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Book Report: Once A Marine

Decent Essays

Cpl Wood, S.H. Page 1
Quarterly Book Report
20141217
Once Marine The book Once a Marine by Nick Popaditch with Mike Steere is a story of courage in the battlefield, commitment to ones brothers in arms, and overcoming in seemingly overwhelming circumstances. It outlines how quickly one can go from strength to weakness, but through mental toughness ingrained in to every Marine’s inner fiber, one can have victory and prove the world wrong. The leadership shown in this book should be imitated by those who wish to give their all in service to Corps and country. Gunnery Sergeant Mike Popaditch is what one might call a typical Jarhead. Loud, stubborn, and arrogant. He served as a Tank Commander in the Iraq War. His face has been shown in a viral image from 2003, smoking a cigar with a grin on his face from the top of a tank. His career some may call normal, others consider it an addiction. After serving one enlistment, Popaditch was honorably discharged as an …show more content…

The left eye is also sunken in and bleeding, but still working and is able to be saved. He is flown to Germany for further treatment, before returning home, leaving his men behind. It takes months to recover, but this man is no quitter. He purposely states he felt no fear, no regret or guilt, and not once consider asking someone to tell his wife goodbye and that he loved her. No matter what, he would push through. He is a Marine, and Marines do not give up when it gets difficult; they push harder. And when his brothers returned from Iraq, he had a barbecue and cold beers waiting for them. On April 22, 2005, Gunnery Sergeant Popaditch formally retired from the United States Marine Corps. Not by choice, but per the needs of the Marine Corps, and his inability to continue meeting them. It was not what he wanted or how he wanted it, but he accepts it, knowing his personal battle is not over, and he will always be a

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