The tougher the practice, the more fun the game.

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10 PAX gathered at the Abyss to close out 2020 the right way – by taking the DRP.  YHC got some help from the 2.2 the night before so the weinke was spelled out on the pavement for all to see.   Preparedness (and checking the weather forecast) helped set the tone for all to get their money’s worth.  Here’s what we did:

Mosey to the back of the school, a lap on the track at increasing speed up to AYG on the final straightaway and a circle up for COP.

COP – Various exercises in cadence, including low slow squats, people’s chairs, Moroccan night clubs while in the people’s chair, Imperial Walkers and Hillbilly Walkers and SSH’s – all in cadence.  A quick mosey to the basketball courts where more fun was on tap.

At the top of each key (there were 4 total), exercises were specified.  PAX completed the first exercise, ran to the second court, did the exercise there, ran back to the start and repeated this sequence until the 4th and final top of the key was reached:

Top of the Key #1 – 5 burpees (this was done 4 times total – 1 for the start and 1 for each of the 3 return trips)

Top of the Key #2 – 10 bobby hurleys

To of the Key #3 – 15 bombjacks

Top of the Key #4 – 20 boxcutters

Successful completion and the opening act was complete.  A quick 10 count was voiced and off we went for 12’s, 30’s and 20’s.

PAX were assigned 12’s in lane 1, 30’s in lane 2 and 20’s in lane 3’s.  Exercises were as follows – always adding up to the number between both sets

12’s

Set 1 = 10 burpees, run to other side of lot 2 squats, nur back to the start line

Set 2 – 8 burpees, run, 4 squats, nur

Set 3 – 6 burpees, run, 6 squats, nur

Set 4 – 4 burpees, run, 8 squats, nur

Set 5 – 2 burpees, run, 10 squats, nur

On to the 30’s in lane 2

Set 1 – 25 standing lunges, run, 5 merkins, nur back to start line

Set 2 – 20 lunges, run, 10 merkins, nur back to start line

Set 3 – 15 lunges, run, 15 merkins, nur back to start line

Set 4 – 10 lunges, run, 20 merkins, nur back to the start line

Set 5 – 5 lunges, run, 25 merkins, nur back to the start line

And finally…..we closed out 2020 in lane 3 with, of course, 20’s:

Set 1 – 16 bonnie blairs, run, 4 kraken burpees, nur back to start line

Set 2 – 12 hand release merkins, run, 8 kraken burpees, nur back to the start line

Set 3 – 8 Wide arm merkins, run, 12 burpees, nur back to the start line

Set 4 – 4 diamond merkins, run, 16 shoulder taps (double count), nur back to the start line

PAX finished strong and we moseyed to COT promptly at 0600.

NMM: The tougher the practice, the more fun the game.  Our lives will have difficult moments that we must navigate both gracefully and with patience.  As we lead our families and others, this phrase reminded YHC why the DRP and choosing difficult is ALWAYS the better thing.  Consider your ripple effect.  Consider the man who needs to see you out there but has not told you.  We don’t often realize our impact on others until after the fact.  By practicing hard, practicing difficult, pushing through adversity, we come through those moments to reach the realization that they sharpen us.  They improve us.  They strengthen us.  As we turn the page on a calendar year, it is my sincere hope for all of us that we embrace the lessons of 2020.  That we remember what we endured, and as importantly, remember how we finished: stronger than we started.  May the advantageous habits we form create the ripple effect needed in our world – as leaders, husbands, fathers, brothers and any other role we are called to serve.  Choose tougher.  And be better prepared for it.  The tougher the practice, the more fun the game.  Thanks to Grassy Knoll for the call to the bullpen.  To a stronger year ahead.

In Gratitude,

Cyclops

 

 

 

 

 

 

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3

Make it happen

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21 men tackled day five of the new year at Block Party. Here’s what we did.

Warm up

  • 10 Low Slow Squats (IC)
  • 10 Hillbilly Walkers (IC)
  • 10 Moroccan Night Clubs (IC)

The Thang

The route today was .5 miles (left on Main St., left of Clebourne St., left at Founders, left on White St.).

Round 1 – Take a Lap

  • 10 Burpees
  • 20 Merkins
  • 30 LBCs
  • 40 Squats
  • 50 Calf Raises
  • 1 Lap

Round 2

  • 10 Wide Arm Merkins
  • 20 Lunges
  • 30 Flutters
  • 40 Overhead Claps
  • 50 SSHs
  • 2 Laps

Round 3

  • 10 Diamond Merkins
  • 20 Jump Squats
  • 30 Crunchy Frogs
  • 40 Alternating Shoulder Taps
  • 50 MNCs
  • 3 Laps

Total distance: 3.5 miles.

