61 year old father joined the military after son was killed in action.

2015-06-05T14:19:48-04:00

This story got me pretty emotional when I came across it today. I’m surprised I've never heard of the Krissoff family who reside about 45 min away from my home town.
Here is an excerpt of their story found in the Huffington Post.

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After learning of his son's death, Bill thought:
"That's what I want to do. I want to be a battalion surgeon."

Bill was as lean as his boys. He stayed fit by biking, hiking, kayaking, and skiing. He figured he could meet the military's physical requirements, so he called up a Navy recruiter in San Francisco and offered up his services. The recruiter posed a series of questions. Finally, he asked how old Bill was.

"Sixty," Bill said.

"Um, that's a problem," the recruiter replied. "You're too old." Anyone over forty-two who wants to join the Navy Reserve medical corps needs an age waiver, the recruiter explained. He wasn't optimistic about the possibility of a sixty-year-old obtaining one.

That August, he and Christine received a voice-mail message from a White House aide inviting them to meet with President George W. Bush after he spoke to an American Legion convention in Reno the following week. They attended the speech with Austin, standing in the back and laughing at the president's self-deprecating humor. As the president was concluding his remarks, they were ushered into a small room with several other families. All of them were "gold star" parents and siblings, those who had lost sons or daughters, brothers or sisters, in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Bush strode in a few minutes later and shook everyone's hand. He spoke at length about the war, explaining his strategy and lauding the sacrifice of his audience's fallen relatives. The Krissoffs listened intently. Iraq was being torn apart by a civil war. U.S. troops were getting attacked daily. Hundreds of Americans had come back in caskets since Nate's final journey home. The war had become deeply unpopular: fewer than four in ten Americans still believed it was worth fighting. When Bush asked for questions or comments, Bill spoke up. He knew what had driven Nate to join the Marines, to find his way to Iraq. He didn't want his son to have died in vain.

"Let's stay the course," he told the president.

Bush approached each family individually and asked if there was anything he could do to help them. Several made small requests for assistance in dealing with death-benefits paperwork. An aide dutifully jotted notes.

Then Bush walked over to the Krissoffs and posed the same question.

"Yes, sir. There is one thing," Bill said. "I want to join the Navy medical corps and serve, but they told me I was too old. No disrespect, but I'm younger than you are."

Bush's eyes widened. He looked at Christine.

"What does Mom think?"

Christine said she and Bill had talked about his desire to serve.

She wasn't thrilled with the prospect of his traveling to a war zone, but she wouldn't stand in the way if going might help her husband heal. "I'm on board with it," she said.

Bush turned to Austin, who had driven up from Camp Pendleton to accompany his parents to the meeting. He was skeptical, but he, too, didn't want to sabotage his father's quest. "He'll be pretty good out there," he told the president.

Bush said he would be meeting with General Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in two days and would mention Krissoff's request. He summoned Karl Rove, one of his top aides, to collect the necessary information from Bill.

"I'll see what I can do," Bush said.

Eighteen months after meeting President Bush, in February 2009, Bill Krissoff arrived in Iraq -- as a lieutenant commander in the Navy -- to spend seven months treating orthopedic injuries at a field hospital on the sprawling al-Taqaddum Air Base near Fallujah, less than ten miles from where Nate had been killed.
--

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tyT4glkvBs

The Concert for Valor: STEVEN SPIELBERG / Cmdr. BILL KRISSOFF

Subscribe to the HBO YouTube: http://itsh.bo/10qIqsj Executive Producers: Gary Goetzman Mark Herzog Watch The Concert For Valor on HBO GO: http://itsh.bo/1yk...

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 5 at 2015 2:23 PM

2015-06-05T14:23:32-04:00

Wow! May God look over this Gentlemen in during his time in service and may he heal as much as possible!

Response by LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow made Jun 5 at 2015 2:45 PM

2015-06-05T14:45:26-04:00

Maybe there's hope yet for my returning to A/D as a chaplain... Thank God there are people in the military who can find ways to overlook some admin requirements for the better of the force...

