R.I.W Patrick Feeks

     On August 16th of this year I turned 30 years old and while i was partying with my friends and family in Texas Patrick Feeks boarded a Blackhawk Helicopter in Afghanistan to take the fight to the enemy. I never had the honor of meeting Mr. Feeks and as much as it pains me to say this; I never will. Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Patrick D. Feeks  perished on August 16th when his helo was brought down by enemy fire northeast of Kandahar.

      I was fortunate enough to share a mutual friend with Patrick and I feel for him because there is no more helpless feeling for a military man then to be stateside enjoying the good life when a fellow brother in arms is struck down. Every ounce of your being is telling you to grab your go bag, hop a flight to the war zone and get your self some retaliation. In reality that would be the easy compared to what you are about to go through. The true fight has just begun, you need to be there comforting the family as well as the all around go to guy whether its just getting take out or helping with the funeral arrangements. This could take days or it could take weeks situation dependent but you need to be there as much as you can in this trying time.

     I was fortunate enough one night to hear my friend speak of Pat. Now this was a late night weekend conversation but the pride with which he spoke of Pat was electric; it made everyone listening want to meet this crazy, brave man. A man who gave up his chance to attend the Naval Academy to enlist in the navy. The same man who then chooses to go out for BUDS, the most punishing special warfare training in the US military. After BUDS he deployed twice to Iraq and once to Afghanistan, garnering a slew of medals.  This man is the definition of a warrior and as much as I wanted to say say rest in peace i just couldn't bring myself to write that. True warriors yearn for the fight and any man who gives up the prestige, lifestyle, and money of a U.S. Naval officer only does so because it was his calling. Therefore SO1 Rest In War (R.I.W) my friend; your spirit lives on in every other sailor who has had GWOT sand under their feet.

     On a personal note I will never again look upon August 16th as a day dread; a day that i turn a little older, a day that i grow just a little bit fatter. I will look at it as a day of privilege; a privilege that was granted to me by Patrick Feeks. Each year as my friends raise a toast to me I will be raising a toast to Pat, a man that i have never met, but a man who gave his all so that myself and people like me are free. Thank you Pat, Thank you.....

Shot over
-Jak


Heart out- Miguel and Steph