Chris Kyle

Chris Kyle: Deadliest SniperSOFREP.comFor a man to load a weapon, aim it towards another, and fire, taking another’s life within the process, it is not a normal thing to do. This act goes against all morals and is an act that is very frowned upon all around the world. It is considered the worst thing a man can do. Though this may seem as a very non-beneficial act, Chris Kyle had a deep belief that violence and killing his enemies could solve problems, not because his enemy was different, but because of the potential harm and destruction his enemies could bring upon his loved ones. Chris Kyle was the deadliest sniper ever in U.S. history, he has 160 confirmed kills, he served 4 tours in Iraq from 2003 to 2009, and received two silver stars and 5 bronze stars of valor. Growing up in Texas, Kyle always wanted to be a cowboy, but his love for guns eventually led him down a military path where he ended joining the military in 1999 and he became a SEAL. Kyle was a true warrior on the battlefield but tragically, Kyle and a friend of his were killed in at a gun range in Texas, but out of all the things he was, he was mostly a hero. To become a hero, one must possess bravery and humility to do things that are right even if these actions seem impossible or too risky. To sacrifice something of yourself for others makes you a hero. Chris Kyle’s time in the military and his service demonstrated his true courage and humility as he risked safety and completed impossible tasks to support his SEAL’s and veterans.

Kyle practicing his marksman skillshttps://www.insideedition.com

A main reason why Chris Kyle was a hero was because of his determination to save and protect others with his marksman skills. Kyle’s job as a sniper may seem as a straightforward task but Kyle’s marksman skills weren’t used just to kill people, but to stop those that could potentially harm SEAL’s. In a biography about him, it states, “As Iraqi opposition to U.S. occupation grew, Kyle's skills as a sniper became a valuable asset to the SEALs, as he could make shots from great distances.” (“Chris Kyle”, Para. 6). For an easier understanding, this quote explains how important Kyle’s skills were as a sniper to protect SEAL’s as it provided much aid to all the units on the ground. This also demonstrates that Kyle was a hero because his skills were a necessity for the SEAL’s on the ground for if he ever missed a shot or was absent in a event, most of the SEAL’s could have an increased risk to getting harmed or shot. Not only were  his skills a necessity, but his ability to fight for his SEAL’s under pressure without hesitating was a great asset for the survival of his SEAL’s. In another biography, it is stated that, “his commanding officer reported that Kyle had “single-handedly thwarted a large-scale attack on a U.S. Marine Combat Outpost,” adding that his “performance under fire cannot be overstated.” (Schmidle, Nicholas para. 16). To elaborate, Kyle’s skills and training affected his teammates and the outcome of a situation when he did what he did, protecting them. This shows how Kyle’s ability and courage to kill enemies without hesitation as without this, many SEAL’s would be injured and it also shows his courage to take out anyone without regard to his own safety.  For these reasons, it can be clearly said that Chris Kyle is a hero because of his outstanding, protective marksman skills of his courage to risk his own safety to protect his SEAL’s.

Chris Kyle working with and aiding a veterandailymail.co.uk Not only on the battlefield was Chris Kyle a hero, but at home, he was also a hero because of his efforts to support veterans that were suffering from PTSD. When he finally retired from being a SEAL in 2009, he still didn’t want to be away from his teammates where he couldn’t help them, so he quickly decided to help out veterans suffering from trauma from the war. In a short biography on Kyle, it says, “After retiring from the U.S. Navy in 2009 he returned to Texas. He then worked at his own sniper training and private-security protection company, Craft International. He also assisted organizations that provided aid to wounded veterans.” (“Chris Kyle, Para. 7). In other words, after Kyle’s retirement, he decided to make kind-hearted actions to support veterans and to continue protecting people through a private company. This shows that Chris Kyle was a hero because of his humility to support veterans that he did not know but he had created friendships out of that. This action is not a simple thing to do as it can become uncomfortable and stressful to handle. Although this interaction with veterans may seem small and simple to do, but Kyle spent money and time to make/launch a foundation that aided wounded veterans from the war. In another short biography, it states, “Kyle co-launched a non-profit group, FITCO Cares Foundation, which supplies fitness equipment to war wounded veterans.”(Aldrich, Ian, Para. 8). In simpler terms, Kyle’s caring-efforts to support veterans that had been wounded or injured in the war was shown by creating a small foundation for them. This act shows how Kyle was a hero because of his efforts and actions to help out veterans that were wounded and were in need of help to live with their injuries. This act costed him his own time and a large amount of money which is a sacrifice most people wouldn’t or couldn’t take. For all his bravado to fight and protect his teammates that risked his own safety and support to veterans  who are suffering, Kyle is a truly caring hero that hopes to ensure safety to those who protect others.

With multiple risks taken during Kyle’s time in the war for his SEAL’s and his small kind acts to help veterans, it can be clearly said that Chris Kyle demonstrates his true bravery and humility as he risked safety and completed impossible tasks to support his SEAL’s and veterans. Kyle took many sacrifices during his time in Iraq with sacrificing his own protection and his skills were a huge aid asset for SEAL’s on the ground. Not only were his skills an act of him being a hero, but his care for wounded veterans makes him a hero as he sacrificed his own time and money in order to aid veterans that he had barely knew. Kyle’s fighting spirit ,humility, and his risks taken for others demonstrates how he is an inspiration many others and myself. His actions during his time in the war illustrate how huge of an impact one can do to others around and how beneficial being a hero can be by risking your something of yourself for others. Even simple efforts that Kyle did to aid wounded veterans demonstrate how easy it sometimes can be helping one another, inspiring so many others to do the same. In reality though, not all of us can put on a cape, a mask, and a suit to fight bad guys, protect people from danger, get the girl, and save the day like a cliche hero, in fact, this concept of a hero is sadly fake and is only written in novels.  We can’t be a Luke Skywalker or a Batman, but we can be just as inspirational and helpful as they are, and that is to always help and aid others when they want or need it. From simply helping a somebody who is struggling with a heavy object to sacrificing something of yours for the benefit of another makes you a hero, and at first, this may seem like what you are doing for others isn’t truly affecting the people around or even yourself. Yet the truth is that the day where we are without heroes in our world is the day humanity is destroyed and we as a society, fall.

Works Cited

Aldrich, Ian. “Chris Kyle.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 6 July 2016,

         www.biography.com/people/chris-kyle.

 Chris Kyle." Contemporary Authors Online, Gale, 2013. Biography in Context,

              https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/H1000207341/BIC1?u=powa9245&xid=18f870f5. Accessed        

             30  Jan.  2018.

"Chris Kyle." Gale Biography in Context, Gale, 2012. Biography in Context,  

          https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1650008111/BIC1?u=powa9245&xid=5caa92c5.

          Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.                   

Kyle, Chris, Scott McEwen, and Jim DeFelice. American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most

          Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History. First edition. W. Morrow, 2012

web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=3&sid=706c456c-1657-457e-a09c-             1d6e992f0e8d%40sessionmgr4009&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=88156986&db=lfh.