“TENNN MINUUUUTES” Time to stop checking your eyelids for pinholes and cinch down your straps. And for our Readers, this is how long it will take to both read the Who, What, Where, When and Why as well as complete the How to do great things in support of a great Marine. It’s also a preparatory command that was issued by our Marine Gunnery Sergeant on 23 July 2003. Though an eventful day, he made sure it wasn’t a fateful day.
MSgt Jonathan and Peggy White
This is a story of overcoming Adversity and Challenges. It is proof that “Can’t” ain’t in a Marine NCO’s dictionary. It is proof that a Real NCO looks out for his fellow Warriors, giving more than he takes, asking little for himself and assuring the needs of his Men are met.
“The difficult we do right away. The Impossible may take a day or two.”
“STAAAAND UP” Time to put your words into action. You’ve been cramped in between troops and equipment for the entire flight. It’s a welcome command to allow your butt cheeks and legs a chance to recover from falling asleep and the beginning of actions that’ll have you on the ground in less time than it took to get off of it. For our readers, it’s the realization that it’s time to put your money where your mouth is when you say “I Support The Troops.” This is your route to doing so.
It would be awhile before GySgt White would be able to do this again. The doctors would short stop of saying “never” but they were thinking it. He made them promise not to say “never.” It’s not in his dictionary.
“HOOK UP!” There ain’t no turning back now. You’re locking a small piece of metal to a metal cable that won’t be leaving the plane. It’s attached to a long yellow strap that will soon be flopping around the back of the plane as you fall to the earth. You’ll have 21 buddies going out with you and they won’t appreciate you being in their way as they try to get out quick enough to NOT land in the trees. For our readers, open this new page: http://www.active.com/donate/teamsemperfi08/PWhite176
Jonathan didn’t stay hooked up long to mechanical devices that the doctors thought would be forever with him.
“CHHHEEECCK EQUUUIIIPMEEENT” No, not just your own. You’re responsible for what you can see and what your buddy in front of you can’t. Your buddy is checking out your back and soon will slap your butt to make sure you know it’s good. You’ll pass it on, letting your buddy to the front know his is good. Our readers should be pulling out Credit or Debit Cards.
Our Jumpmaster, GySgt Jonathan White, awaited and awaits the response from the #1 jumper: “All ok Jumpmaster.” He’s led men before, in battle and in the air and now leads men and women to do more than they knew they could in the Marines and now in a Non-Profit and soon in a Marathon. He has a goal of raising $5,000.00 not for him, but for Injured Marines. Not himself, who was greatly injured on this jump.
“ONNNNNE MINUTE” Another preparatory command, get your mind right, your next couple minutes will be exciting, fast and require specific actions. For Our Readers, you’re about to contribute to the final recovery of a Great Man and a Cause much greater than any of us involved.
Our Jumpmaster has locked on the orange panels and smoke on the ground. He’s calculating the when and where to jump out without anyone hitting the trees.
“SHUFFLE TO THE DOOR” With all that equipment you have on, shuffle is what you have to do and by the time you get there, it’ll be time to go out it. For Our readers, this means typing in an amount that you can contribute to Our Injured Marines in Support of the Gunny’s Marathon.
He’s looking out the door making sure that he gets it just right for you. He’s running every day, cutting down his time, checking the committed donations for a Cause Greater than Himself. It’s a way of life. The Army (that trained him to jump out of planes) calls it “Selfless Service.”
“THIIIRTY SEEECONDS” If you change your mind now, it’s too late, your buddy that made sure your equipment was right will help your resolve as he wants to get out of that Air Force plane! I’m your buddy in this readers, don’t back out now. WOTN is committed to donating ALL June proceeds to the Semper Fi Fund through his Run. It ain’t much but any commissions earned on anything you buy through our advertisers will be added to what you donate now.
If you get a Wounded Warriors Project T-Shirt through Ranger Up, it contributes to Semper Fi from us and Wounded Warriors through Ranger Up! If you buy the Book “The Sandbox” through Amazon or Barnes & Noble through our links it contributes to the Semper Fi Fund on our end and the Fisher House through the authors. But if you contribute through the Semper Fi Fund, it ALL goes to the Cause Greater than Ourselves. Buy tools, appliances or other stuff from Sears here and you’re not only supporting a business that supports our Troops, but the website commissions will be committed to his goals. The same is true for all the advertisers here.
“STAND IN THE DOOR” It’s the last shuffle of the day. The first guy out is wide eyed looking at the horizon, trusting our Gunny to get the timing right and he won’t be let down. Right hand over the reserve handle to make sure it’s not pulled out on accident sucking him out of the plane before the Gunny is ready. For our readers you should be filling out the credit card information.
“GO” It’s a short straightforward command for a reason. There is no time to be asking “what if?” No time to be questioning the Gunny. It’s time to prove your commitment. Gunny’s done this many times and he knows what he’s doing.
The Gunny led and still leads. He shows you how it’s done and that day was no different, yet. Today is no different, he’s still leading, doing more than any would believe or expect. He’ll run 26+ miles and asks only that you give a few dollars for HIS MEN for treatment for the risks they took. He’s putting his money and feet where his mouth is and surely you can as well.
Click that button, give a little to this Great Cause.
Snap into a good tight body position, count to four and check your canopy. This was where things went wrong that day. A wind surged and there was little the Gunny could do to correct the problem that day. If you haven’t contributed and are verifying the contribution, this is where things have gone wrong. It would take him to the earth faster than his body could withstand. Not doing your part could be the same for a necessary cause.
The noise of the plane that was is contrasted with the quiet peaceful sensation of floating through the air under a big green canopy for a few seconds. The peace you’ll feel for having done your part will continue through the day. You can pull the hearing protection out now and enjoy it for a few seconds before the ground starts coming up quickly. It’s time to get the parachute to where you want to land, looking out for your fellow jumpers. It’s time to look out for problems like the Gunny had that day.
The Gunny’s story is the story of what makes up Real NCO, a story of looking out for his men more than himself. It’s a story of perseverance. It’s a story of a Great Military Doctor that listened when the Gunny told him that “can’t never did nothing” and performed miracles to help the Gunny not only stand, but walk and now run. It’s a story to be told to your kids, to demonstrate what Real Men do when faced with adversity. It’s a story of how YOU can truly Support the Troops and not just say that you do with a bumper sticker.
I have not met the man named Jonathan White, but I’ve met and had the pleasure of serving with, for and over, many NCO’s that are embodied in GySgt Jonathan White. He does not quit. He never says never. He won’t accept “can’t.” How can you? If a man sentenced to be a quadriplegic can get out of that chair, learn to walk and run 26 miles, you can donate to the cause he supports. And by the way, he stayed in the Marines. He refused the retirement offered him. He continues to serve Our Nation and Our Non-Profits. And he has earned a promotion to Master Sergeant.
Donate Now: http://www.active.com/donate/teamsemperfi08/PWhite176 “GO!”
http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/
War on Terror News©2008, ARM, all rights reserved.
Stumble It!
