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PaigeGranger English11 Mrs.Opgenorth September18,2012 SoldiersofValor Whichcharacteristicsshouldaheropossess?Shouldheorshebeabletomemorizelines,sing intoamicrophone,orthrowafootball?Thewordheroislooselyusedthroughoutsocietytoday. Manyhaveatendencytoglorifypeoplewhoshowlittlecourageoractualheroism.TheUnitedStates NavySealsareanelitegroupofindividualswhodeservebeingcalledheroes.Theyvoluntarilyaccept theinherenthazardsoftheirdangerousprofessioninordertoprotectourcitizens.TheSeals demonstratethisheroicbehaviorduringtheirrigoroustraining,throughvariousmissions,andwhileat home. PerhapsthemostdifficultaspectofaNavySealscareerisconqueringthephysicalrequirements. Thetrainingaloneisenoughtoscaremanyindividualsaway.Onecomponentincludesafivedaystint withcontinuousdrillsintheoceanwhiletherecruitsgetlessthanfourhoursofsleepanight.Thistraining segmenthasbeencoinedhellweekandistheprimarycauseoftheseventypercentattritionrate. Thosewhoremainarebraveanddeterminedindividualswhoarepreparedforthemissionsthatwill ultimatelysavethelivesofAmericansandothers. ThistraininghasalsoresultedintheSealsbecomingoneofthebesttacticalforcesintheworld. Theiraccuracywithvariousweapons,aswellastheirenduranceandstrength,aredemonstratedin everymissionandisadirectresultofthedisciplineacquiredduringtraining.Theseskillswereutilized lastyearwhenagroupofSealsarrivedatafortifiedcompoundinPakistantosearchforOsamaBin

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Laden.TheykilledthisAlQaedaleaderwhowasthemastermindbehindtheSeptember11thattacks ultimatelybringingpeaceofmindandclosuretomanyAmericanswholostlovedones.Atanymoment duringthisdaringsearchofthecompound,thesebraveSealscouldhavebeenkilledbyBinLadens followersorthePakistanigovernment.Whilearrivingandleavingbyhelicopter,theycouldeasilyhave beenshotdown.Thisdemonstratesjusthowheroicthesemenarewillingtoprotectourcountryandits citizensregardlessofthedangerinvolved.AnotherSealmissioninvolvedtherescueofanAmerican andDanishcitizenfromSomalipirates.Thepirateswereplanningtoholdtheindividualsransom,butthe planhadlittletimetobeexecutedaftertheSealskillednineofthegangmembersresponsibleforthe kidnapping.Duringanothershiphijackingbypirates,agroupofSealssavedtheAmericancaptainof thevesselbysimultaneouslyshootingthepiratesfromanothermovingship.Thenumberofsuccessful operationsexecutedbytheSealsisextensive.However,itisoftentimesdifficulttoexperiencesuch situationsunscathed. Mostsoldierswouldagreethatthemostdifficultaspectofwaristhelossofhumanlife. However,inthewordsofNormanCousins,Deathisnotthegreatestlossinlife.Thegreatestlossis whatdiesinsideuswhilewelive.Overcomingthelossofacomradeissometimesunbearable,butit canbeequallyasdifficultfortheseheroestogohomeandputupafacadefortheirfamilies.Oneof thesetragicmomentsinvolvedthedeathofacourageousSealnamedMichaelA.Monsoor.Agrenade wasthrownintoastructurethatwascoveragetofourmenincludingMonsoor.Thesurvivorsreminisced sayingHenevertookhiseyeoffthegrenade,hisonlymovementwasdowntowardit.Inthrowing himselfontopofthegrenade,Monsoorsavedtheothers.Thisisasituationwhichcanleadtoa conditionknownasPosttraumaticStressDisorder.Ittakesatrueherotoexperiencesomethingas horrificaswatchingacomradedieandstillcarryononesduties.Thisisaquintessentialqualityofa

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herotheabilitytohavenotonlyphysicalstrength,butmentalstrengthaswell. TheNavySealsmaynotbethebestatsingingintoamicrophone,throwingafootball,or memorizinglines,buttheyexemplifyfarsuperiorcharacteristics.Theyaresteadfastduringtraining, courageousintheirmissions,andstrongwhenreturninghometotheirlovedones.Mostdonotspeakof theirheroicactions,thereforemanyoftheiractsofvalorgounrecognized.TheUnitedStatesNavy Sealsareheroesinthetruemeaningoftheword.