Posted on Feb 12, 2015
CPT Aaron Kletzing
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Watch from a first person's view as a US Army machine gunner's turret takes 2 hits by RPGs during a mounted convoy in eastern Afghanistan. Although dazed by the impact, he responds in the way that we would all aspire for: he continues mission (Charlie Mike) because he is loyal to the mission and to his brothers and sisters more than his own personal safety. If this doesn't fire you up, please check your pulse.

** Question for RP members: What is your first reaction to the toughness this Soldier displayed? **

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Note: this is a raw first person video that may conjure up memories for some RP members.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThFZ-TX2bc8
Posted in these groups: Stock footage mission text in military door versions MissionValues tree Values
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Responses: 78
SFC Network Engineer
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CPT Aaron Kletzing: No CRAP that conjured up memories... they're called flashbacks. I actually think I recognize that area where that took place... So yeah...
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CPT Aaron Kletzing
CPT Aaron Kletzing
11 y
SFC (Join to see) where do you think that place is located, generally speaking? Also, I hope the rawness of the video didn't trigger some bad flashbacks for you, or anything like that. Did you do mounted patrols like this while you were over there?
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MCPO Douglas Pennington
MCPO Douglas Pennington
11 y
outstanding!!
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SFC Network Engineer
SFC (Join to see)
11 y
CPT Aaron Kletzing: Yes, it brought back flashbacks... the region appears to be near Kunduz - probably South east of there, or possibly southwest of Pol-e-Kohmri. I spent a lot of time outside the wire, and my job required me to travel to pretty much every region of Afghanistan there was (except over by the Chinese border in that spur at the northeast corner, and I never hit the true "northern" part of that country either). I mostly flew where I needed to go with another team-member - and then, though not always, we'd get whatever local SOF or infantry unit was available to provide escort to the nearest vill. Once we got to where ever we were going, me and my team-mate would usually dismount and go interview people in the village we were in, or we'd go to some remote location and bring potential ALP recruits to our location... I never really thought about it, but 70% of everything I did over there was extremely high-risk because we were pretty much out in the open, with very little support.
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COL Tom Berg
COL Tom Berg
11 y
It looks like Eastern Afghanistan to me, vaguely familiar, but there were no gas stations along the routes back in 2003 when I was there. Those events are startling and that is where training matters. The "oh, shits" come later.
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PO3 Hull Maintenance Technician
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Bravo Zulu
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CPT Aaron Kletzing
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Wow this thread got like 2.5MM views. Nice!
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SSgt Aerospace Maintenance
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Incredible! The mental toughness our soldiers have to endure is extraordinary.
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SFC Cargo Specialist
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Why was no one manning the gun returning fire for such a period of time.
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CN Scott DiPietro
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Great job
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PO1 Mark Works
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Courageous.
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CPL Kenneth Lamm
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HOOAH!
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CPT Senior Instructor
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I don't understand how this could be getting this many views. It just went up 18 views between me seeing this time and clicking the title to open it. There's shenanigans a foot.
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CPT Aaron Kletzing
CPT Aaron Kletzing
11 y
CPT (Join to see) the person in 2nd place too often looks at the person in 1st place and blames it on "shenanigans"...not this time, bruh.  Just tip your cap.
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CPT Senior Instructor
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CPT Aaron Kletzing
CPT Aaron Kletzing
11 y
CPT (Join to see) it is the power of my epic Airborne wings. ;)
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CPT Senior Instructor
CPT (Join to see)
11 y
Aaron
CPT Aaron Kletzing I Like your new Profile PIC. It is very Airborne of your.
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SGT(P) Khalid Wise
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DSC minimum definitely MOH worthy, enough said. However, it will be interesting to see what valor award (given how incredibly inspiring we all agree this was) was initially written up by the Combatant Commanders on the ground...
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