“Good,” said Uncle Jake.
“Good?” I asked. “How the heck is all that good?”
“It’s good because every one of those problems is something you can change. Every one of them.”
I didn’t know what to say. Here I was, a complete mess, crying over my situation. But Uncle Jake was calm, so calm it made me start to get calm, too.
“Look, Marc,” he said, “when I joined the Navy, I could only do seven pull-ups. Now I can do forty-seven. I wasn’t a great swimmer. Now I can swim like a fish. I also didn’t do that well in school, but when I got into SEAL training, I learned how to learn and ended up doing great on all the academic tests. And finally, when I first got into the SEAL Teams, I knew nothing about fighting. But now I can handle myself in any situation.”
“Of course you can! You’re a Navy SEAL!”
“You are missing the point. I wasn’t born like this! I had to work for it. I had to learn it. I had to EARN it. And what I am telling you is that instead of being a wimpy kid, you can be a Warrior Kid.”
WARRIOR KID??!?!?! I wasn’t exactly sure what that really meant, but it sounded AWESOME.
“What is a Warrior Kid?” I asked.
“I’ll tell you about it tomorrow. You need to go to bed. But I think a Warrior Kid is exactly what you need to become.”
Uncle Jake walked out the door to go downstairs and talk to my mom. WARRIOR KID. WARRIOR KID. WOW.
I lay on my mattress thinking about this as I drifted off to sleep.…
CHAPTER 5: WARRIOR KID
When I woke up the next morning, Uncle Jake wasn’t in my room anymore. I didn’t know where he was. I walked downstairs. He was at the breakfast table with my mom.
“What’s up, sleepy?” he said. I rubbed my eyes. He was right; I was still sleepy.
“What have you been doing?” I asked.
“Well,” he replied, “I woke up, worked out, went for a run, took a shower, reviewed some reading that was recommended for college, and now I’m having breakfast with my sister.”
“You did all that this morning?”
“I sure did.”
“What time did you wake up?”
“Zero-dark-thirty,” Uncle Jake replied.
“What the heck is that?” I asked.
Uncle Jake smiled. “That means I get up early. Very early.”
I had no idea anyone could wake up that early. I have a hard time getting out of bed by seven to get ready for school. Uncle Jake must have gotten up around five!
“You and I need to talk today, don’t we?”
“Yes, we do,” I replied anxiously.
“All right, then. Finish your breakfast, and we’ll go for a walk.”
I scarfed down some food, threw on my clothes, and told Uncle Jake I was ready.
“You sure you’re ready?” he asked with a serious look on his face.
“I’m pretty sure,” I told him even though I felt nervous.
“All right, then,” he told me. “Let’s go.”
We headed out the door and down the street toward the park.
“So, Marc, what do you know about being a warrior?” Uncle Jake asked me as soon as we turned the first corner.
“I don’t think I know anything about being a warrior,” I told him.
“Okay. Well, then do you even know what a warrior is?”
“Yes. I mean I guess I know. A warrior is someone who fights in wars … right?”
“That is one part of it. But what else?”
“I’m not sure what else.”
“So do you think that the only way to be a warrior is to fight in wars? And do you think that anyone who fights in a war is a warrior?”
“I guess so,” I answered.
“Well, you guessed wrong. There is a lot more to being a warrior than just being in a war. Warriors are people that stand up for themselves. They face challenges. Warriors work hard to achieve goals. They have the discipline to overcome their weaknesses. Warriors are people that constantly try to test and improve themselves. And yes, war is the ultimate test, but not all warriors go to war.”
“But how can a kid be a warrior?” I asked. It just didn’t seem like a kid would be able to do all those things that Uncle Jake was talking about.
“By doing everything I just said. A normal kid doesn’t push himself—a Warrior Kid does. A normal kid doesn’t work constantly to improve himself—a Warrior Kid does. I look at all these problems you cried to me about yesterday. A Warrior Kid wouldn’t cry about those problems. A Warrior Kid would do something about those problems.”
“Do what?”
“Do what? Do whatever it takes. Every problem you have can be overcome. EVERY ONE OF THEM. You can’t do pull-ups? You work out and get stronger until you can. You don’t know your times tables? You study and train your mind until you know them cold. You can’t swim? You learn how. You get picked on? You learn to fight.”
“Fight?” I asked.
“Yes, fight. Just like anything else in the world, there are techniques to fighting—like learning a sport—and when you know the techniques and practice them, you can defend yourself from anyone.”
“You really think I could do all that?”
“I know you can. Like I told you last night, I had to transform myself when I got into the Navy. I had to get stronger. I had to learn to fight. I even had to learn to learn. But I did it. And if I did it, so can you. Do you want to? Do you want to overcome all these challenges you face?”
“Of course!” I shouted, feeling pretty fired up about everything Uncle Jake was telling me. “Who wouldn’t?”
