AN AMERICAN HERO (AND HE'S NOT ALONE)
Former NFL star-turned soldier Pat Tillman died in Afghanistan Thursday. Tillman, who played for the Arizona Cardinals, turned down a $3.6 million 3 year contract with the Cardinals to join the US Army after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the WTC and the Pentagon. His goal was to become a Ranger and to serve in the war on terrorism. Tillman, who was assigned to the 2nd Battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment, was killed in a battle with terrorists in southeastern Afghanistan along the border with Pakistan.

Not being a football fan, I had never heard of Pat Tillman prior to the news coverage surrounding his enlistment in the Army. Like many Americans, I was impressed with anyone who would sacrifice such a life of fame and wealth to serve his country. Tillman's enlistment received considerable attention from the media, as well it should have. His death will undoubtedly receive considerable media attention, and deservedly so. Unfortunately, the media is missing many other stories like Tillman's. While he may be the best known example of someone who would leave a comfortable life to serve his country, Pat Tillman is hardly alone in this regard.

Since I have been deployed to Qatar, I have met a number of reservists who have voluntarily returned to active duty. Most of them took leave from better paying jobs to do so, like the middle aged gentleman I met last night who walked away from a high tech (and high paying) job to wear the uniform (and collect the pay) of a junior officer in the armed forces. Many are married and have children, like my roommate (another reservist), who went to Iraq last week. All were willing to endure separations from their families and financial loss in order to serve their country. Some of them will be sent to dangerous places in the process. All of them are patriots, just like Pat Tillman.