Response by Sgt Tommy Johnson made Jun 5 at 2015 2:46 PM

2015-06-05T14:46:23-04:00

Oorah! Thank GOD for Navy Corpsmen, Navy Nurses, and Navy Doctors!

Response by PO1 Jason Taylor made Jun 5 at 2015 3:02 PM

2015-06-05T15:02:17-04:00

Amazing story and an awesome man!

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Jun 5 at 2015 3:08 PM

2015-06-05T15:08:02-04:00

How do you keep a dry eye after reading that? There really are some good guys and heroes out there!

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 5 at 2015 3:16 PM

2015-06-05T15:16:22-04:00

I think the first life that he saves will be his own.

Every bandage, stitch, and suture will feel like he was doing it for his son.

Credit should go to his wife for supporting him in this. That must have been supremely difficult.

Response by CPO Joseph Grant made Jun 5 at 2015 4:13 PM

2015-06-05T16:13:29-04:00

God bless him

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Jun 5 at 2015 5:03 PM

2015-06-05T17:03:32-04:00

I seen this while ago. Simply awesome....truly does inspire awe and wonder.

Response by LCpl Rustin Poorboy made Jun 5 at 2015 5:16 PM

2015-06-05T17:16:01-04:00

Man that touching patriotism and self sacrifice. Oorahh

Response by CSM Michael Lynch made Jun 5 at 2015 5:39 PM

2015-06-05T17:39:48-04:00

Thanks for sharing one great story. Impressive what our folks will do. Good job and he is now healing himself and others. His son would be extremely proud of him.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 5 at 2015 5:41 PM

2015-06-05T17:41:25-04:00

Amazing. Wow.

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 5 at 2015 5:52 PM

2015-06-05T17:52:22-04:00

What a great story! Great video. Thanks for sharing, Capt Brandon Charters.

Response by SGT Kevin Brown made Jun 5 at 2015 8:20 PM

2015-06-05T20:20:38-04:00

That was a truly honorable and inspiring story. The youtube video with interview where amazing. This man, his two sons and his wife are all heroes.

Response by SN Greg Wright made Jun 5 at 2015 10:12 PM

2015-06-05T22:12:26-04:00

Wow. Talk about humbling.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jun 5 at 2015 11:10 PM

2015-06-05T23:10:39-04:00

Hooyah Navy! I've read this one before, but it's still a great story. Thanks for sharing.

Response by SSgt Terry Kearns made Jun 6 at 2015 5:46 PM

2015-06-06T17:46:06-04:00

How do I get in at 50 years old?

Response by HN Vonda Auxer made Jun 7 at 2015 11:05 AM

2015-06-07T11:05:12-04:00

Outstanding!

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 7 at 2015 9:24 PM

2015-06-07T21:24:39-04:00

What an inspiring story!

Response by SSG Scott Burk made Jun 8 at 2015 10:18 AM

2015-06-08T10:18:52-04:00

Age is not a factor as long as you can do the job.

Response by PO2 Roger Wheeler made Jun 13 at 2015 8:44 PM

2015-06-13T20:44:45-04:00

I am a disabled vet and would love to go back in at 51. Here is the way I see it. We dont worry too much about romance, we all seem to have and are good with guns, we all have experience and attitudes so we will follow orders tothe end, we already have grown kids, and we are all grumpy withot our coffee. Just because we are old does not mean were out. I as everyone is proud of him for whathe did.

Response by PO2 Gene Morgan made Jun 26 at 2015 10:57 PM

2015-06-26T22:57:18-04:00

Great story great man !!

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Jul 15 at 2018 9:48 AM

2018-07-15T09:48:06-04:00

Thank you for the most excellent share sir.

Response by SSG John Devane made Sep 1 at 2018 7:43 PM

2018-09-01T19:43:21-04:00

that is Raw courage I could never do that disciplined thing ever again at 62

Response by SSG Rick Austin made Aug 22 at 2019 10:52 AM

2019-08-22T10:52:46-04:00

What an inspirational story...he writes as he wipes his eyes

Response by SSG Michael Noll made Aug 25 at 2019 9:06 AM

2019-08-25T09:06:25-04:00

Wow! Incredible share