Where+Men+Win+Glory+Second+Meeting


 * Summary:** Although Brian isn't here today, we briefly talked about our book yesterday. We read from the end of part two to the beginning of part three in the book. In my book this is 150 pages, but in his book the numbering is a little different. The book has really sped up since the last time we met as we thought it was going to. We both always knew that the protagonist's, Pat Tillman, story was incredible, but now reading his entire story, I am truly astonished by how much Pat sacrificed for his country. He is really an American hero who gave up fame and fortune to join the armed forces. We both have really enjoyed reading it and believe we picked the right book. I can't wait to finish this so I can continue reading the rest of the book.

How did Pat Tillman's actions after 9/11 differ from that the actions of those around him?

Clearly, Tillman was touched by the aggression towards America more than any other football star. There was outrage towards Iraq and people who declared their support for the war, but the most any player did for America was make a lot of noise about wanting to kill Osama Bin Laden with their bare hands. Pat Tillman would not settle for this. Near the end of the football season, Pat started talking to his brother about joining the army. After reading the first two thirds of this book, we expected nothing less from Tillman. His work ethics and his willingness to take action give him a reputation to take action, just as he did in this scenario.

After reading much of Pat Tillman's life story, were you surprised by him turning down his last contract?

Having read about Pat's childhood, the decisions he made in his early life, and his morals, we were not as surprised by his denial of a 3 year, $3.5 million contract. We have learned many things about Pat's ethics. When he sees something that interests him, he stands fast with his decision. In other words, he doesn't change his mind easily. It was instilled in Pat from an early age to take action when duty calls, so enlistment over a football contract is a bold move that someone would expect only from people like Tillman.

Why do you think Pat Tillman was so disturbed by the immaturity of the army brats?

Having come from a home that is well organized and ethically straight, Tillman has troubles dealing with the high school drop outs and people who don't have their head on straight. He is clearly not happy with their immaturity, and we feel that it is because he had an image in his head of 'Army Strong' men joining the army. He was disappointed, however, to find that people do not always join the army on their own motivation. In fact, almost all of the kids in his bunk were forced to join under stress from parents or troubles with the law. He had been so caught up in the advertising scheme of enlisting that he failed to realize that some people were not as mature as he was.

How was Tillman treated versus other rangers in Special Ops camp?

From the beginning, it was clear that Officers wanted to be Tillman's buddy, not his superior. It was stated that this was against the way that army camp works. In the Army Rangers, Tillman should have been a subordinate, not treated as an equal by the ones who should be teaching him to fight. One officer did not give him the special treatment, and it was the first time since he had enlisted that someone let him know that he was no body special any more.

How did Marie assist Tillman prior to his deployment overseas?

To Tillman, Marie was the calming force in his life that helped him escape from the chaos of enlistment. While he was at Fort Lewis, the bungalow where he, Kevin, and Marie stayed was the only place he could unwind. He made it obvious that his decision to enlist was made more painful by his separation from Marie for way too long. This idea was also reinforced by their reaction when they finally got to see each other while Pat was allowed a break. They ran to each other and fell to the ground, hugging and laughing.