Remembering Lt. Col. Brandon Shaw 😔
A military colleague reflects on attending the funeral of Lt. Col. Brandon Shaw, describing the emotional impact of seeing someone they cared for in a casket and the profound effect on his family, including his 10-year-old son.
Summary
This transcript captures a deeply personal reflection from someone who knew Lt. Col. Brandon Shaw, focusing on the emotional toll of losing a fellow service member. The speaker describes the jarring contrast between caring for someone while they were alive and then seeing them in uniform in a casket, emphasizing the mental challenge of processing such a loss. The conversation reveals that Shaw left behind a wife and a 10-year-old son, with the speaker characterizing him as an amazing father and husband who represented the army well to the university community. The speaker particularly struggles with the moment during the funeral when the flag was presented to Shaw's widow and watching her carry it out. The reflection concludes with the speaker's broader experience attending military funerals, especially the heartbreaking sight of children who don't understand what's happening and are waiting for their parent to come home. The account provides a raw, personal perspective on military loss and the impact on families left behind.
Key Insights
- The speaker describes the mental challenge of seeing someone they cared for alive now lying in uniform in a casket
- Lt. Col. Shaw's son is approximately 10 years old and Shaw was characterized as an amazing father and husband
- Shaw created a significant leadership void and was described as a very good representative of the army to the university
- The moment when the flag was passed to Shaw's spouse and watching her carry it out was particularly difficult for the speaker
- The speaker has attended many military funerals and finds it especially hard to see children who don't understand what's happening and are waiting for their parent to return
Topics
Transcript
[0:00] Seeing somebody you were taking care of alive and the opposite laying in uniform in a casket, getting through that mentally, that's the hard part for me and the family, his wife and his son. >> How old is his son? I think he's like 10. He was an amazing father, I know that. Amazing father, amazing husband. Very big leadership void without him there. Really good representative of the army to the university. In the funeral, the [0:31] flag passed to the spouse and watching [music] her carry it out, that was a lot. It's hard, man. I've been to a lot of those, especially where you see their kids running around and they just want to know…
Full transcript available for MurmurCast members
Sign Up to AccessMore from Shawn Ryan Show
Bush Got Lucky. Saudi Sandal Throwers Never Miss 😂
The speaker describes young Saudi men's exceptional skill at throwing sandals as weapons from significant distances (20-30 yards), noting that their hard leather sandals have blade-like edges that can inflict considerable pain upon impact, comparable to being hit by a plate.
The Black Hawk Down Pilot Who Wouldn't Leave His Rangers 😳
A Vietnam veteran reflects on the Black Hawk Down incident in Somalia, praising the extraordinary courage of helicopter pilots, particularly Dan Schilling, who kept his damaged aircraft airborne to ensure all Rangers could safely descend before crashing. The speaker emphasizes that unified command structure and pilot commitment were critical factors despite the mission's tragic outcome.
Why Doctors Put Bicycle Spokes in a Army Ranger's Leg 😳
An Army Ranger describes surviving a catastrophic leg injury requiring the Ilizarov apparatus, a Russian-invented device using bicycle spokes to stabilize shattered bone. Through innovative bone grafting and years of rehabilitation, he regained full mobility and returned to active infantry duty.
Cartel Fighters Brought THIS Home From Ukraine 😳
A speaker discusses their observations of the International Legion in Ukraine, which includes volunteers from various countries and notably former cartel and FARC fighters from Colombia. These Colombian combatants have returned home with drone warfare expertise and are allegedly using these skills to attack Colombian government and intelligence targets.
Black Hawk Down Had a Hidden Al-Qaeda Connection 😳
A firsthand account from a soldier during the Black Hawk Down incident in Somalia describes calling in sniper support, discovering that Al-Qaeda operatives trained by Osama bin Laden were assisting warlord Aidid with modified weapons, and witnessing the downing of a Black Hawk helicopter by a modified grenade launcher, after which survivors immediately engaged in combat.