Some Blogs from New Lts IBOLC and Ranger School

For the first blog, you might have better luck with the following link, which gives you a chance to click on his Ranger diaries:

http://www.tommym1080.com/

And a very sad note -- the author of the above blog, a West Point grad, was KIA in Iraq in 2007. His friends/family have left his blog up as an online memorial. I didn't know him but some friends did and said he was an unbelievable guy. Just a reminder that after all the training, this stuff gets real real, real fast.
 
scoutpilot said:
I had the honor of supporting Tom many times from above. He was a dynamite tactical leader.

As a sad footnote, his fiancée was the PL of the medevac aircraft in which he died. There's a very sad level of detail to his death, if anyone cares.
Click to expand...

Sorry I did not realize when I posted. Sorry for his fiancée.
I am glad the family left the blog up. It is helpful to my son and many of his friends at Norwich and those he met at LDAC. Tom is still helping a lot of kids coming up.

God Bless Tom
 
NorwichDad said:
Sorry I did not realize when I posted. Sorry for his fiancée.
I am glad the family left the blog up. It is helpful to my son and many of his friends at Norwich and those he met at LDAC. Tom is still helping a lot of kids coming up.

God Bless Tom
Click to expand...

No offense taken. It was just terrible the way it happened. It was right before RIP/TOA for his unit. They did a raid, an air assault IIRC, and the guys they were after squirted into the palm grove. One turned and fired off a burst and a round caught Tom right below the plate in the gut. He bled out in the aircraft.

It just took me back to some tough days thinking about that. I can still remember him on the net, and those targets we worked in that inky black patch of no man's land east of Mahmudiyah. It's good they read about him.
 
scoutpilot said:
No offense taken. It was just terrible the way it happened. It was right before RIP/TOA for his unit. They did a raid, an air assault IIRC, and the guys they were after squirted into the palm grove. One turned and fired off a burst and a round caught Tom right below the plate in the gut. He bled out in the aircraft.

It just took me back to some tough days thinking about that. I can still remember him on the net, and those targets we worked in that inky black patch of no man's land east of Mahmudiyah. It's good they read about him.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I want you to know my son spent a day and a night reading his blog last month. Many of his friends have read it or are reading it now. My son mentioned that Tom was always talking about his finacee. He had a lot of humor in his blog. It is a really good read from a great man.
 
I couldn't help but notice this web address in my blog footprints today. I'm Tom's sister, Sarah.

Tom would be thrilled to know his stories and his journals are being read and enjoyed by young leaders and Rangers. I only ask that you keep them moving. Pass them along to anyone who might benefit from an incredible story of leadership and dedication - infused with an unbeatable sense of humor.

Also, please visit here: http://www.tommartinfoundation.org/

Tom's family and close friends formed a memorial foundation in his name last year -- with plans to spread his story and help other young leaders via scholarships and grants.

It sounds like at least one poster here knew Tom. If you have a story or memory to share, I encourage you to contact my parents. They would love to hear a kind word or a funny story about Tom from one of his guys. tom.martin.foundation@gmail.com
 
Thanks for joining us, Sarah. I am so sorry about your brother---he sounds like a wonderful person and courageous soldier. I hope you will stick around and share more.
 
sarahmcow said:
I couldn't help but notice this web address in my blog footprints today. I'm Tom's sister, Sarah.

Tom would be thrilled to know his stories and his journals are being read and enjoyed by young leaders and Rangers. I only ask that you keep them moving. Pass them along to anyone who might benefit from an incredible story of leadership and dedication - infused with an unbeatable sense of humor.

Also, please visit here: http://www.tommartinfoundation.org/

Tom's family and close friends formed a memorial foundation in his name last year -- with plans to spread his story and help other young leaders via scholarships and grants.

It sounds like at least one poster here knew Tom. If you have a story or memory to share, I encourage you to contact my parents. They would love to hear a kind word or a funny story about Tom from one of his guys. tom.martin.foundation@gmail.com
Click to expand...


Sarah,
Your brother is a true hero. Many of my son's friends are reading and have read his blogs. He is still inspiring others.

My best wishes and thanks to your family
 
New Project - Spreading the Story

I mentioned this a few weeks ago, but there's a non-profit in Tom's name dedicated to supporting young leaders like him. The 1LT Tom Martin Memorial Foundation. www.tommartinfoundation.org

But I want to tell you specifically about a project we just introduced. It's called Project Keeping TIME (Tom In Mind Everywhere). http://www.tommartinfoundation.org/blog/project-keeping-time.html

The idea behind Keeping TIME is that Tom's "Never Quit" attitude is something we should all be injecting into our everyday lives - tasks big and small. So we've made it tangible. We're offering t-shirts with the Foundation logo and NEVER QUIT across the chest -- and encouraging people to take Tom with them in life. Take Tom on a hike with friends. Take Tom to the top of Mt. Everest if you like, or take him no further than your back porch to enjoy a cold beer and good conversation. But keep him in mind when you need perspective and motivation.

NEVER QUIT

http://www.tommartinfoundation.org/blog/project-keeping-time.html
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top