Badass of the Day

Let's start this week off with some badassery, shall we?

Breakin' it down:

* Air Force Staff Sgt. Robert Gutierrez Jr.

* Hit with armor piercing ammo, tearing through his chest and shoulder.

* Thought he had three minutes to live.

* Wanted to change the world in his remaining minutes.

* Taliban raining down hellfire on his platoon.

* Sgt. Gutierrez maintains radio contact with soldiers in the air to prevent the annihilation of his platoon.

* Lost five pints of blood.

* Walked over a mile while wounded.

* Refused treatment on the ground by soldiers, except for a brief moment so a medic could insert a tube below his collarbone so his lung wouldn't collapse, because it would require putting his radio down.

* Remained calm and collected to ensure safety of his men.

* Final injuries from firefight: two ruptured eardrums, bullet wound to upper shoulder, triceps, left chest and lateral muscles, two broken ribs, and a broken scapula.  The armor piercing round exited through his back, creating a soft-ball sized hole. He needed seven surgeries to repair the damage.

* Recipient of the Air Force Cross for extraordinary heroism.

I can't put into words what our armed forces mean to me.  I'm honored to do my small part in saluting them here.

You can read the entire story here.

Staff Sgt. Robert Gutierrez Jr., on behalf of all Americans, I thank you.

May God bless you and may God bless America.