For some, the rodeo never ends. For this Chris Kyle, life was a rodeo. A stage where the audience looked on from afar, some jeering, some cheering. Ignoring it all, he focused on his job, on his goal, on his God, on his country and on his family. God always seemed to come first. He carried a Bible with him everywhere he went. Along with his rifle. And some tobacco dip.
Chris Kyle grew up in Texas. He rode in rodeos, busted some bronco’s, and his wrist after a rodeo accident. This was his first arena, the “buckle bunnies” cheering him on — this is on page 13 on "American Sniper." All eyes on Chris. His eyes were on the goal.
Kyle then decided to join the military. He went into the recruiters office and was declined because of his riding accident. Eventually, they changed their minds, and Chris was off to Basic, soon to go on to BUD/S training. This was arena two, conquering the infamous Hell Week. He quotes, “If that bell (that when you rung meant you quit) was a little closer I might have stood up and gone and rung it, gotten my warm coffee and doughnut. But I didn’t.” He cites this on page 33.
Arena three: the Punisher, the Devil of Ramadi, iconic symbols that you may have heard. Chris made it through sniper school and soon became, what he would call, the luckiest sniper. He was put in situations where he had more opportunity to save people. He said, “In the end, my story, in Iraq and afterward, is about more than just killing people or even fighting for my country. It's about being a man. And it's about love as well as hate.”
In the home front after being the Devil of Ramadi, he had another mission. “It is our duty to serve those who serve us.” This is mission number four, arena four, where he took something that was going to be challenging and made a great company out of it. Craft International, as it was once called. The mission continued to the Chris Kyle Frog Foundation a couple of years later.
Fifth mission: Stars Earn Strips was a reality tv series. It aired in 2012. Chris was mentoring the actor Dean Cain for his charity. This show is not like reality tv. It’s reality. "Stars Earn Stripes" was unscripted; no one knew what to say. It was all impromptu, at least for the dialogue. Dean Cain was so starstruck by the CPO Chris Kyle, he was almost giddy with praise as if meeting a childhood hero. Chris, very uncomfortable with the praise, had to change the subject back to Dean, asking him, “Have you ever been choked out?” Along with other things, he was hysterical in the show and a great marksman. He was quiet, but he could deliver those quippy one-liners. But no delivery was necessary. My conclusion from this is that Chris was able to be Chris. I’ve also come to the conclusion; no one knows what that is but Chris and his wife, Taya.
His last and final mission was on February 2, 2013, as he was called home to help out up there in Heaven. His death was shocking, horrible, and I will always remember. I write to remember, I write to carry on the story of an ordinary legend.
We may no longer have a bridge to understanding the life of these men. But we have their spirit. We have a servant's heart. We serve those who so graciously helped us, always. And we don’t ever quit. Chris Kyle gave a face to so many people. He was the story so many had hidden.