Then Uncle Jake got really serious. Anything resembling a smile left his face. He looked me straight in the eyes and said, “But let me tell you something. This will not be easy. This will be harder than anything you’ve ever done before. I will help you, but you are the one that has to do the work. You have to want the change. That has to come from you. Do you want to do this?”
I was a little nervous after what he just said, but the thought of overcoming so many problems was like an explosion in my head. “Yes, I do.”
“I need a commitment because I don’t want to waste my time on you. Do you promise?” Uncle Jake asked as he held out his hand for a shake.
I felt the most pressure I have ever felt in my life. I looked him in the eyes and said, “Yes. I promise.” We shook hands.
“We start tomorrow morning,” Uncle Jake said quietly.
We walked through the park and back to the house without saying another word.
Something had already changed.
CHAPTER 6: THE PROGRAM BEGINS
OH, WOW! Today was just crazy—and I mean CRAZY! I was sound asleep in my bed this morning, peacefully dreaming about a double cheeseburger with fries and a milk shake from my favorite restaurant, the Classic Malt Shoppe.
So there I was, enjoying this lovely dream. The food had been delivered and was sitting in front of me, and I was just about to take my first bite of that delicious double cheeseburger when—CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! A shocking noise scared me half to death. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest. I thought I was being attacked by aliens from outer space who used broken, old drum cymbals as their main weapon!
Then I heard the voice of one of the alien monsters yelling at me, “GET OUT OF BED!” I immediately thought that this alien sounded an awful lot like Uncle Jake. Yep, you guessed it—that was because it WAS Uncle Jake. He had a broomstick and a metal garbage can, and he was banging them together and yelling at me to get out of bed and give him fifty push-ups. Still confused and thinking about the double cheeseburger I was about to dig into in my dream, I told the alien that I didn’t think I could do five push-ups, so fifty was out of the question.
But Uncle Jake didn’t care at all about my cheeseburger or how many push-ups I could do. He put the garbage can next to my head and banged EVEN LOUDER! I rolled out of bed and did nine push-ups before I fell flat on my face.
When I fin
ally looked around, I realized that it was STILL DARK OUTSIDE! I asked Uncle Jake what time it was, and he said it was time to get up and get busy!!!
That is how my day started. From there Uncle Jake showed me a bunch of exercises—and then made me do them. The weird thing was that all these exercises had strange names that seemed to put a big smile on Uncle Jake’s face. “Star jumpers.” “Burpees.” “Diamond push-ups.” “Dive-bomber push-ups.” “Supermans.” “Jackknives.” “Belly busters.” And let me tell you, even though these names sound funny, THERE WAS NOTHING FUNNY ABOUT THEM AT ALL. They hurt! But Uncle Jake seemed to do them all so easily. Then Uncle Jake gave me a test. I had to do as many squats, push-ups, and sit-ups as I could in two minutes with one minute of rest in between. I did twenty-three squats, fourteen push-ups, and eighteen sit-ups. Then Uncle Jake did the same thing. He did 104 squats, 108 push-ups, and 122 sit-ups!!!!!
I told Uncle Jake I was a WEAKLING! Then he explained to me that I was only weak right now because I had never trained before—never worked out. “In order to make your body strong,” he said, “you have to make it work.” Then he told me that it all started by getting up early in the morning and “GETTING AFTER IT.” I asked if maybe, instead of waking up so early we could just do our workout a little later in the day, perhaps at a more REASONABLE time.
Uncle Jake said NO WAY. He said that pushing yourself began every day with PULLING YOURSELF OUT OF BED!
I asked him if that meant I had to have a GARBAGE CAN BANGED IN MY EARS every day.
He said no—as long as I was up and out of bed early enough (!!!!!!), there would be no garbage can!
So it was either get out of bed early or have a garbage can banged in my ears!!
I wasn’t so sure I liked this program! But I did have to say one thing that surprised me. Doing all those exercises in the morning actually made me feel better all day. I felt awake and good and like I had extra energy. So even though the early wake up and the exercising was kind of rough, I really liked the way it made me feel for the rest of the day. It was worth it!
CHAPTER 7: WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A WARRIOR
After a few days, I actually got used to getting up so early. By the third day, I didn’t get the garbage can in my ears anymore—I was actually waking up early on my own every day! Wow. Today, after the morning routine of exercises, Uncle Jake had a pretty serious talk with me.
“So do you think you are a Warrior Kid yet?” he asked.
“I guess I might be,” I told him.
“Why do you think you might be?”
“Well, I’m waking up early every day and doing all the exercises you tell me to do.”
“Do you think that makes you a warrior?”
“Maybe?” I asked him … but deep down I knew there was a lot more.
“Wrong!” Uncle Jake cut me off. “There is a lot more to being a warrior than just waking up early and working out. A LOT MORE. What do you think the most important part of being a warrior is?”
“Fighting the enemy?” I asked, hoping for some good war stories.
“That is important. But it is just part of the job. Guess again,” Uncle Jake said.
