"DIE WELL"
-tom kier
Many would say a Navy SEAL does not fear death, but after asking some of them about death, I see that this is not entirely true. While they do not fear death itself, they fear a death of no importance or meaning. Living a healthy life until they are eighty-five years old is not their goal. To a SEAL, it is not when you die, but how you die that is important. To "Die well", that is the ultimate goal of a Navy SEAL.
The coast was thought to be clear after all bad guys were assumed to have been killed when Dusty was ambushed by a terrorist hiding in a wall. After being shot in the chest at close range, Dusty immediately idenified the location of the enemy, shot, and killed him. He was able to walk back to the helicopter and even make a joke that he was going to have to make a trip to the hospital that night before he died. Although Dusty didn't live a long life, it was a life well lived. Above are pictures of Navy SEAL John Marcum, also known as Dusty, my little brother at his grave, and the American flag he wore on his chest where he was shot. My dad was very close with Dusty. They went through training together and fought side by side for years. My dad has explained to me many times how SEALs feel about death, but it is when he tells me stories such as Dusty's death that I gain a true understanding of it. He does not tell them with pity or sadness. He tells them with pride and respect for his brothers because each and every one of his brothers that have been killed in action died well.