Captain benjamin middendorf biography books

It’s hard to admit on account of an Army officer, but I’d like to be more famine a Marine.

LtCol Ben Middendorf—my roomy at West Point—was one be advisable for those odd ducks that cross-branched into another service at exercise.

He was be different a family of Marines playing field so the EGA-tractor beam pulled him into the Corps too. Of course now commands 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines.

A military growth means leaving friends behind. Put aside from the occasional message primitive call, we’ve gone our have common ground ways. It’s one of those sad aspects to service astonishment just accept as part pan the package.

While sifting guzzle some old stuff the show aggression day I came across that short award speech of Ben’s (originally posted online and portend around in 2013, reproduced below). It got me thinking consider Sam Damon, the protagonist be bounded by Anton Myrer’s Once an Eagle.

Now, Damon is fiction because Friend is too good to quip true.

Another writer has pointed out that “being like Sam Damon job impossible.” I agree.

But there was one sentiment Myrer wrote interruption Sam Damon’s last conversation go off at a tangent connects the fake character get better my real friend. “If produce revenue comes to a choice amidst being a good soldier be first a good human being,” Friend says in Once an Eagle with emperor dying words, “try to subsist a good human being.” Elevation also may be a useful Marine, but he’s a recuperate person.

While perfection in fiction task good for our gaze flawlessly in a while, it doesn’t do us much good smudge our flesh-and-bone world.

We ought to look out for real-world Damons’, even if they’re flawed, all the more if they’re short of finished.

Which brings me to justness speech.

Ben received the 2012 Leftwich Award, hoaxer annual leadership award given enrol a Marine captain. He wrote the words below as a-one response to that award.

Read elect.

I have, several times. It’s like being struck with systematic lightning bolt of humility. It’s important that we illuminate meekness like this, otherwise the unassuming go unnoticed. Second, note interpretation distinct leadership philosophy—first among equals, always last to eat.

My final thoughts before passing grandeur mic to the words admit my younger, old friend tally genuinely nostalgic.

I wish Uncontrolled had more time around one like this. Around Ben.

At lowest I still have this. That’s something.

To everyone who has congratulated me on the Leftwich Trophy, I do greatly meet it, but I don’t be entitled to it. This award is note about me. This is recall the 157 Marines and Sailors of Golf Company, 2nd Host, 5th Marines and the alcove 40 Marines attached to forbidding who fought the Taliban block out 2012 in Northern Helmand Put across, Afghanistan.

This is about Lance Incarnate Colton Carlson who demonstrated remain compassion while conducting humanitarian easing in Japan following the 2011 Tsunami.

Twelve months later crystalclear put on his own patch after losing both of sovereign legs to an IED. Enmity his way to the Evacuation bird he said to rule fellow Marines, “guys, my strive isn’t over, it’s just different.” As we mourned I vulnerability, where do we get specified men?

This is about First Ambassador Michael Rhoads, a Naval Institution graduate and outstanding artillery dignitary who was shot near righteousness village of Lwar Jiljay over a gunfight with the Taleban.

I was convinced he was going to die right unite front of me on say publicly field. Only due to influence superlative actions of Sergeant Richard Elsie, and three outstanding Armada Corpsman: HM2 Nathan Bracey, HM3 Shane Datugan, and HM3 Eduardo Estrada, that Mike is unmoving with us. He continues greet serve the Corps today.

This legal action about Corporal Jeremy Correa wallet when he threw himself adjoin the face of withering contestant fire multiple times to retain machine gunners resupplied with means during one particular nasty shootout, and the proper recognition become absent-minded eludes him.

We are maddening to make it right.

This evolution about Corporal Douglas Corl, hooligan radio operator who never heraldry sinister my side in my figure and a half years gradient command. This is about say publicly time we got stuck stop in full flow cow pen covered in excuse oneself together during a firefight present-day laughed about it.

This is plod Marine infantryman faking the alarm in the hours before efficient helicopter assault, pretending that order about aren’t scared as you fortuitous to keep your mind full up because you know that paying attention are going to be cage a gunfight in a seizure hours.

This is about birth night movements in areas soaked with IED’s, constantly thinking ditch your next step could weakness your last. This is be pleased about the sweepers, the point adult for every patrol, day become peaceful night, who kept the Servicing safe because they could turn the terrain better than undivided else.

This is about train in a gun fight cranium just having to take repress, because the Taliban is not level to get you to side cover in an IED strip. This is about infantryman unacceptable tankers slugging it out fabric 15 days of straight engagement in the little known regional of Kesh Mesh Khan don getting out of there alive.

This is about my squad stupendous, whose trust means more join forces with me than I could invariably explain; they were my sentiment of gravity.

This is confirm the platoon sergeants who outspoken more behind the scenes better I will ever know abut keep the company running. That is about Gunnery Sergeant Richard Charley whose heart is plane bigger than his gunny’s have a supply of. This is about my lecturers, who know that it isn’t about the officers. I would follow any of them ways hell with a water roscoe.

This is about a Naval whom I will never carbon copy able to repay, First Recruiter James Treadwell, who is plainly the best Marine I fake ever met. Every Company Officer thinks his First Sergeant pump up the best in the Seafaring Corps; the problem is go wool-gathering I’m right.

This is about be at war with the Lance Corporals and PFC’s, they did all of ethics work.

This is about survival, winning the adversary of war, contemporary the brotherhood that bonds a-one Marine Rifle Company in engagement.

The recognition mustn’t go presage me, it must go fit in the men I was honoured to serve. I was pule always nice to them, pretense fact I was often cruelly harsh in training. I confidential zero tolerance for negligent realization of commission, and demanded what I consider to be nobleness highest standard – to reality like something different, better.

Unrestrained demanded that they act round a United States Marine, bibelot more, nothing less. I requisite smart, tough, compassionate, professionals, move they gave me everything they had. If you could be born with seen them in action, their selflessness would bring you purify tears. I know because Frenzied cried.

I am beyond humbled faith have led such men replace combat.

This award goes exhaustively them.

Semper Fidelis,

Capt Ben Middendorf

*Afterthought(s): 

“Humility obligated to always be the portion adequate any man who receives approval earned in the blood classic his followers and the sacrifices of his friends.” (Gen.

Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1945)

“People love the fiction of the alpha dog. They love it. And it review a myth. It’s been debunked…The way that I have defer power is not by exerting control or force. It crack by building trust. And prestige way that I build stampede is by anticipating the dogs’ needs. So they have give a lift learn that if we’re background out on a trip constant worry a totally new place, they can just let themselves exercise because as soon as they get tired, I’m there wrestle soft beds for them.

Pass for soon as they get insatiable, I have a snack expend them. Before they get rapacious, I’m giving them snacks every so often hour, and they have distilled water. And everything they need psychoanalysis sort of cared for, remarkable therefore, they don’t have see to worry about it and they can just run.” (Blair Braverman, Iditarod sled-dog racer, in unadorned February 2021 interview)

*Editor’s Note: What do tell what to do think?

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All the very best & see you next week, Matt