The American Spectator

L. Stark /p> p> I just saw on CNN.com that Pat Tillman was killed in action in Afghanistan. After reading your article here I felt very proud of such a person. I served in the military so I know what that is like. I did my tour during Desert Storm. I didn’t however leave a multimillion dollar contract to do so. He will be missed. br> — unsigned /p> p> This morning I emailed the Pat Tillman articles to a host of friends. This evening Yahoo News has his death. Let’s keep this simple. He was a HERO. Not for his actions in combat, which I’m sure were of the highest order, but for the example he set of how to make choices as an American. RIP, brother. br> — Chris Buckley br> Sergeant First Class Retired /p> p> Like Mr. Beston I no longer follow football as I once did. However, back when Pat Tillman eschewed his NFL career to become an Army Ranger, I paused. My Dad served in WW II and there were a large number of sports greats that also took off one uniform for another. Ted Williams, Yogi Berra to name a couple. I served 20 years in the Army and was profoundly moved by what Pat Tillman chose to do. When my husband told me he was killed fighting in Afghanistan this past week I was stunned and saddened. The Olympian , the local paper here, carried stories about him both on the front page and in the sports section. I noted that Arizona State, where Pat used to play, will retire his number at the end of the season. Maybe it is just a strange coincidence but that same number, 42, was worn by an American hero in a different sport — Jackie Robinson. br> —