But the best speaker of the day was not a politician, lobbyist, nor even an NRA official. The best speaker, hands down, was a young army NCO. Everyone I asked agreed with that assessment. I can't express in words how amazingly his speech, his story, his utter love for this country moved me.
When he took the stage and began speaking unassuming, haltingly, somewhat softly spoken, I was concerned. I thought at the time as I later told him "I was feeling sorry for you speaking amongst such polished, intelligent speakers." However, I quickly followed up with "you kicked their asses!"
This young NCO, a man I won't identify by name to a wide audience until I get his permission, told of his massive injuries while fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan. Trying to relay his story here seems futile. I can't match in print the emotion of the man nor the way I felt about him even were I a better writer. I don't think anyone could. But I will try and tell you a little about what he went through.
He talked of his 19 years in the Army, how he had seen friends die in combat, and then one day it was his turn. He and a few other Special Forces operators were pinned down in a four day battle against "a thousand Taliban" in Afghanistan. Unlike the typical Taliban hit and run tactic they massed and no one had been prepared for such a battle. He and his men held their position against an overwhelming force requiring Air Force ammunition drops several times when they were reduced to "40 rounds" between them.
As they maneuvered their vehicle (I believe he said he was on the gun in the turret) they got blown up. He described the sensation of heat, not just on his skin but in him. He struggled to pull himself from the vehicle. He looked down and saw his leg hanging by mere flesh, the bone splintered out into the sand. He got out, couldn't breathe and then felt a pop which eased his airway constriction. That pop was his abdominal lining bursting. He watched as his intestines began to leak from the stomach wounds.
Others came to his aid and they beat out the flames on his body. Disoriented, he began fighting the man who was hitting him. As they hovered over him to administer aid he felt the sting of what he thought was biting insects but soon realized was actually sand spitting up from the bullets hitting all around them. He said he "owed those men a debt he can never repay". I thought, no sir, it is us who owe them that debt. It is us who can never repay them for bringing you home to tell your story.
The sergeant said his plan if he got hit in combat was "to die". It never occurred to him he might live. He went from a Special Forces soldier to "a man who could not wipe his own butt" he said, apologizing for the graphic detail. No apology was needed of course.
Read the whole thing.
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