Who is your branch "Hero"?

A1C John Levitow

BG Billy Mitchell. He was the father of air power. He had the courage of his beliefs and his audacious belief that airplanes could sink Navy ships was so shocking that when proved, senior officers went looking for his scalp. He was court-martialed for insubordination after accusing Army and Navy leaders of an "almost treasonable administration of the national defense" for investing in battleships instead of aircraft carriers. His willingness to stand up and take the punishment and end of his career showed tremendous resolve and character. WW II proved Mitchell correct. It also showed most senior officers always want to fight the next war with the last war's mentality. Without him there is no telling how things might have turned out.

I was ARMY but went through Basic with Charles "Spud" James, son of Chappie James, the first black General in the AIR FORCE to reach the rank of 4-star General. I met Chappie at our Commencement Exercise and was bowled over by this incredible man and just a few of his stories. He gets my AF vote!

One of Maj Russell's Kline's kills and being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. His brother was Commander of the 13th. Stanley D. Kline.

Jerry mad dog shriver. Hands down.

SPC Jordan M. Byrd. He was an amazing soldier. Then one day 2 weeks after the birth of his son he put his life on the line to save his buddy getting fatally wounded just as he applied life saving interventions to his friend. One of the greatest medics I had the privilege to train and work with.

Adolphus Washington Greely. Signal Corps, polar explorer, Medal of Honor recipient.

1LT Greely was given command of a polar expedition in 1881 to establish a series of meteorological observation stations and to collect astronomical and polar magnetic data.

His crew of 21 officers and men initially accorded him the usual respect given to a newly arrived 1LT, but he proved himself through his responses to a series of adversities.

Two consecutive supply parties failed to reach Greely's position in 1882 and 1883. The ship, Proteus, in which they had arrived was crushed by ice. In Summer 1883, Greely ordered an abandonment of their position and the expedition headed south on foot, expecting to find relief supplies that were supposed to have been prepositioned as a contingency, along the way. Only one small 40 day cache had been placed and that was not reached until October. Winter was coming and they could not trust their small boats in Baffin bay at that time of year, so he decided to winter on the spot.

A rescue effort of four ships was sent out in 1884, and they found Greely's camp on 22 June--only seven men had survived. One man, Private Henry, had been shot on Greely's order for repeated theft of food rations. The rest had died of starvation, hypothermia, or drowning. One more died on the way home.

On homecoming, the Army awarded a promotion to each survivor, Greely refused. There were accusations of cannibalism, and some forensic evidence suggests its so, though Greely always denied knowing of it.

In 1887, President Cleveland appointed him Chief of Signal with the rank of Brigadier General. He was military commander over the relief of San Francisco following the 1906 earthquake, was promoted to major General the next month and retired two years later. In 1911 he represented the US Army at the coronation of King George V.

His is the only person to have received the Medal of Honor (special act of Congress in March 1935) for "lifetime achievement." Also the second and last to receive the award for non-combat actions (Charles Lindbergh being first). He died October 20, 1935 in Washington, D.C. and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

My friend and mentor MSG(ret) Don Iafrate. A one of a kind, self-made, highly-opinionated old time NCO who made me look good by teaching me ALMOST everything he knew. I say "almost" because he had to keep a few tricks up his sleeve to look better than me and keep his miracle worker reputation. :-)

I was a PV1. FSGA was my first duty assignment. HHC2/34th Inf RECON Plt. A cpl weeks after I got there...having just turned 17 a cpl weeks before I enlisted, I was in awe and just havin a time learning my chain of command and by God they went and changed it...Our New CG Was BG Stormin Norman.

I was also deeply moved by Gen Patton's stance on anything military oriented any Man who coined,"May God have mercy on my enemies,because I won't" is a Bad Ass

But at a grass roots level, I have to honestly admit Our Sqn Commander in 3/8 Cav Lt.Col. Joseph (smokin joe) Sutton (Sutton Impact). Cool,collected,and overtly confident.
Col Sutton was by definition,Spot On. He held himself to high standards,and by God,held us there too.
He was a Robert Redford lookin mofo w/ the aire of immortality that just left You feeling like ..."Bring it on You Commie Pinko's" We're the Cav,and We are bulletproof.
I'd follow him thru Hell and back,knowing all we'd do is kick ass and not stop long enough to take names,until We held it then we'd be bbqing and turnin it into a Cav Ballroom

Honor and Courage Lt.Col Sutton~ Mustangs!

sergeant major bradley kasal