NMM

I was encouraged this morning to see so many men shunning the fartsack for a chance to better themselves physically. We covered some ground, but kept close enough that no one ran alone. I enjoyed the heck out of this morning. Today’s mumblechatter reminded me of how important the 2nd F is. Fitness without fellowship is a workout group. Fellowship and friendship takes us to the next level and makes us better men. And men need other men to keep accelerating.

I recently read, “You can’t get wet reading about the ocean.” I found it appropriate for the first week of the year as people begin making resolutions. This is the time of year people make resolutions for a “new year and a new you.” They make promises to get in shape, to make more money, to read more, or basically become a better version of themselves. However, come mid-February, the gyms are empty, the books haven’t been cracked, and work status quo and malaise has settled in.

Resolutions fail because change requires effort. Change takes a dream, willpower, consistency, and guard rails. It’s gradual. It’s difficult. But it’s worth it!

You must take action if you want improvement. Take the first step even if it feels strange or others say its stupid. Growth can only happen if you move forward. So dream it, want it, do it, do it again, and have someone to keep you accountable. Positive habits require consistent effort. Make it happen and have friends to keep you in line. Then bask in the glory in accomplishing your goals.

Aye!

Italian Job

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5

Shaolin Moderate Workout and Cult Chat

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This is the first full week of 2021 and YHC was glad to step in when a Q was needed at the Ballroom. IIRC, the last time I Qed there was back during Short Sale’s tenure, when Google Maps had no aerial photos.

8 PAX appeared in the gloom on a cool Tuesday morning. The weather said that there was some light rain in the area, but it wasn’t at the Ballroom.

The disclaimer was a disclaimed in a new way today, because YHC would be describing some very odd, new exercises and prescribing modifications as we went along. It may have sounded a bit professional, but I assured the PAX that I was not getting paid.

The warmup

A quick mosey around the parking lot followed by:
15x SSH
10x Low Slow Squat
10x Imperial Walker
10x Hillbilly Walker

Mosey around the back of the school for a stop by the bridge. Here we would do some stretching and exercises that were passed down from the Shaolin lineage, as well as from a cult known as Chung Moo Quan (more on that, later). This was part of the standard warmup from YHC’s studio in MN.

Legs about shoulder width for these, always both sides. Static stretches held 10s

1. Arms overhead, grab the R hand and stretch (pull) to the left without a twist. (lats)
2. Arms straight out, L hand toward L ankle, no twist (obliques and some lats)
3. L arm out, palm up. Grip L fingers with R hand using overhand grip (thumb to thumb) and pull down and back to armpit (inner forearms)
4. Elbows tucked into sides, L hand by chest, grab top of L palm with R overhand. Pull L arm up, push R hand down. Basically fold your hand back toward the elbow (wrist tendons)
5. Widen stance a bit. R in L hand fingertips up. From standing position, dip down to behind the ankles and come back up. (like cherry picker, but just once and up) 3 times.  Then both hands on lower back, chest and stomach out for the “old man getting out of bed” stretch three times. 5 rounds
6. Both hands make a diamond near the ground, legs straight as possible. Slowly orbit from ground, to the right, behind, to the left and back to the ground. Reaching as far as possible for entire movement. 3 orbits each direction
7. Legs out as far as they go, heels down and toes up. Fingertips on the ground (was pretty easy for the PAX to get the fingertips down). Fingertip pushups. Rock back on the way down, over the hands on the way back up. 10x

Mosey up the hill to the back of the school. Everyone on their six. Both sides if only one is listed, static stretches for 10s if not listed

  1. Legs straight out, separated as far as possible, toes up. Arms crossed in front fingertips up, sweep arms over toes 3 times, then grab and pull down for 5s hold.  4 times
  2. L hand to L foot, bending to L, R hand overhead reach to foot
  3. Feet together, pushing down knees (butterfly)
  4. Lay back, L hand grabs R foot and pulls to chest, L foot hovering
  5. Sit up, legs straight. Leaning back with straight back until feet start to hover, hands in fists, pound stomach 30times with fists, double count
  6. 10x 4count Flutter
  7. 10x 4count Hello Dolly
  8. Sit up, hands on ground behind. Both knees bent, kick both legs straight out, to right, and to left 10x. No break between R and L

Mosey around to the front of the building again and instructed PAX to find a pillar for support. Each exercise is right and left leg

  1. L knee at waist level, bounce knee up above waist and don’t let drop below waist. No touching the ground either  x40
  2. L knee again at waist level, snap kick out, no touching the ground  x40
  3. L foot to the side, toe forward. Raise as high as possible, no touching the ground x40

The Thang

Now that the warmup is complete, walk over to the high side of the parking lot and line up for the Doji. This is a balance and strength exercise that can be done by anyone.

