I guess this blog is going to be on the more serious side than the blogs I usually post. If you've read my blogs before you know by now they they are Mando related. Im a Mandohead no doubt about it, but I got to thinking about how being a Mandohead and all around Star Wars fan has helped me deal with extraordinary situations that most consider to be unnatural. Maybe even pointed me in directions that lead me to where I am today.
I usually dont broadcast to many details about myself but in this case it has to do with what Im saying. For those of you how don't know me, I've been an Army sniper since 1999, and a year ago served as a sniper in Iraq. Im not going to get into detail about the experience but I will say that Ive had my fair share of close calls and lost a great friend. It was tough to deal with but when I stop to remember my thoughts from that time in my life a lot of it had to do with Star Wars. I know it might sound nuts but Star Wars helped me deal with the everyday possibility of being vaped. It allowed me to disconnect myself enough from what was going on so as not to lose my frosty cool while keeping me in the mind set to do my job to the best of my ability. I pretended, and I pretended alot. I served on a 4 man sniper team for my company and it was great. My fellow snipers where also Star Wars fans and our decided call sign was "Wraith" after the Wraiths from the EU X-Wing novels. It was awesome to hear the CO and everyone else for that matter to call for us over the radio as "Wraith 1" or "Wraith 2". I mostly pretended to be a Mando on missions because everyone knows Mandos dont play. They get the job done and come home, no remorse, no guilt, just a job. That was my mind set, and I was really doing my best to follow that train of thought. When I stalked around in the vinyards, or in the desert, or anywhere off the MSR, in my mind at the time I was a Mandalorian with a different looking set of armor. I even wore my groin protecter which alot of soldiers didnt wear "Because it looks funny", and when they'd ask me why I wore mine I'd say "Because Boba and Jango wear theirs. If its cool enough for them its cool enough for me. And if something happens I dont want to have to clone myself to have kids if I want them".
There were so many moments that were associated with Star Wars while I was there. Kuwait was like Tatooine, I constructed a lightsaber (Ill have to find those pics, they are pretty cool), We called the town we patroled Mos Eisly. One time we rode into town with a PSYOPS unit and they blasted the Imperial March over their loud speakers. That was a very Star Wars moment. And that really helped alot of guys. It took a potentially deadly and highly stressful job and made it a little fun. I know that sounds crazy but its true.
Then I thought about it some more and I realized that maybe being a Mando nut from a young age lead me to being a soldier. Im not complaining about it one bit. Ive experienced a few lifetimes worth of events in my time in the military and I wouldnt change it for the world. But I wonder if I didnt insist on being a shebs kicking Mando bounty hunter during every playtime session, ever lunch time resess, I might have been someone else. And I might have not been the harty personality I am today. Thanks George! Thanks Star Wars! And Thanks Karen'ika for being an inspiration and a jate'burc'ya, you've helped to put alot in perspective! And Thanks to all who keep the universe alive and going to inspire and help the next generation.