in military, law enforcement, and public service to consider a different approach as you go about your day. If you are a veteran, you more than anyone have an obligation to teach others about Memorial Day by bringing to life the memory of brothers and sisters you may have lost. If you aren’t a veteran, learn something about one. If you don’t know a veteran or where to start, a simple Google search of “Medal of Honor recipient citation” will lead you to archives of remarkably heroic actions, often at the expense of one life for many. Read one, teach a friend what you learned, and take a moment to appreciate the sheer selflessness of some of America’s most noble. I’d like to help get you started.
In early August 2017, a MV-22 Osprey (a tiltrotor troop transport aircraft) crashed off the coast of Australia. In the coming days, 23 of the 26 Marines aboard the aircraft would be rescued to safety while recovery operations continued searching for the remaining 3 Marines. Five years earlier, my friend Ben and I sat next to each other on a plane from Portland, Maine to Reagan Airport in Arlington as we prepared for a six week course in Quantico, Virginia. Ben and I became friends in college, as we both attended Virginia Military Institute, were from the seemingly foreign state of Maine, and were both prospective Marine officers in the NROTC program. After graduating from college and completing flight school, Ben had finally become a Marine pilot – something he had always wanted to be as a young boy. Fast forward to August of 2017 when reports of a downed MV-22 Osprey passed through the Marine Corps. The terrible feeling in the pit of every Marine’s stomach spread, while everyone hoped those on board were alive in what was becoming an all too common occurrence of aircraft maintenance issues and mechanical failures. After recovery operations ceased, the press published the names of the three Marines who did not survive: Corporal Nathan Ordway, 21, PFC Ruben Velasco, 19, and the pilot, 1stLt Benjamin Cross, 26. By all accounts, Ben did everything in his power to regain control of his aircraft as it impacted the water, unquestionably saving 23 lives that would have almost certainly been lost.
Your call to action this Memorial Day is to take a few minutes to learn something about a man or woman who paid the ultimate price for the things we take for granted 364 days a year. Have a conversation with a friend about their actions, and honor their memory however you see fit; a challenging workout, a barbecue, whatever. It’s a small reminder that regardless of your views, freedom is in fact, not free. Thank you to all those who have given the ultimate sacrifice, so others may live.
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2019 Cycle 1 Week 3 Day 1
1. Misfit WOD – For Time
Accumulate 7:00 of Sandbag Hug 150/100lbs
Each time you drop the bag complete:
15 Bench Press 155/105lbs
20 Toes to Bar
Okay let’s be honest here. There are ways to get away with holding a sandbag that allows you to gain a bit of an advantage. That’s not the point here. Hug the bag in the center of your body while accumulating time. A little bent knee and lean back is fine, but don’t invent a trick that takes away your quality time under tension.
1h. Misfit WOD – For Time
Accumulate 7:00 of Sandbag Hug 100/70lbs
Each time you drop the bag complete:
15 Bench Press 135/95lbs
15 Toes to Bar
20 Minute Cap
See Hatchet Program for preferred scaling options.
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