Start by standing straight up. Using your L hand reach behind the R shoulder and ‘scoop’ with your fingertips, as you come around the front of your body, step into a deep forward stance with your R knee at 90º, and your L leg straight out, both feet parallel and about 45º off the direction of travel. Shift your stance to L forward stance while scooping behind you with your R hand, when you come back around, step forward staying very low, into L forward stance and push ahead with your L hand open, fingertips just at the shoulder level. Scoop behind w/L going into  R forward, then step forward with R and push with R.

It sounds like a complicated movement, but it wasn’t too difficult for the PAX. YHC called out each movement and we travelled about 15m with it (about 10 steps each foot), then turned around for another go.

After this movement we had about 12 minutes left. I had planned on getting more running into the workout, and skimmed over in my head the various workouts and exercises that would be good for a moderate workout without toasting the legs any more than I already had.

The best way to get some extra steps in? Dora

100 pushups, 200 squats, 300 LBCs!!!

We finished with about 90 seconds left, which was enough time for 20 flutters and a very quick saunter over to CoT

Cot

8 PAX counted off and name-o-ramad

Not a lot to announce right now, so Drop Thrill hyped the 2021 Christmas party.

Praises were voiced, prayers were requested.

nmm

Yeah, so the cult thing. My Shaolin teacher got caught up in a cult known as Chung Moo Quan in the early 90’s. I joked with the PAX about this commenting that they should hand over their wallets and sign some forms, to some good natured chuckling.  Obviously none of us are involved in anything like that, so we can laugh about it.

But have you ever tried to point out someone’s poisonous indoctrination? It’s usually not pretty. The cult indoctrinated don’t usually even know it’s happened because of how “normal” it seemed on the way in. They’ve received a lot of training and are well equipped to remain indoctrinated. Pride, ignorance, shame… all of these methods are veiled as normal and create an indoctrinated member.

I realize it’s super weird to expound on cult membership at a workout or in a backblast, but I assure you, dear reader, that it is relevant to every day lives.

Because while we may not be members of Chung Moo Quan, vandalize a building in the name of Tyler Durden, chant “the greater good” in a hooded robe,  or follow Jim Jones into death, we’re all subject to attempted indoctrination during almost all of our waking hours.

TV advertisements try to indoctrinate you into the cult of yourself.  Talk shows and news commentary try to indoctrinate you into the cult of bitterness, greed, or supremacy.  Our free country is, for the most part, monetizing our minds through indoctrination.  It’s incredibly difficult to tune it out.

This is why my word this year is “Discipline”.  I’m using two definitions. The first is the study of a subject, the second is to train.

Discipline as a study helps me to understand my beliefs and how they work in a world that wants me to change them all the time.  It applies to all 3 Fs as I intend to refocus on nearly 20 years of Shaolin training, be more intentional about being social (the pandemic has made life very cozy for a hardcore introvert like YHC), and actually focus on spiritual beliefs.

Discipline as a training regiment helps me to be strong enough to understand whether indoctrination is attempting to change my beliefs, or I’m just wrong.  As a physical training regiment, discipline can help me get the sleep I need and eat correctly. And as social training, I can tune out awful social static.

 

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Deck of Pain

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After a quick disclaimer and generic warmup, we moseyed over to firepit area and circled up for the Deck of Pain.

Twelve strong men got stronger on Monday with a whole lot of fun kettlebell reps. We all took turns drawing from the deck so that YHC couldn’t be blamed for every card…

Spades were Squat Thrusts

Diamonds were Dead Lift/Upright Row combos

Clubs were Curls/Shrugs combos

Hearts were Tricep Extensions/Shoulder Press combos

Reps were figured by the face value of the card drawn, with all face cards being 10.

Aces meant a quick lap around the parking lot, and the Jokers made us do 10 burpees/manmakers.

Everyone worked super hard, and the mumble chatter was kept to a minimum.

Prayers for our families, our teenagers, and for us to have strength to get through our trials and keep to our goals.

