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All
American: Two Young Men, the 2001 Army-Navy Game and the War
They Fought in Iraq, by Steve Eubanks, is a must read.
The gripping tale follows the heroic lives of West Point cadet
Chad Jenkins and midshipman Brian Stann, who later became
a Marine. What makes the book significant is that Jenkins
and Stann were athletes who enlisted to play football during
peacetime; yet, played in the most watched college game of
the decade, in December 2001, while the Towers were still
burning.
Ironically, the only time these two met was during one play
of the 2001 game when Army quarterback Jenkins ran up the
middle to be tackled by linebacker Stann. The author, Eubanks,
conveys the feelings of the time with a detailed description
of the pre-game activities, the game itself, and the post-game
activities. He commented, "They had gone to play football
for their respective academies. There was no war then, but
that changed after 9/11. Even though there were other sports
events between the time period of 9/11 and this game, these
cadet athletes were different. None of the other athletes
were going to serve in combat. People tuned in to see the
players who would be fighting to defend Americans freedoms.
I named the book All American, playing on the words. None
of those football players who played in the Army-Navy rivalry
that year would make the 'All-American list.' Yet, those guys
are All Americans because what they did was heroic and they
are quality individuals."
Chad Jenkins jokingly noted that he has the notoriety of being
the only QB to defeat Navy since that game. He thought it
was awesome when a platoon of Rangers roped down from a Blackhawk
and Chinook helicopter to assault the unlit bonfire during
a rally before the rivalry game. After football he decided
to become a part of the 75th Ranger Brigade because he saw
himself as a leader who would run towards trouble instead
of away from it. He became a leader on the battlefield always
trying to push the offensive posture, using action raids to
assault the enemy. Chad stated, "Rangers do not react;
we initiate. The best defense is a great offense. I applied
this in football and in combat."
Although Brian Stann was a reserve football player, he was
an All-Star in combat, being awarded the Silver Star. Brian
was influenced to go into the Marines because it suited his
personality of being intense and serious. After enduring a
bogus investigation into his conduct where he was found not
guilty, he was assigned to fight in Iraq. It was there that
he distinguished himself as a leader by risking his life when
pulling his men out of a burning tank. Brian commented, "It
was a tough environment we were put into. There was no doctrine
to deal with the insurgents and we developed one over time.
It was hard because the enemy understood our rules and used
them against us. It made for a very complex scenario."
The book also describes how their time as athletes helped
them in combat situations. Brian felt "playing football
helped me in becoming a warrior. When you are performing on
the football field you must make split second decisions. There
are assignments on every play. It helped me develop my leadership
skills. We had to be accountable and had to deliver to the
bottom line every single day. We had to execute drills and
were held to a certain level as a team." After football
while waiting for redemption, Brian trained to become a UFC
fighter, combining boxing and martial arts. He felt this helped
"me have an avenue for my emotions. It prepared me mentally
for combat because I had a release for my mindset. After Iraq
when I came home I had something to focus on. I even taught
a course for my peers to help them with PTSD."
Chad also feels that playing college football helped him to
lead men in combat. "The training, the preparation, the
practices, and the intensity of the game translated into being
a military leader. It taught me to take one game at a time,
which is what I did in Ranger school. Just as I had to coordinate
and time a pass, in battle I used those skills when leading
my men on an ambush of insurgents. Like a QB who depends on
his offensive linemen I could never give enough credit to
my buddies who I fought with. I will never forget one in particular,
who paid the ultimate sacrifice, Kristoffer B. Domeji."
Those fighting today are the true heroes of American society.
Men like Brian Stann and Chad Jenkins embody that word. As
the book describes, they are the real "All Americans."
They are the role models that should be looked up to and admired
for their sacrifice.
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