MM#127--SPECIAL--Happy Memorial Day

Welcome to the theory to action podcast, where we examine the timeless treasures of wisdom from the great books in less time to help you take action immediately, and ultimately to create and lead a flourishing life. Now, here's your host, David Kaiser.

Hello, I'm David and welcome back to another Mojo minute. And today is a special day in the hearts and minds of most Americans. For it is Memorial Day. So we hope you're enjoying the special American holiday with those that you love and cherish. We are kicking off a special week here at the Mojo Academy. We are calling it Liberty week. And with today's special episode, we will also be featuring some unique and different topics for our regular Tuesday and Thursday episodes. And then we will be concluding Liberty week next Sunday with a special Catholic corner episode. So be sure to tune in. We greatly appreciate it. If you could do that. 

Last year we shared with you our listeners, a great speech made by the former General Douglas MacArthur. He spoke to the cadets at West Point. Then it would be I believe his last official speech. But today let us share a very eye opening book about the war in Afghanistan the tragedy it was with our quick pull out. The book is titled outlaw platoon heroes Renegades infidels, and the brotherhood of war in Afghanistan by Sean Parnell. written back in 2012. The book detailed one of the most of valorous three valorous Lee decorated conventional combat units in the history of Operation Enduring Freedom. I read this book during the COVID lockdown in May of 2020. So it is a fitting and well celebrated memorial day even though the country was upside down at the time, with all the social distancing masking and no public gatherings and the like. But I wholeheartedly loved this book. It was riveting, it was gripping. And Parnell does a great job capturing the men in their patrols over every ridge in Afghanistan, over every mountain range across every body. The men of third platoon Bravo Company Second Battalion at Second Infantry Regiment of the 10th Mountain Division saw some of the worst fighting in Afghanistan 2006 2007. They were based out of what was to become known as Rocket City, Forward Operating Base bermel. 

And I first discovered this book on the Jocko podcast so be sure to check that out. I'll put a link in the show notes. And I was riveted by the author Sean Parnell his descriptions of what happens so much on every operation and patrol that I just had to buy the book for myself and read it. So I would encourage you as we go through this book summary in this Mojo minute to check out the book, if you're so feeling it. And also to be sure to thank all the servicemen and women who have so valiantly defended our country in the last couple of years, and certainly over the last 245 plus years. So with that, let's go to the opening pull quote from the book. Again, outlaw platoon heroes, Renegades infidels, and the brotherhood of war in Afghanistan, written by Sean Parnell, quote, one important purpose of this book has been to chronicle my soldiers incredible journey in one of the most dangerous places on the face of the planet. These remarkable men spent 16 months on a small forward operating base in the bermel Valley, roughly 12 kilometers from Pakistan. Through the course of their development, the soldiers endured continuous close direct fire contact with a combat hardened, tactically proficient enemy on a tome terrain. I was both blessed and cursed to have led one of the most valorous li decorated conventional combat units in the history of Operation Enduring Freedom. When the haze of combat dissipated, the outlaws were awarded seven Bronze Stars and could They're doing five for valor 12 army commendations for valor and 32 Purple Hearts. I'm writing this book to tell the world of their amazing accomplishments and to secure their place in American military history, unquote. And again, that's Sean Parnell and the outlaw platoon.

Now, at 24 years of age, US Army Ranger Sean Parnell was named the commander of the 40 man, elite infantry platoon of the 10th Mountain Division. He was young, he was inexperienced, and he was scared. But yet, he was humble, driven, and selfless in learning his leadership duties, and leading men into battle. The Outlaws, as they call themselves were based out of like I said, Forward Operating Base Vermell. Rocket City as they called it. And as I prepared to do this book review, I wanted to include so many of my notes, my chicken scratches, have stars and outline quotes and paragraphs on every page, but if I had done that, it probably would have made for a 35 to 45 minute podcast. But nevertheless, I could not recommend this book any higher. It's that good. And it's appropriate that we're reviewing this Mojo minute and part of this book review on Memorial Day. 

Let's go back to the book. And a key takeaway that I titled the outlaws quote, Staff Sergeant Phil Baldwin was my second squad leader. He approached he was six feet four and built like a fullback. Baldwin cut an imposing figure in the growing darkness. At 34. He was the second oldest member of our platoon to join the Army in 2001. After watching the towers fall on 911 on TV, in his house in a small town in Illinois. As I got to know and understand him, I realized that Baldwin was the platoons voice of wisdom. He possessed more life experience than the rest of us and had had and he had a measured analytical mind that I had come to rely on. He had also already deployed Afghanistan once before and had seen combat which made his tactical knowledge indispensable, unquote. 

