23 years ago today the Battle of Mogadishu was raging in a far off corner of the world. It was our nation’s most significant battle since Vietnam, and 18 Americans too many paid the ultimate sacrifice.
In 1993, I had no idea where Somalia was, or why we were there. I couldn’t comprehend the sacrifice made by those who fought, or the remorse of those who wished they could have done more.
I was 14 then and I’m 37 now. A lot has happened since, and what I’ve learned is that service to a noble cause like America is a noble calling. No matter the outcome, you’ll never regret it. So, we run Mog Mile Challenges to (1) Honor the Fallen of that day and (2) to inspire service by honoring theirs.
One mile at a time.
A special thanks to the 8 speakers who fought in that battle 23 years ago and were willing to share their experiences with the classes. And a big congrats to the thousands of participants who earned the Mog Mile Heavy, Tough, and Light patches.
One mile at a time.
“Every stage for this event was tied into why we were memorializing the Mogadishu Mile. We were provided a historical time line, information about those involved, and insight from his perspective about why the events unfolded the way that they did. No details were left out, and after learning so much about those that lost their lives and fought so hard, I felt honored to be a part of this event.”
-Gage
“The Cadre and GORUCK nailed it. You took a very special event and really brought it home by having Task Force Ranger Team members come speak to us. I like that GR has moved beyond just a 12+ hour beat down. The events are still taking us beyond our comfort zones. But, now there is more learning involved. Good move.”
-Craig
“I’m a prior service Army Officer so this wasn’t my first ruck march. The physical activity was challenging but not too hard. One of the best parts was the talks from Retired Major Moore of his experiences in Mogadishu. He brought a realism to our event. Thank you for bringing him to us.”
– Lindsey
“Absolutely loved the history lessons provided about the Battle of Mogadishu, as a HS History and Govt teacher, I learned some neat stuff that I will be taking back to my classroom.”
– Travis
“The Cadre worked us and made sure the event was a success. Even better it was a privilege to meet a couple of our veterans who served and risked it all for our nation.”
-Aaron
“The event was brutal and to be expected. It was certainly a tiny reflection of what was likely experienced that October day in Somalia. It is simply my hope that I, we, did those servicemen proud with our efforts. Thank you again and take care. Godspeed.”
– Jon