In the wake of Secretary Hegseth's recent address, the mother of a combat-disabled Marine has expressed her relief and approval.
The Secretary's directive to military leadership, which encourages them to treat their units as they would their own children's units, has been hailed as a morale-boosting and crucially important shift in perspective.
As reported by Gateway Pundit, the Marine's mother recounts her son's journey from a young man with a lifelong desire to serve his country, to a battle-scarred veteran. Her son, inspired by family tales of bravery and heroism dating back to the French and Indian War, aspired to fight for "God and Country, freedom and the Constitution," as Secretary Hegseth put it.
Despite a sickly childhood reminiscent of the Spanish-American warrior Teddy Roosevelt, her son chose the challenging path of becoming a Marine.
The mother's narrative is filled with poignant moments, from her son's departure for bootcamp during the Obama administration to his return home, physically and emotionally scarred. Her son's experience at bootcamp was marked by tragedy when a fellow recruit died in the first week.
Her son also fell ill and was confined to the clinic for several weeks, during which communication was limited.
The mother's concern for her son's well-being was compounded by her own family history. Her Uncle Jimmy, a World War II veteran, returned from service deeply affected by his experiences in some of the war's most brutal European battles.
This personal history underscored her fears as she watched her son embark on his military journey.
Despite the hardships, the mother acknowledges the importance of discipline in preparing to defend one's nation. She expresses gratitude to the Marines for their rigorous training, which she believes contributed to her son's survival.
She describes the transformation she witnessed in her son, who returned from bootcamp 50 pounds lighter, gaunt, but finally a Marine.
The mother contrasts her son's experience at Marine bootcamp with what she observed at an Army base, where she found the recruits to be shockingly undisciplined. She was particularly disturbed by a sermon delivered at the base chapel advocating for the abolition of the Second Amendment, a message she found deeply unsettling for future warriors preparing for deployment.
The mother's narrative takes a tragic turn when she recounts a helicopter accident involving her son's unit, which resulted in the death of a friend and severe injuries to other Marines. Her son, who was due to board the helicopter next, was left guilt-ridden.
The mother learned of the accident while undergoing critical surgery across the country, and her son's email informing her of his survival brought her to tears.
Despite these trials, her son served his country bravely and effectively, saving the lives of his team and surviving two explosions. However, his return home was marred by physical injuries, PTSD, and the suicides of fellow servicemen. His faith in God and the support of his wife and family helped him through these dark times, and he has since become a counselor and pastor.
The mother praises Secretary Hegseth's speech as the best from military leadership in decades, perhaps since World War II. She appreciates his commitment to making decisions through the lens of a parent, a perspective she believes has been lacking in past administrations.
She concludes by expressing her hope that Secretary Hegseth will be able to implement the necessary changes, and her belief that with God's help, he will succeed.
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