GCV's Favorite War Movies

Plus, The Weekly Wrap

Howdy,

Finally, I think I can walk without limping. After the 36th Annual Bataan Memorial Death March, I cursed the organizers and pledged never to attend.

That quickly faded, and I’m ready to crush it again next year.

Without further ado, let’s get into stuff that really matters. Blah, blah, blah, the economy, rule of law, etc.

As Dennis Leary once famously sang (rather poorly), “I like football and porno, and books about war!”

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WAR MOVIES!

1. Saving Private Ryan - I’ve done a lot of stupid stuff and been shot at enough to know not to take it personally. However, none of my combat experience—and I bet many of my fellow GWOT vets would agree—comes close to storming the beaches of Normandy. Every time I watch this scene, I remember what it felt like getting shot at from one PKM, not to mention multiple fixed positions while charging through the sand. It’s the kind of heroism that takes your breath away because every man had to face his own demons—alone—and come to terms with their certain mortality at young, tender ages.

2. Apocalypse Now - Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece, loosely based on Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, serves as part anti-war commentary and also an exploration of the transformation war inflicts on everyone involved: it consumes us, breaks us apart, and turns us into the very monsters we claim to want to destroy.

3. Das Boot—my father introduced me to this movie at the tender age of 12, and it’s the reason I never was interested in the Navy—and I never wanted to be called a seaman (you know why). The Hunt for Red October is a fine movie. However, it pales compared to this riveting look into a German submarine during World War II.

4. Glory -This is, without a doubt, my all-time favorite US Civil War movie. I’m sure there are historical inaccuracies, but it’s a moving, realistic look at what a band of brothers can do when they put their heart into the mission.

Also, can we bring back this particular pre-battle ritual into the military?

4. The Beast - This is a fantastic movie! We get to see those dastardly commies get smoked by the Afghans. Yes, I understand that we made all the same mistakes and shit, but at least I get to watch Afghans, who are almost all uniformly proud of defeating the Soviets, kill commies for mommies.

A Few Guilty Pleasures:

What did I miss?

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The Weekly Wrap

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Fight smarter

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Renegades vs. Brahmas!

Until Next Time!