“if not me, then, whom? if not now, when?”

Preamble:

With Memorial Day Weekend upon us, QIC decided he’d do his part in honoring the fallen by introducing two “hero” workouts to the PAX of Nirvana: The “Manion” in honor of 1ST Lt. Travis Manion, USMC and the “Kerrie” in honor of Kerrie Orozco, Detective, Omaha, NE PD.

QIC then delivered what he would argue was the best and most official disclaimer and notice in the history of Nirvana AO. Period. (QIC thinks @Caffey would have to agree).

Warm-O-Rama:

SSH’s IC, Hillbillys IC, karaoke around lot switching directions at mid-point, windmills IC and slow Merkins IC with rep counts of 15 for all except karaoke.

The Thang:

Part 1: The Manion Workout:

7 rounds with each round consisting of:

(1) 400 meter run

(29) squats with coupon.

PAX made quicker work of this than QIC thought they might, so, QIC went for his back-up plan…

Part 2: The “Kerrie” Workout:

10 rounds with each round consisting of:

(1) 100 meter run

(5) burpees

(20) BB sit-ups

(15) Merkins

QIC instructed PAX that finished first to help other PAX by picking up burpees, BBSU’s and/or Merkins for any PAX that asked for assistance in completing their workout.

With approximately 3 minutes left, QIC directed PAX to collect their coupons and return to flag.

COT:

QIC shared several paragraphs from former President Obama’s 2011 Memorial Day speech with PAX so as to serve as a reminder to us all as to why we should take time to reflect on Memorial Day why we have such occasions and to honor the fallen: “…

We memorialize our first patriots — blacksmiths and farmers, slaves and freedmen — who never knew the independence they won with their lives.  We memorialize the armies of men, and women disguised as men, black and white, who fell in apple orchards and cornfields in a war that saved our union.  We memorialize those who gave their lives on the battlefields of our times — from Normandy to Manila, Inchon to Khe Sanh, Baghdad to Helmand, and in jungles, deserts, and city streets around the world.

What bonds this chain together across the generations, this chain of honor and sacrifice, is not only a common cause — our country’s cause — but also a spirit captured in a Book of Isaiah, a familiar verse, mailed to me by the Gold Star parents of 2nd Lieutenant Mike McGahan. “When I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send?  And who will go for us?’  And I said, ‘Here I am.  Send me!”

That’s what we memorialize today.  That spirit that says, send me, no matter the mission.  Send me, no matter the risk.  Send me, no matter how great the sacrifice I am called to make.  The patriots we memorialize today sacrificed not only all they had but all they would ever know.  They gave of themselves until they had nothing more to give.  It’s natural, when we lose someone we care about, to ask why it had to be them.  Why my son, why my sister, why my friend, why not me?

These are questions that cannot be answered by us.  But on this day we remember that it is on our behalf that they gave our lives — they gave their lives.  We remember that it is their courage, their unselfishness, their devotion to duty that has sustained this country through all its trials and will sustain us through all the trials to come.  We remember that the blessings we enjoy as Americans came at a dear cost; that our very presence here today, as free people in a free society, bears testimony to their enduring legacy…” [emphasis QIC]

Naked-Man Moleskin:

Always an honor to lead the men of Nirvana AO, and, as QIC was reminded while preparing the WO, he read this: John Stuart Mill said, “War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing which he cares about more than his personal safety is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.” So, to the better men and those that strive to be so, QIC salutes all of you. Sprocket out.