“Being in the military?”
“Again—that is a warrior’s job. But it isn’t the most important part of being a warrior. Got any other guesses?”
“No, Uncle Jake. I’m stumped.”
“It’s the Warrior Code.”
“Is that like a secret language?” I asked.
“No,” Uncle Jake laughed. “It’s not a secret language. It’s the rules warriors live by. The standards they hold for themselves and other warriors in their tribe.”
“Like laws?” I asked.
“Not really. Laws are what everyone lives by. They keep order. The Warrior Code isn’t enforced by police. It is something that you have to hold yourself to. Something that keeps you on the right path in life.”
“What is the code, then? What are the rules?”
“Different warrior groups have different codes, depending on their culture, their time, and their society.”
“Which one is the best?”
“They are all different. You need to go and look at them yourself. Read through them. Try to understand their different codes. And then come up with your own Warrior Code that you can live by.”
“Okay. Where can I find them?”
“I’ll give you some of them when we get home.”
When we got back to the house, Uncle Jake pulled out an old three-ring binder. He handed it to me and said simply, “Read.”
“I will.” And I did.
I went up to my room and opened the notebook. It had a bunch of paper in it with different type and different size pages. Some of it was photocopied. Some of it was handwritten. These are some of the Warrior Codes I found inside:
The SEAL Code
• Loyalty to country, team, and teammate
• Serve with honor and integrity on and off the battlefield
• Ready to lead, ready to follow, never quit
• Take responsibility for your actions and the actions of your teammates
• Excel as warriors through discipline and innovation
• Train for war, fight to win, defeat our nation’s enemies
• Earn your trident every day
THE VIKING LAWS
• Be brave and aggressive
– Be direct
– Grab all opportunities
– Use varying methods of attack
– Be versatile and agile
– Attack one target at a time
– Don’t plan everything in detail
– Use top-quality weapons
• Be prepared
– Keep weapons in good condition
– Keep in shape
– Find good battle comrades
– Agree on important points
– Choose one chief
• Be a good merchant
– Find out what the market needs
– Do not promise what you can’t keep
– Do not demand overpayment
– Arrange things so that you can return
• Keep the camp in order
– Keep things tidy and organized
– Arrange enjoyable activities that strengthen the group
– Make sure everybody does useful work
– Consult all members of the group for advice
THE RANGER CREED
• Recognizing that I volunteered as a Ranger, fully knowing the hazards of my chosen profession, I will always endeavor to uphold the prestige, honor, and high esprit de corps of my Ranger regiment.
• Acknowledging the fact that a Ranger is a more elite soldier, who arrives at the cutting edge of battle by land, sea, or air, I accept the fact that as a ranger, my country expects me to move farther, faster, and fight harder than any other soldier.
• Never shall I fail my comrades. I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong, and morally straight, and I will shoulder more than my share of the task, whatever it may be, 100 percent and then some.
• Gallantly will I show the world that I am a specially selected and well-trained soldier. My courtesy to superior officers, neatness of dress, and care of equipment shall set the example for others to follow.
• Energetically will I meet the enemies of my country. I shall defeat them on the field of battle for I am better trained and will fight with all my might. Surrender is not a Ranger word. I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy, and under no circumstances will I ever embarrass my country.
• Readily will I display the intestinal fortitude required to fight on to the Ranger objective and complete the mission, though I be the lone survivor.
Rangers Lead The Way!
THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS CORE VALUES
Honor: This is the bedrock of our character. It is the
quality that empowers Marines to exemplify the ultimate in ethical and moral behavior: to never lie, cheat, or steal; to abide by an uncompromising code of integrity; to respect human dignity; and to have respect and concern for each other. It represents the maturity, dedication, trust, and dependability that commit Marines to act responsibly, be accountable for their actions, fulfill their obligations, and hold others accountable for their actions.
Courage: The heart of our Core Values, courage is the mental, moral, and physical strength ingrained in Marines that sees them through the challenges of combat and the mastery of fear, and to do what is right, to adhere to a higher standard of personal conduct, to lead by example, and to make tough decisions under stress and pressure. It is the inner strength that enables a Marine to take that extra step.
Commitment: This is the spirit of determination and dedication within members of a force of arms that leads to professionalism and mastery of the art of war. It promotes the highest order of discipline for unit and self and is the ingredient that instills dedication to Corps and country 24 hours a day, pride, concern for others, and an unrelenting determination to achieve a standard of excellence in every endeavor. Commitment is the value that establishes the Marine as the warrior and citizen others strive to emulate.
THE US ARMY WARRIOR ETHOS
I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.
The Seven Virtues of Bushido (Samurai Code)
• Integrity
• Respect
• Heroic courage
• Honor
• Compassion
• Honesty and sincerity
• Duty and loyalty
Way of the Warrior Kid--From Wimpy to Warrior the Navy SEAL Way Page 2