Arlington National Cemetery’s Post

Today, our nation lost one of its great heroes. There will be hundreds of well earned and heartfelt tributes to Col. (R) Ralph Puckett Jr., this is mine. Col. Puckett passed away today at the age of 97 at his home in Columbus, Ga., after a lifetime of service, both on and off the battlefield. Yes, he was awarded numerous medals for heroism, including a long overdue Medal of Honor, but it was his life off the battlefield that meant just as much to so many. Col. Puckett mentored generations of American soldiers, particularly US Army Rangers. Despite the fact that he was one of the most decorated soldiers alive Col. Puckett spent decades of his life mentoring those who came after him while never asking for anything in return. Whether it was joining Rangers training in the field, traveling overseas on both training and combat operations, or providing one-on-one mentorship to individual Rangers Col. Puckett was never too busy, or too important, to give his time. We first met when I was a new Private graduating into the 75th Ranger Regiment. Our relationship grew for the next 27 years in a deep and meaningful way. I will miss him terribly. The simplest way I can say it is Col. Puckett didn’t just set a standard, he is the standard. RLTW sir. 🇺🇸 **UPDATE** Congress has announced that Col Puckett will lie in honor at the U.S. Capitol on April 29th. Link to article in comments. ——————————————————— *Pictured are Corporal Lucas escorting Col. Puckett at 1st Ranger Battalion, ca. 1998. Second is Sep 2022 at the MoH Convention. I was commanding a Special Forces Battalion and he was a MoH recipient.

In the annals of military history, this has to go down as one of the biggest f-ups, right? Seriously, who let this go forward? I challenge you to name a worse uniform and worse camouflage pattern. I’ll wait. Stay caffeinated. Aerial Resupply Coffee®

On this day in 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signs legislation creating the Army's Medal of Honor. Learn about its history in this video.

𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟕𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐃𝐚𝐲, a special day to honor and remember the brave men and women who were wounded or killed in service to our country. Awarded in the name of the President, the Purple Heart recognizes their sacrifices and valor. Across the nation, states, counties, and cities, along with sports and entertainment entities, pause to honor these heroes. Military and veteran organizations hold remembrance events, and we invite you to join us in paying tribute to those who have received this esteemed honor. 💜 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐏𝐔𝐑𝐏𝐋𝐄 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐃𝐀𝐘 💜 The Purple Heart, originally designated as the Badge of Merit, was first awarded by George Washington in 1782 to recognize enlisted soldiers for “any singularly meritorious action.” Although only three were initially awarded by Washington himself, the Badge of Merit laid the groundwork for today’s Purple Heart. Revived in 1932, the Purple Heart was expanded to honor those wounded in combat. By 1944, its purpose was refined to specifically recognize those who have been wounded or killed in action. The first modern Purple Heart was awarded to General Douglas MacArthur for his service during World War II. Since then, 1.8 million Purple Hearts have been awarded. 💜 Purple Heart Day, first observed in 2014, gives us all a chance to reflect on the bravery and sacrifice of our service members, ensuring their courage is never forgotten. Join us in honoring their legacy. #MilitaryOrderOfThePurpleHeart #MOPH #PurpleHeartDay #HonorAndRemember #VeteranSacrifice #MilitaryHistory #AmericanHeroes #ServiceAndSacrifice #Veterans

I think it's fair to say many of us try to lead by example... Well, what if there was a better way? In the words of Lt. Col. John Lock, US Army, Retired, in reference to the passing of the legendary Col. Ralph Puckett, "I would rather say [he] lived by example." "The difference being that ‘leading by example’ can be defined as modeling the actions and behaviors one wants others to see and emulate, while ‘living by example’ reflects one’s beliefs via actions and daily life, meaning always doing what you are supposed to do, when you are supposed to do it, even if no one is there to see.” While the difference is subtle, living by example means it is part of your being and removes the conscious decision to act a certain way with an extrinsic goal. This was a common lesson taught throughout my time in the Ranger Regiment - always do the right thing, even when no one is watching. Making the transition from "emulating" to "living" by example is possible but not without its daily challenges. The impact and lives you can influence by living as an example are crucial to upholding a standard of strong character in both our personal and professional lives.