John DeLeonardis > Recent Status Updates

Never thought a letter written by a 14 year old to some unknown soldier could cut to a deep part of my soul. Dang man. War is hell and God is good.

Our boy is a Recon Marine now, and in his first deployment to Afghanistan. Interdicting drugs flowing out of the country that funds the Taliban’s war machine. Funnily enough everybody the Taliban sells to are the countries trying to destroy them.

Early into the occupation of Iraq a four man sniper team was ambushed and murdered. All of their equipment was looted and turned against coalition forces for 2 years. The insurgent sniper, Juba, killed hundreds of Americans and allies during his reign of terror. The author had the honor of returning the rifle to the USMC by killing Juba after he noticed a hand camera in the back of a car. Juba was in the back with it

Marines in Scout Sniper Platoon have two designations, HOGs and PIGs. Professionally Instructed Gunman are sniper recruits who passed Scout Sniper Indoctrination, meaning they have the physical grit to be try to HOGs. Hunter of Gunman are snipers who have passed Scout Sniper school, meaning they have all the tools necessary to be a vital piece on the chessboard of the battlefield.

Gotta love that politicians ordered a small Marine force to take Fallujah (Al-Qaeda stronghold), against the wishes of Marine Commanders, and denied the Marines the desired resources to take the city. Then get psyop’d by false narratives of civilian massacres and order the Marines to withdraw. Warhawks always lose their nerve when there is a hint of backlash.

Love isn’t something we stumble into, it’s something we build.

It’s time to start listening to what our body’s are telling us folks.

The chapters on attachment and trauma were tough and caused some good reflection. Y’all need to read this.

Dang this book really makes you wonder (and worry) how little agency I’ve had in my development. That learning your own story and working through it is a duty, not a luxury for the unapologetic sensitive. The cycles must be broken.

Saint John Climacus, a seventh-century Christian monk, shared this anecdote about chastity:
“Someone, I was told, at the sight of a very beautiful person felt impelled to glorify the Creator. The sight of them increased his love for God to the point of tears. Anyone who entertains such feelings in such circumstances is already risen before the general resurrection.”

If you're ever going to have an alive sexuality, this is lesson number one—a lesson that few of us ever got. We must learn how to handle and receive the power of beauty within us. As Jay Stringer warns us
"If we do not marvel at and honor beauty, we will inevitably bend it toward our control." Whether your sexuality is controlling or coercive or marvelous and awe-inspiring hinges on what you do with beauty.

Our sexuality needs to be cared for, nurtured, and blessed.
The absence of care in this area is worse than mere neglect; something like a curse lands on our hearts (Shame). When we don't talk about or acknowledge something, we make a statement about its value—or lack thereof.

“For God and country, I pass Geronimo. Geronimo E.K.I.A.”

It’s go time gentlemen

Cool to see an insiders perspective of the mission that saved Captain Philips. Although not one of the SEAL’s who took the shots on the three pirates, it was interesting to see the level of response that the Navy was prepared to do to save a captured American. Bissonettes troop (pen name Mark Owen) was tasked with taking out the hostile native tribes if the pirates made landfall in lawless native Somali territory.

Very easy to read so far. Opened with the fateful raid on OBL’s compound but back tracked to his time originally going through Selection and Training (S&T) to get onto SEAL Team 6. Looking forward to this one