2 Corinthians 12:5
I called my mom a few days ago for my weekly hour-long call that I have with her.
So thankful for this time, for sure.
“Son! Do you know what today is?”, she asked with excitement in her voice.
“Hmmmmm…I know what May 2nd is. It’s the day the SEALs killed Usama bin Laden. I have no idea what today is”, as I worried that I had missed an important birthday.
“Today is the day you were awarded the Silver Star!”, she said, again, with excitement.
“Oh, wow, mom. I had no idea. Thank you for remembering that. It’s special to me that you do…”.
BOOM.
Just like that and I remember.
Oh! What a battle it was…
I remember how prepared I was. I remember that I had been searching for that battle my whole life. I remember how well prepared my team was. I remember how well they all fought. I remember the way my Iraqi commandos fought. I remember how determined the enemy was. They just wouldn’t stop, despite the fact that we were handing them their ass. Over and over, they just kept coming. I remember the incredible bravery and courage of my right-hand man, my brother, my best friend and my interpreter, Mack. At several points in the battle, Mack and I went deep inside the surrounding palm groves and exchanged hand-grenades with the enemy.
Shit was close-in. The fighting was…brutal.
Who was going to come out on top was in doubt up till the very last moment.
DAMN.
Many awards for valor were awarded for the bravery and courage that was shown that day.
When the time came to put the ceremony together, I was told the name of the General who was going to attend and pin the Silver Star on my chest.
“Oh, hell no”, I said.
“Colonel Lewis is gonna do it”, I told them. You see, I had three great commanders in combat. Only three. And Colonel Lewis was one of those.
So it was. Colonel Lewis was the man who pinned the Silver Star on my chest.
What a great day. A few of my old teammates from my Special Forces team were there. Mack was there. My US team was there. All of my Iraqi commandos were there. My counter-part Colonel Dhafer was there. A handful of US Generals were there including my old battalion commander who had made General.
I cried.
My mom had provoked many memories in my mind.
But none of that is what I remember the most. None of that is what is seared into my mind, my heart and my soul about the battle and about the day I was so honored to receive the award…
I don’t want to share my most vivid – my clearest memory about it all. But I will.
I will do that tomorrow.
Together We Transform – always, ALWAYS TOGETHER.
Jim
1COR13:13
BUILT TO LEAD 
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