Thanks to everyone for the fun morning in the gloom!

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Only one thing stopping you….

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…that’s you.  Here’s a fun quote for you, “Do your future self a favor and work hard now.”

There’s been a lot said right now about New Years resolutions, and One-words, and goals for the year.  My question to you is have you acted on any of it?  Have your written anything down regardless of what you want to do?  There is a solution out there to get you thinking and it will take less than 30 min (I would highly recommend thinking about one-word too).  I’ve included a link at the bottom for anyone interested in the ~30 min 8-blocker that CSPAN does.

Once you’ve done this, share it with another PAX or ShieldLock (SL) if you have a SL.  This will be your accountability tracker for at least the next 6 months if not 12.

Moving on to my topic – NoOYO or No On Your Own.  This is HUGE right now and I can’t overemphasize this enough.  There are a lot of sad clowns, lonely guys, PAX / Kotters (guys that haven’t posted in a while) out there right now that need you!  Covid isn’t helping but this is where you can step in.  Each of us has this…probably using it right now as it’s a little computer we call a phone sitting in your hands.  Think of 1-3 guys who you haven’t seen or spoken to in a while, a neighbor down the street who doesn’t know F3, a Kotter or a fellow PAX that is at home.  Reach out to them.  Give them grace and don’t badger them to come to a workout…especially when you may not know their situation.  Offer to meet them at a workout, meet them 1:1 for a walk or run (if they want to be socially distant from you), offer to be an ear to talk to or maybe just meet for a coffee and talk through car windows if that makes them comfortable.  Point being, be the HIM (High Impact Man) you are.  Remember, “we leave no man behind, but leave no man where we found him”.  Here’s my advice: expect excuses, but don’t give up.  Remember the excuses you gave if you were one of those guys and how much F3 has changed your life (or maybe you’re new and still seeing what it’s doing – that’s ok too – and very exciting).  Biggest thing is to not be the guy who turns them off or pushes them away.  Maybe your selling point needs to change or maybe joining them for a virtual beating or 2nd or 3rdF is more what they need right now.

I was reminded this past week how much F3 meant to me.  I spend Christmas and New Years in Michigan on the east side of the state where F3 doesn’t exist.  It was cold and grey and snowy and was not very motivating or enticing to go outside.  But when I thought about taking a week off and being in the back with you knuckleheads, that was the spark I needed to dress appropriately and get my butt out the door.  When I’m reading slack and feeling the FOMO, or seeing the text messages from my SL about how bad the beating was that morning, that spark was fanned.  So I put on my layers and set out to catch up on my 1000 burpees for December and my run prep for D2D.  You know what happened on my run?  First I got cold, but then it got lonely.  Lonely is not a fun place to be. When I started thinking of you all, the loneliness subsides.  Here’s the difference between me (or what we have) and a sad clown – you’re able to draw from what you’ve experienced in F3 and push yourself.  You also have someone barking in your ear when you don’t workout or when don’t show up for a SL meeting or a 3rdF event.  Sad clowns don’t have this because they’re flying solo and don’t have those accountability partners.

I personally can’t imagine living like that now that I have experienced this thing we call F3.  I told my M (my wife) that if we ever moved back to Michigan (which I don’t see that happening anytime soon thanks to the cold and snow we re-experienced when we were there), I would start F3 immediately!  We aren’t meant to be alone and honestly, it’s 100x more fun when we get to be together!

Takeaways:

  1. Continue thinking about your one word – and then share it!
  2. Do the 8 blocker (link below) – this can be very intimate so share accordingly but plan to share
  3. Reach out to 1-3 guys

Remember that this all starts now.  What are you waiting for?

 

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First Post of 2021

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What better way to start the new year than with your brothers in the rainy gloom? Well, 4 at Varsity did just that.

Today was really special for several reasons.

It’s F3’s 10 Year Anniversary.  I wonder if DREDD and the other Redwoods had any idea what this would turn into?  In Honor of that, we did the same workout they did on 1/1/2011.

First we started with a little mosey where we talked about who was up the latest and Harry Caray’s smart plan to go to bed, take a nap and then wake back up for the ball drop with his M and 2.0’s.  I’ll have to remember that for next year 😉

Since it’s 2021, our warm-up consisted of 21 reps of SSH, Marocain Night Clubs, Imperial Walkers, and 7 windmills (because we do them really slowly and I couldn’t cadence count 21 windmills).

Then it was a lap around the track and into the Thang.