So Baldwin is the platoons voice of wisdom and each 34 Second members, second oldest member of the platoon and this is important. Now, the first thing I noticed when I was reading the book was the amount of respect as a leader as the amount of respect as a leader and humility, that Sean Parnell showed his platoon and squad leaders as he quickly got up to speed as their new commander. He wasn't domineering, but yet he was a leader. And the postscripts of the book almost everyone from a platoon thank Parnell for his leadership and service during this most challenging of deployments. One other thing, if Humility is a virtuous trait, and we see it in all great leaders, we also see humility is importance. And a previous book we covered the dichotomy of leadership written by Jocko willing can Leif Babban so be sure to check out those Mojo minutes around that book. 

Let's go back to the book. My other squad leader Staff Sergeant Campbell Subotica, waits joined us to discuss our course of action for the night, the three men couldn't have been more different, tall and athletic Campbell stayed within himself. It was hard to get to know Subotica and I apologize if I'm pronouncing that wrong. Subotica was a human Tempest who blew through life fueled by a raging inner passion. Waits was a leadership challenge. He was never quite in sync with the other leaders in the platoon. And his negativity tended to cause issues and training exercises. During his first deployment, for during his first deployment here, his unit had not fired a shot as a result he's he considered any preparation or training for that sort of eventualities to be a waste of time. He seemed unable to possess the fact that perhaps the war had changed since his last deployment. Since we started patrolling I had to watch him carefully. Wait stood a bit off from our group at stared off in the distance. Campbell move next to me Subotica stood alongside Baldwin, they made an unusual pair. Baldwins face was round sybok is narrow. Baldwin stood a half a head taller than Saibot and had at least 40 pounds on him. Say Bo was all muscle and sinew barely containing his pent up energy. Baldwin look like a neighbor everybody loves to barbecue with.

I love Parnell's description of the platoon. And how he appreciate appreciates all the men's differences and personalities. Later on, he says they form the ying and the yang of my platoon, the banter between us would fly fast and furious, unquote. Like I mentioned in the beginning, I couldn't include everything I wanted to include in this review, but to be sure the there's more outlaw greatness, especially this little story that I'll probably share later on. Why they were known as the Green skulls to the enemy and why it mattered. That's good stuff right there. Let's end this little key takeaway. When alone together, they were ie Reverend, sometimes vile and always funny. But in situations like this, I knew I could trust them to be consummate professionals. Unquote. The bonds of brotherhood in the military infantry unit in harm's way, can't beat that. Again, trust and service are the most important virtues. 

Now we're going to go to another key takeaway from my review. I titled it Grayson's grit, quote, hey, Sir, what's happening? The voice cut through the din of battle like no other. From out of the dust and smoke billowing behind my truck a short while refigure emerged cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth a can of German Bitburger near beer in one hand, freshly promoted Staff Sergeant First Class Greg Greeson strolled serenely through the storm of shot and shell, a pair of ballistic sunglasses concealing his eyes. I gaped at him. A burst of machine gun fire ripped. The ground ripped up the ground between us a few scattered AK rounds nd whipped overhead. He seemed oblivious to the threat as he waddled bow legged toward me, grease and always walk with his toes pointed out at a 45 degree angle, as if he had spent a lifetime in this in the saddle and felt uncomfortable with his heels on the ground. What's going on, sir? He asked again in his Slingblade meet Sam Elliot voice there. He'd been in the army for more than 20 years he hadn't lost his art consult Wang. I was at a loss for words. As he reached me. He unrolled a long mirth fill laugh. Hey, sir, you need to calm the F down. He did not say he did say the F bomb but I'm trying to clean it up here. Every one of us listening can imagine Sergeant First Class Greg Greeson. Good stuff right there. He was the chain smoking second in command and the senior noncommissioned officer NCO in outlaw platoon and as you read this book, you're gonna grow very fond of him and his leadership. Here's some more goodness on Greece and he took a long quote going back to the book here he took a long pole from his can of near beer then smile, come to see you, sir. Greece and had been in every shithole post the army can send a career NCO to before he graduated from grade school, he had already earned his first CIB, while fighting in the Seventh Infantry Division in Panama. His face was furrowed from decades of hard living, he drank hard, smoked three packs of cigarettes a day. And he had it seen everything more than once, in his icy calm in the midst of chaos had him and made him a hero to the company's young privates, unquote.

