The Unforgiving Minute

Got to read The Unforgiving Minute by Craig Mullaney while hanging on my boat in the summer daze of PA.  Mullaney, a former cadet from West Point, provides his journey from growing up the oldest of four in a small town in Rhode Island, attending Catholic school, to the dessert tour of duty in Afghanistan after 9/11, trying to keep the area free from Al-Qaeda.  Mullaney portrays himself as the quintessential “school geek”/student athlete (wrestler) who has a deep faith in God and others, a young boy who looks up to his father (a working class foreman who digs ditches) who teaches him to work hard, and then harder.  His father was the rock that taught him never to give up.  Mullaney chooses the Army over going to an ivy or other top ten liberal arts college as he wants more than the “regular” college experience (whatever that means?).  Instead he gets into West Point and begins the “plebe year” where he is at the bottom of the food chain, having to serve all upperclass cadets, biding his time to move up the ranks.  Each of the chapters captures the various stages of his upward movement in his military, and then civilian life.  Mullaney describes the rich relationships he develops at West Point and in his travels around the world.   Some of the most remarkable accomplishments in his life include being selected as a Rhodes Scholar and attending Oxford (on 9/11) on hiatus from his military duty, becoming a Ranger, and being promoted during his tour of duty.  The most gripping key to the story is his time away when he loses one of his men during a combat situation and the unexpected change in relationship with one of his closest mentors (I won’t give it away).  Needless to say, Mullaney learns valuable lessons that are applicable to anyone who is really open to what life throws at us.  Mullaney is now on the talking circuit and I would love to hear him speak.  While I did attend a military/Catholic high school, I was never a fan of the military side of the experience.  But I am very much appreciative and in awe of the dedication and commitment of those who enter military service.  Truly motivating to be so disciplined and committed to overcome all physical challenges.  Mullaney captures all too well with a few surprises.  He opens up his own personal journey of love, challenge, self-doubt, and the various journeys in his life.  Worth a read!