http://goruck.wistia.com/medias/0axs24yg1j?embedType=iframe&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=960
America fights wars for the last 13 years which means Americans fight wars for the last 13 years. And I love my generation and what’s not to love.
But what are the costs, what does it mean to serve in a time of war? Too soon the wars will be forgotten, abstracted in books with gray hairs reluctant to talk to anyone who didn’t serve.
Nobody understands it unless you were there…
… and yet my goal, our goal at GORUCK is to build a bridge between the military and civilian worlds.
It’s valuable to tell war stories now, for Americans to hear war stories now. The telling is almost as unnatural and cathartic as the build up to war itself, and equally as valuable, if not more so. But if you’re expecting a sob story from me, you’ll be disappointed. Despite the costs, I’m a better person because I served in a time of war and nobody tells that story. Nobody says hey America good job learning from the Vietnam era and try spitting on a soldier these days and see how it turns out. It won’t be pretty and good on us.
And America (that means you) should be proud of her sons and daughters for what we’ve done and for how we’ve done it. Those who fought and a grateful nation who has supported those who fought and are still fighting in a time of war.
For a fuller story via War Stories and Free Beer, in video, watch the video below.
http://goruck.wistia.com/medias/sfsyiu1yau?embedType=iframe&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=960
Love from Fort Bragg – The Home of the Green Berets,
Monster
President, GORUCK Nation
Great videos, Jason! Thanks for sharing! Monster is so comfortable that you had it all under control that he took a long snooze in your arm lol.
Damn dude, that was a powerful talk and makes me appreciate everything you and the entire GORUCK community is about.
Love that Monster just hung out and fell asleep. The couple of times he woke up he’d look around and just go back. Loved that.
not trying to troll, but what’s with all the beer? You guys always joke about drinking tons, but then about ptsd. Doesn’t it seem kind of like self-medicating behavior to drink even while just giving a motivational talk?
From the War Stories and Free Beer page:
GORUCK founder and former Green Beret Jason McCarthy started War Stories and Free Beer in 2009 at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. His goal was for his classmates with wartime experience to present their stories – thus building a bridge between the military and a diverse audience of students. Beer takes pressure off the speaker, the listener, and the atmosphere, and makes everything better. It will always be present at War Stories and Free Beer.
Full page: https://www.goruck.com/war-stories-and-free-beer
Basically, beer is a symbol for the kind of atmosphere you’ll find at War Stories and Free Beer. War stories don’t have to be depressing kind of deal and not all Veterans have PTSD and somehow beer and a love of America unite the civilian and military worlds.
Wow, that was a great story. Wish I had heard this before I did a GRC, it would have given it more meaning. Nice work. Keep on kicking ass.
Reading all of these posts in class have probably dropped my grades, but it is worth it. One comment though, why the cheap beer? Big beer companies are an example of what is wrong with America. They mass produce, use bad ingredients, and make a product that is disposable and not memorable. There are so many craft breweries in the country filled with passionate people who will stop at nothing to produce a beer that they are proud to put their name behind. My analogy: big beer companies are to the beer industry what jansport is to the backpack industry. The craft brews are more expensive, but also more memorable and you get what you pay for right GORUCK?
Jason,
Would you be interested in spreading this message at a TEDx Talk?
Please email TEDxPSUBerks@gmail.com as we are student veterans on campus looking to finish the week of Veterans Day (the event is on Friday November 14, 2014) on the campus of Penn State Berks in Reading Pennsylvania.
We have other military speakers coming and thought you would be a great fit to add here.
Thanks,
Alan Kipping-Ruane
Jason,
Thanks for all you guys do. As a veteran this is the best bridge building with two very different worlds I have ever seen. The outreach is amazing from a company of veterans. You all go above and beyond as a manufacturer, and that is something to be very proud of. I look forward to attending my first GORUCK event this year, and that goal has given me motivation to get back in shape that I had taken for granted just a few years ago. Your stories ring very true, keep on keepin’ on!
Derek