United States Navy SEa Air Land (SEAL) teams and their precursors have defended our country since World War II. Most recently, Navy SEALs were part of the force that carried out the heroic mission that killed Osama bin Laden. bin Laden was the leader of al Qaeda and mastermind behind the September 11th attacks that killed approximately 3000 people in the United States and thousands of others throughout the years around the world.
To paraphrase Winston Churchill, bin Laden's death does not mark the end of the War on Terror; it marks the end of the beginning of the War on Terror. Navy SEALS, U.S. Special Forces along with thousands of members of the United States military and intelligence communities hunted bin Laden for almost 10 years. These government workers are dedicated to protecting our country and ensuring our ideals and freedoms are passed onto our children.
The brave men and women who worked tirelessly day in and day out tracking down public enemy number #1 are our neighbors next door, our friends around the corner, and the people whom we see at the mall and ballpark. They may even be our professors and/or mentors.
One of my favorite law school professors at the University of Baltimore School of Law, Robin Winchester Goodenough, was a Navy Frogman (a member of an Underwater Demolition Team-a precursor to the SEALs) before he was a politician, statesman, and then law professor. Prof. Goodenough served our country with distinction during World War II and the Korean War. He was one of the most instrumental influences in my life. In addition to being a great professor, he was also a friend and mentor. He reiterated on many occasions that there are no shortcuts to success and that one should never give up on their hopes and dreams.
I didn't realize the extent of Prof. Goodenough's heroics until I visited him at his home several years after I graduated from law school. He was the epitome of class and dignity. Prof. Goodenough always said he wasn't in the legal profession but in the "human relations" business. While visiting Prof. Goodenough's home, he showed me some of his photographs and commendations from when he served our country. He never talked about his missions in class. However, the day I visited him we spent several hours discussing life and how to turn lemons into lemonade. His advice that day and whenever we spoke has been instrumental both personally and professionally.
Freedom is not free. The cost is very high and it disproportionately falls onto the families of those who have died while serving our country. Its time for our country to thank the Robin W. Goodenoughs of the world. These courageous defenders of freedom are the unsung heroes in the War on Terror. Because of their selfless acts, I am able to practice law, blog about social media, have a first amendment right to speak my mind, and go to sleep at night without being in constant fear that a terrorist attack will destroy my home.
You may be able to help support the families of these brave heroes who toil in anonymity to protect our country. This may be done through the Navy SEAL Foundation. According to its website, the Navy SEAL Foundation supports all [SEAL] families and their parent commands by easing financial burdens, establishing support networks, and funding command sponsored activities."
I encourage everyone who reads this blog to spread the news about the Navy SEAL Foundation via all social media platforms including Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc...
Copyright 2011 by the Law Office of Bradley S. Shear, LLC. This post may be re-purposed in any manner that may be able to benefit the Navy SEAL Foundation and the U.S. military and intelligence communities.
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