Run a lap.

10 merkins, diamonds, and wide-arm merkins.  Run a lap.

Shield fell so far behind that we went back to pick up him.  He said he had to stop and tie his shoe to which we all said was a “likely excuse”.

10 knee up dollys (think bring your knees to your chest, back out, apart and back together is 1),  Freddie Mercury’s and LBC’s.  Run a lap.

10 Side Straddle Hops, squat thrusters, and mountain climbers. Run a lap.

Since it rained most of the night and was drizzling most of the morning up to this point, we decided that instead of running up and down the bleachers that were slick to do Jacob’s Ladder, we ran over to the hill by the pull-up bars.   We got an extra burpee in b/c YHC forgot that you have to run to the top first before doing the burpee.  The extra burpee was my NY gift to the group.

Since that only took about 25 minutes, I had to fill some time, but since we were at the pull-up bars, I figured why not.

21 pull-ups followed by 21 squats x2 rounds.

Then it was time to play with Cindy. 10 counts of bent-over rows (each arm), overhead press, goblet squats, curls, and KB swings. 2 rounds.

We finished COT with a discussion of our One Word from last year and this year.

On a personal note, these HIM’s are my SheildLock and were my quarantine workout partners.  I would be in a very different place (and not for the better) if it had not been for these men who I have learned so much from.  I hope I have impacted their lives as much as they have mine.  Here’s to 2021!

Cheers!

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Looked Better on Paper

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I arrived a bit earlier this morning to scope out some areas of the campus that I have yet to explore.  Eight men showed up on this brisk morning.  We began with a slow mosey around the elementary school parking lot and stopped at the playground for the typical warm-up exercises (SSHs, Windmills, Imperial Walkers, Plank Stretches, Mountain Climbers, Peter Parkers, and Parker Peters.

Next, we moseyed back to the parking lot.  The first series of exercises was a combination bear crawl/squat across the length of the parking lot.  At every other parking space line, we did 10 squats.  Once finished, we did the same routine except we rolled to each line and did 5 merkins.  Lots of complains about dizziness after the first couple spins but we made it through the craziness.

Once the world stopped spinning, we ventured over to the pull up bars (Trucker approved).  We did 10 reps of jump and grab the bar, pull chin over the bar, and hold position for five seconds.  We took a lap around the bus loop to shake out are arms.  Next round was a jump and grab the bar, raise legs up 90 degrees, and hold for five seconds.  Again, another lap.  Last round was a jump up, rotate grip back and forth, and pull chin up over bar.  One last lap around the bus loop and back to COT for a few minutes of Mary.

Great job everyone!  Thanks for trying something new.

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Log PT

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Disclaimer was spoken and we opened up the truck to grab some logs. These logs are pretty sizable, and range from 100-200 pounds. Two PAX per log.

Move the logs to the grass lot/field behind the church. Set logs down on one end of field. While P1 does circuit below, P2 either shoulder carries log out and back to set point or does end over end log flips. Flap Jack until each partner completes entire circuit. Not a DORA – each PAX does 20 of each movement. 

Circuit 1

20 Ruck Thrusters

20 Push ups with side ruck pulls (Ruck at your right side…do a push up and then pull your ruck to the other side with your left arm, push up, then pull it back with your right arm)

20 Ruck Burpees

Breathing intensifies…

Circuit 2

20 OH Squats

20 Squats Ruck up front

20 Ruck Swings

 

LOG PT

Partner up by height to make the log carry more… fair.

5 Ground to Shoulder each side

10 OH press w/log (alternating shoulders)

10 big boy sit ups w/log

10 log press while on back

Carry/Ruck logs back to COT… toss them into the truck.

Last Minute Mary

25 4 ct flutters w/ruck press

11 4 ct Dollies w/ruck pressed

5 big boy sit ups w/ruck on front

 

COT. Nice work, men.

Announcements

Dam to Damn Bar is almost full!

F3 10 Year Convergence taking place

1/1/2021 where it all began.

Prayers/Praises

Prayers for marriages. This past year has been good and bad with regard to time spent with spouses. Pray we take advantage of those added moments with our wives.

Prayers for my mother in law who is down and out with arthritis and sciatica.

 

Thanks to Divac for letting YHC pick up the Substi-Q from Spiderman at the last minute.

Punch List out.

