By now everyone has heard of Matthew Hoh, a former Marine and Iraq vet who loudly and publicly resigned from his post as the senior Foreign Service official in Zabul Province.
I’d like you to meet Gunnery Sergeant D, who has also recently left Zabul Province. Left, that is, after successfully completing a tour of duty attached to SF and EOD units. He’s been put in for the Bronze Star (the real kind, for combat), and for the Soldier’s Medal for saving a man’s life. Part of his fitrep– not written by Marines– reads, “His leadership, decision-making, and recommedations to the supported commanders within the province is [sic] sought out and relied upon. His leadership is of the highest caliber and he is the Marine that everyone wants to work with. In an environment where he is the senior Marine within the province, he has surpassed expectations of those he worked with and set the bar for all that follow.”
So, I suppose that if you have the luxury of quitting, you can just fucking quit. But if that’s not an option, you figure out a way to win. Gunny D is truly no better friend and no worse enemy. The other guy? I think he’s the opposite.
Oh, and BTW… Gunny D’s a reservist, out of 4th ANGLICO. :-)
