“Hardness," I was learning, was the supreme virtue among recon Marines. The greatest compliment one could pay to another was to say he was hard. Hardness wasn't toughness, nor was it courage, although both were part of it. Hardness was… — Nathaniel Fick Copy Share Image
“VJ had gone to the Naval Academy, where he competed as a powerlifter and developed a distaste for military customs such as short hair… — Nathaniel Fick Copy Share Image
I hurt for my Marines, goodhearted American guys who'd bear these burdens for the rest of their lives. And I mourned for myself. Not… — Nathaniel Fick Copy Share Image
“You’re quoted as saying, ‘The bad news is, we won’t get much sleep tonight; the good news is, we get to kill people.’” She… — Nathaniel Fick Copy Share Image
When you are serving volunteer professional military, you take an oath to the Constitution, not to a policy or a president and you swear… — Nathaniel Fick Copy Share Image
“Safety is paramount.” “If safety were paramount,” Whitmer declared, “we’d stay in the barracks and play pickup basketball. Good training is paramount.” — Nathaniel Fick Copy Share Image
People build continuity into their life: Places, friends and goals. We go to work on Monday with plans for Friday night, enroll as freshmen… — Nathaniel Fick Copy Share Image
My team is the best, the platoon is good, the company is awful, and the battalion is actively trying to kill us. — Nathaniel Fick Copy Share Image
“We learned that indecision is a decision, that inaction has a cost all its own. Good commanders act and create opportunities. Great commanders ruthlessly… — Nathaniel Fick Copy Share Image
I was in Afghanistan and then obviously in Iraq. And I realized that you can't control life. You can do a lot to prepare.… — Nathaniel Fick Copy Share Image
“Great Marine commanders, like all great warriors, are able to kill that which they love most -- their men.” — Nathaniel Fick Copy Share Image
“You can’t volunteer to go to war and then bitch about getting shot at.” — Nathaniel Fick Copy Share Image
“Your job is to be the hardest motherfucker in your platoon," he said while pointing at me across the desk. "Do that, and everything… — Nathaniel Fick Copy Share Image