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Ballroom – Last workout for 2020

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We had 5 at the Ballroom for a end of year wrap up beat down.  A slight delay due to a mother nature call, brought us into an immediate warmup as we waited for Drop to get situated.  Then we took off for a quick mosey to our first stop to complete the warm-up.  We did a few SSH, Wind ills, imperial walkers, Moroccan night clubs and a couple of other exercises.  Mosey number 2 for the main event.

We started with 3 minutes of merkins – 10, Mtn. Climbers – 15 and 20 shoulder taps.  Keep rotating through until 3 minutes is up.  at the end we did a burpee stack starting with 1,2,3 and so on.  After 3 minutes lap around the parking lot. Next round 10 squats, 15 monkey humpers, 20 calf raises (arms are tired) then nurring around the lot.  Round 3 10-BB Situps, 16-American hammers, 20 flutters. Lap around the lot.  Round 4 10-SSH, 15-overhead claps, 20- Moroccan nightclubs. nurring around the lot.  Short mosey over to the benches for round 5. 10-derkins, 15 dips and 20 step ups. Run to bottom of lot for a few minutes of wall sits.

We had a few short stories to talk about what 2020 looked like and if 2021 is a repeat what would we change.  U-Haul also mentioned the article that Anchorman posted to forget New Year’s resolutions and conduct a past year review instead.  Check it out here 

Thanks drop for the opportunity to lead.

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Badger Sled Pull

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Five men posted at Honey Badger for a beatdown and honor a fallen soldier.

Disclaimer given
Mosey run (approx. ½ mile)
Warmup
SSH (12x I/C)
Windmills (10x I/C)
Imperial Walkers (10x I/C)
Moroccan N/C (10x I/C)
Low Slow Squats (10x I/C)
Arm Circles (10x I/C)
Peter Parkers (10x I/C)
Plank Stretches (downward dogs/honeymooners)

Thang #1: Bar hang
4 minute bar hang (cumulative); alternate = low plank
When a pax drops:
Run to bottom of hill and run back
Do 10 burpees
Get back on the bar, resume the hang
When finished: flutters for the six
Mosey run to school entrance

Thang #2: Bench work
20 incline merkins
20 Dips
20 step ups, 10 ea leg
20 decline merkins
20 butt touch squats
20 calf raises
Mosey run back to the ROTC building. Read story of fallen soldier CPO Kevin Houston (copied below).

Thang #3: Stations with coupons/cinder blocks
Station 1: sled pull: four cinder blocks in the sled (4x35lbs=140lbs), pax pulls sled to stop sign and back (approx. 100’ out and back, 200’ total). Sled pull is the timer, other pax are stationed at the below and then rotate.
Station 2: curls
Station 3: KB swings
Station 4: goblet squats
Station 5: flutters w/ block overhead
Rinse and repeat, each pax got to pull the sled twice.

Run to COT area; do some Mary: Slow freddies, American hammers

Fini, COT

Takeaways: The dead hang challenge was different. Important to have a visible timer so pax can keep track of time. Can flex up, for example: increase hang time to six minutes or increase run distance.

sled

Home-made sled for cinder blocks

Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer Kevin A. Houston
Kevin Houston was born on September 20, 1975 in West Hyannis Port, Massachusetts and graduated from Barnstable High School in 1994.
He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on January 18, 1995. He went on to basic training at NTC Great Lakes, Illinois, in April 1995. He attended Aviation Electrician’s Mate training at NAS Lemoore, California, from May to June 1995. He finished his SEAL training in 1999 in California and returned to the east coast and settled in Chesapeake, Virginia.
On August 6, 2011 Chief Petty Officer Kevin A. Houston was killed in action on his fourth tour of Afghanistan, when rebels shot down a Chinook transport helicopter (Extortion 17) carrying 30 American troops, including members of Navy SEAL Team Six during Operation Enduring Freedom. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Houston’s mother, Jan Brown, told the Cape Cod Times of Hyannis that her son was born to be a SEAL.
Houston leaves behind a wife and three children.
There is a memorial for Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer Kevin A. Houston at the Hyannis Village Green in Mass.
His decorations include two Bronze Stars with ‘V’ devices for valor; Purple Heart; Joint Service Commendation Medal with ‘V’ device for valor; two Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals; Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal; Combat Action Ribbon; Presidential Unit Citation; Battle ‘E’ Ribbon; Navy ‘E’ Ribbon; three Good Conduct Medals; National Defense Service Medal; two Afghanistan Campaign Medals; Iraq Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; Sea Service Deployment Ribbon; Rifle Marksmanship Medal and Pistol Marksmanship Medal.

 

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