The Spartans were the greatest fighting force in ancient history. Spartans trained together from a young age for war with their countrymen. The Spartan warriors were elite. They were the most feared warriors. Unlike the Zack Snyder film 300 where each warrior is seeking glory for their own desires, the real Spartans were brothers forged in battle and in trials of war. I did not have the pleasure to know John Datzman from a young age, but I know that John was a Spartan at heart. Yet, the minute we met in Marine Corps’ Boot Camp a bond that supersedes friendship and enters the realm of brotherhood was forged between us.
We went through boot camp, infantry school, and deployed within the same infantry squad together, creating a relationship that …show more content…
Our relationship was a true vision of an equitable relationship. We found value in every social interaction from the insignificant moments when we would watch mindless Netflix shows to the deeper moments when we would pour our souls out together over a few or twelve cold beers. That is one of the biggest things I miss about John, being able to talk to my peer without any doubt that they would be turned on me at some later date. We had many common goals for our time once we got out of the marines. We were going to go to college together. We were going to backpack both the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail. We were going to rule the world together as brothers. The goals we had were big, but to the two of us those were tiny in comparison to our true goal. The supreme goal we had was to be the best men would could be. John died being the best man there is and will ever be. He sacrificed himself for his country and saved four other marine lives, including myself. I owe my best friend, John, my life. It is something I will never understand, but his sacrifice for us is something I have learned to bear in my soul. The burden of speaking at his funeral still weighs on me because I feel like there will never be a paper, a speech, or any other medium that will do John Datzman true justice to his
We went through boot camp, infantry school, and deployed within the same infantry squad together, creating a relationship that …show more content…
Our relationship was a true vision of an equitable relationship. We found value in every social interaction from the insignificant moments when we would watch mindless Netflix shows to the deeper moments when we would pour our souls out together over a few or twelve cold beers. That is one of the biggest things I miss about John, being able to talk to my peer without any doubt that they would be turned on me at some later date. We had many common goals for our time once we got out of the marines. We were going to go to college together. We were going to backpack both the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail. We were going to rule the world together as brothers. The goals we had were big, but to the two of us those were tiny in comparison to our true goal. The supreme goal we had was to be the best men would could be. John died being the best man there is and will ever be. He sacrificed himself for his country and saved four other marine lives, including myself. I owe my best friend, John, my life. It is something I will never understand, but his sacrifice for us is something I have learned to bear in my soul. The burden of speaking at his funeral still weighs on me because I feel like there will never be a paper, a speech, or any other medium that will do John Datzman true justice to his