And you find this often in every organization, there's always the one guy who has seen it all done at all, and is the best reference the organization's North Star, and Sergeant First Class Greeson was an excellent number to depart. Now, you could hear in a Parnell is incredible respect for this man. And you're gonna love if you read the book, the references Grayson's to the references to Grayson's near beer and almost every reference to him. It's classic If you remember our mojo minute on make your bed that book told us you can't paddle the boat alone find someone to share your life with. Make as many friends as possible and never forget that success depends that your success depends on others unquote. Parnell found his number two for this platoon in this deployment, and someone who could help him paddle the boat together. Let's go back to the book to finish off Greg recently. He led out another he led out another I remember those days sort of tackle, then drowned out with another swig of the Bitburger we need first come to Petunia in April I had asked him what he wanted to do once he retired. Going to be a part gunsmith full time alcoholic sir, as a 7.26 millimeter bullet pinged off my Humvee. I ducked don't worry about nothing sir. You're doing great. unquote.

Greg grease and good stuff. All right, let's the last key point key takeaway. I titled A brotherhood and a good dude. Going back to the book, quote, outlaw platoons final moments together tucked down as we waited for the Chinooks to come and start our journey home. The men sat down on the Husker bagged wall skirting the helicopter landing zone smoking and joking again at last, the pressure was off, we were finally going home. Finally, it was okay to have hope. Excited to leave we spoke a beer and steaks of sex and taverns and leaves planned with eager families. Photos of children and wives girlfriends appeared and were passed around. The men took photos and handed up for rolling video cameras greets and and I watched the scene light of heart yet sensing an underlying sadness are strangely in our diversity. In that regard, outlaw platoon was the mirror of society, the society we had sworn to protect. Harnessing the power of our differences and talents kept us alive. It made me understand my my country a little bit more. With men like these No wonder we become the single greatest nation of our age, unquote. 

This is the best part of the book for me. I lived all the difference, the different personalities of the Brotherhood, the quick peeks into the joking and teasing of the platoon members the quiet moments reflecting on the beauty of a foreign land and the intense battle firefights when our depths when the depths of of chaos. You were reading about the greatness of men and their character. And you were reading about your men, Americans on the front line defending our way of life. And this book captured all those moments. And it was an incredible story of bravery courage under fire and leadership at its finest. 

Finally Parnell in the book reflects upon himself, quote, then there was me. I was the ultimate authority within the platoon. I just tried not to use it. I learned the strongest thing a leader can do once his men and trust power to him is to put it back in their hands. It spent the year watching them run with that authority and do amazing things with the freedom that gave them. We were creative. We were flexible. We relied on our feet out there. Serving the man of outlaw platoon was the greatest honor of my life. Grayson, sensing the pride I was feeling leaned over into my ear and whispered in his deepest Slingblade voice. You're a good dude, sir. Hello, job, unquote. And then Parnell concludes with his admiration, quote, who was I that day? I was a man who bore witness to greatness, a leader and a servant of heroes. Being part of that platoon validated my life, unquote. 

Well said Lieutenant Parnell. And yes, you are a hell of a dude to the members of the outlaw platoon in this country. As I read your story, to all the members of outlaw platoon, there's a listing in the back of the book of all the members. Thank you for your service and your leadership standing at the tip of the spear towards an enemy in a distant country. And on behalf of a grateful nation, we say thank you. 

And so in today's special Mojo minute, let us cherish our freedom today. And perhaps say a prayer when we're saying sitting down at a barbecue or to a baseball game or playing with our kids in the yard. Say a prayer for the brave men of outlaw platoon and say a prayer for all the brave men and women that have fought and died in service to our country. It takes a special character and a special group of people to keep this American experiment going. 

And that special group of people as who we cherish today in a special way, they have kept us free. They have endured the hardships for liberty. And that special group of people have kept protecting freedom from tyranny for over 245 plus years. We the living owe it to them. We owe it to them to keep alive their spirit and our stories and protecting our country. And most especially on behalf of a deeply heartfelt and grateful nation we thank all the servicemen and women service men and women who gave all give their lives for us and for our amazing country. May you all have a safe and wonderful weekend with those that you love with the memories of those that you cherish Happy Memorial Day America. Thank you for
joining us. 

We hope you enjoyed this theory to action podcast. Be sure to check out our show page at T Mojo academy.com where we have everything we discussed in this podcast as well as other great resources. Until next time, keep getting your mojo on