A Soldier's Story: Remembering Pat Tillman

Pat Tillman was many things: a college graduate with a degree in Marketing, a college football star (1997 Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year), professional football player with the Arizona Cardinals (drafted 227th in 1998), a husband, a brother, a son, an American, and a soldier.  A soldier is a person who has made a choice. They will never call themselves a hero, ever. What they will tell you is that they have a duty, a mission, a task, a purpose......and they have made the choice to see it through. What is this mission? Simple - defend freedom and liberty wherever and whenever it is threatened. They do so without the thought of reward or personal fame, they do it because it is their job. Pat Tillman was a soldier in every sense of the word, and this Memorial Day weekend we should pause to remember, to appreciate, and to thank him.

A rising star in the NFL, Sports Illustrated football writer Paul Zimmerman named Tillman to his 2000 NFL All-Pro team after Tillman finished with 155 tackles(120 solo), 1.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 9 pass deflections and 1 interception for 30 yards. Not many may be aware of this fact, but at one point in his NFL career, Tillman turned down a five-year, $9 million contract offer from the St. Louis Rams out of loyalty to the Cardinals. Loyalty, that is something unheard of in sports today and is a true testament to Pat Tillman's character.  He finished his career with totals of 331 tackles(242 solo), 2.5 sacks, 3 interceptions for 37 yards, 3 forced fumbles, 16 pass deflections, and 2 fumble recoveries in 60 career games. In addition he also had 1 rush attempt for 4 yards and returned 3 kickoffs for 33 yards.

Following the devastating terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Tillman enlisted in the US Army in May of 2002, turning down a 3 year-3.6 million dollar contract offer from the Cardinals. He chose to go through the toughest training the Army has to offer, opting to become a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment, the Army's elite infantry unit. As I am an active duty Army officer and have been in the service for 13 years, I can tell you that this was no easy task. Only a select few can be professional athletes, and only a select few can be Army Rangers; Pat Tillman is the ONLY ONE WHO CAN SAY THAT HE WAS BOTH!

Lost due to a friendly fire incident on April 22, 2004 while on a patrol in Afghanistan, many people have seemed to focus on the events surrounding his death. But I say, to honor him, we remember the way he lived!! I will always remember going to Sun Devil stadium on Saturdays while I was in High School, watching this 5'11", 200 lbs guy play with more heart than anyone I had ever seen. I will always remember the emotion he played with, his competitive spirit. I will always remember watching him play on Sundays, wearing Cardinals Red, playing a game he loved, with the team he loved, for the community he loved.  This Memorial Day Weekend, take the time to remember Pat Tillman. Take the time to remember his sacrifice and the sacrifice of millions of Americans who stand up and say "SEND ME."

Today I say, "Thank You, Pat Tillman, you embody everything that makes this nation great, and I salute you."