Essay Example on Pat Tillman: Soldier, Patriot, Dreamer

Pat Tillman joined the US army in June 2002 after the 911 attack. He left his NFL career to join the military not only because of his patriotism to his country but also his dream to enter politics. Having come from a family with several war veterans, it was reasonable that he would be drawn to the military. He intended to have his voice heard so that he could make a difference in the country. He often told his brother, Richard, that a man's history was defined by war and that he joined the army to know himself better. However, Pal did not get the chance to see his dreams come true as he was killed shortly after he joined the Army Rangers. Tillman was killed in the friendly fire as his team navigated through the Afghan mountains. Since his death was as a result of a miscalculation by his team's leaders, the government attempted to cover his actual cause of death.

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Pat Tillman is a symbol of how sports and the military can interrelate. Pat is a symbol of heroism and the ultimate American sacrifice. The NFL and the government have used Pat as a symbol for the ultimate sacrifice since he joined the army to his death. President Bush echoed the notion of Pat's heroism and sacrificed when he said ("The NFL Is One Giant Military Recruitment Tool"), "Pat Tillman loved the game of football. Yet, as much as Pat Tillman loved competing on the football field, he loved America even more."

Evidence of Tillman's symbolism was demonstrated when President Trump retweeted a tweet that advocated for the boycotting of NFL and acknowledged the efforts of Cardinal stars like Tillman, who was killed in the Afghan war. The tweet mentioned how Tillman had died while serving his country. The president's tweet was followed by numerous tweets; many of the tweets echoed his perspective. Currently, the NFL has been heavily criticized for requiring athletes to kneel as the National Anthem is sung during matches. The critics regard this practice as a self-absorbed practice.

Pat Tillman would not have liked or supported most of the actions that have been done in honor of his name. Both the government and the NFL have used Pat as a symbol to push for the perspective of the ultimate sacrifice. The two organizations have used this as an opportunity to recruit other young, strong men into the arm. This practice was against Tallman's beliefs. In his article Remembering His Name, Gary recalls how Tallman had explicitly refused to be used as a recruiting tool for the army. Once he enlisted to the military, they had tried to persuade him to model for their recruitment posters in Washington than joining the army. The army thought that his fame and influence would help them attract more recruits.

Pat was not only against the idea of being used as a recruitment tool but was also against the war in Iraq. Gary recalls how Pat would often criticize the war in Afghan. After serving for three and a half years, Pat was always in conflict with himself. He had to choose between his duty to the country and his integrity. Pat was against the army that he rejected the 21 gun salute reserved for army veterans. Pat had written the instruction and left for his wife. Because pat was so against the Afghan war, he would have disliked the way he is associated with heroism and the ultimate sacrifice.

Pat would have dreaded the government's attempt to cover up the circumstances of his death. After he died, the government failed to reveal the actual cause of his death. Instead, they had reported that Tallman had sacrificed his life in the Afghan war. Being a firm believer of integrity, Pat would have hated the cover-up. Pat would also have disliked the Silver Star and Purple Heart he was awarded after his death. The awards were given in an attempt to make up for his death that had been occurred due to negligence by his leaders. Although Pat Tallman is used as a symbol for heroism and the ultimate American sanctifies, he did not share those values. He was against the war and its recruitment policies.

Works Cited

Smith, Garry. "Remember His Name". SI.Com, 2019, https://www.si.com/vault/2006/09/11/8386263/remember-his-name.

"The NFL Is One Giant Military Recruitment Tool". Medium, 2019, https://the-cauldron.com/the-nfl-is-one-giant-military-recruitment-tool-ae28276185e4.