Chris Kyle

Chris Kyle was a highly targeted sniper in the Navy SEALs. https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2013/april/the-legend-of-chris-kyle-01/Ricky Martin once said, “Heroes represent the best of ourselves, respecting that we are human beings. A hero can be anyone from Gandhi to your classroom teacher, anyone who can show courage when faced with a problem. A hero is someone who is willing to help others in his or her best capacity.” This shows that heroes don't have to be famous, but are ordinary people in our lives that do amazing things and lead us to make the world better. Chris Kyle was an ordinary person at one point in his life, until one day became famous because of the amazing things he did. Chris Kyle was born in Odessa, Texas on April 8, 1974 and lived with hard working parents and a younger brother. His father was a deacon and his mother took the job as a counselor at a juvenile detention center. Chris, his father, and brother would hunt deer and wild animals in their free time. This hobby contributed to Chris joining the military and becoming a Navy SEAL. Like his parents, he was a hard worker and wouldn't give up on becoming a part of the military. He started his training at the Navy Special Warfare Center in California but didn't become a sniper until he had his first kill. Chris was deployed in many countries similar to Iraq, which is where the deadliest jobs were located. Later on after his career, he received “The Silver Star, the U.S. military's third-highest decoration for valor”('American Sniper' Kyle). He proves that heroes don't have to wear a cape and uniform to make a difference. Heroes must possess a brave trait that puts themselves out in the world and take risks to do the right thing. There are also heroes who are humble, kind and show compassion for others. Finally, a hero should illustrate a self- sacrificial characteristic: someone who does anything in their power to keep people safe, no matter the cost. Chris Kyle, a Navy SEAL and a highly targeted sniper, was inspirational because of his bravery through his actions, his humbleness towards the people he loved, and his self- sacrificing actions to save Americans.

Chris Kyle had to shoot the enemy to save his people. https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/ex-navy-seal-fatally-shot-on-texas-gun-range/Although he ended up becoming highly targeted by the enemy, Chris Kyle was brave and dedicated to save as many people as he could. In some instances, Chris had to kill some people who were carrying grenades for the enemy to save his soldiers. “It is shown that that is what he desired when he once said: '"I don't have to psyche myself up, or do something special mentally - I look through the scope, get my target in the cross hairs, and kill my enemy before he kills one of my people"(Berry Henry). Kyle explains how he wouldn´t hesitate to kill the enemy, if it meant saving a soldiers’ life. Based on this quote, it reveals that he was brave enough to kill the enemy and put his life in danger to keep the troops safe. During his time on the battlefield, Chris became a highly targeted sniper in Iraq. “When Chris Kyle was deployed he had to shoot a man who was aiming a rocket launcher at a U.S. convoy. The shot was 2,100 yards, which is more than a mile. He was so lethal that al-Qaeda put bounties on his head that varied from $20,000 to $80,000” ("Chris Kyle"). Kyle could shoot at far distances which meant the enemy placed him as the number one target to kill. This quote illustrates that no matter how much danger he was in, Kyle would get the job done. If someone else were positioned in his shoes, they would want to quit because of the hazardous situation they got themselves into. But, because of his bravery, Kyle kept fighting for his country even with an even higher risk of being assassinated. Throughout his time in the military, Kyle was committed to his job and saving as many people as he could. “His dedication to his fellow American troops was intense and overpowering. On several well-documented occasions, he deliberately put his life in grave danger to save other Americans”(Greenblatt, Mark Lee). Greenblatt is clarifying that Kyle would do anything, including putting his life at risk, to save a soldier without question. This selfless act would be difficult for other people to express because of fear. Kyle expresses dedication because he would rather die for his troops and country than see one of his fellow soldiers perish. He expresses bravery because he would eliminate hundreds of the enemy’s lives to save his people, be put at risk by his rivals, and would be devoted to keeping his country safe.

Kyle portrays humbleness because he didn’t want people to believe he killed for satisfaction. He created a charity to help military families and made it his first priority to keep his country and family safe. Even though he was a dangerous sniper and killed hundreds, he hoped for people to know that he didn’t enjoy it. “He wanted it known far and wide that even apart from his service in the Iraq War, he was a killer. He didn't want anyone to mistakenly believe that his desire for killing was satisfied or confined to the Iraq War; or that the killing he did during the War was to be regarded as merely being patriotic or fulfilling one of the roles of military combat”(Berry, Henry). Berry explains Kyle’s feelings about his image and says he doesn’t enjoy killing but has to to protect other soldiers. Other people might be self-centered and brag about all the shots they have taken, however, Kyle gets the job done and "he felt he was doing the right thing”(A sniper’s view). In his lifetime, Kyle started a charity for military families."Our mission is to serve those who serve us by providing meaningful interactive experiences that enrich family relationships. The Chris Kyle Frog Foundation will achieve this through experiences that: Provide time and space to reconnect after deployment without the distractions of everyday life, provide power to return to the 'family unit',provide new common ground after military involvement"(OUR MISSION). Kyle founded a charity group to help soldiers connect with their families after they were in combat. If someone else was in his situation, they might have just let these families deal with their own problems. Still, Kyle aspired to make a difference in their lives. Chris Kyle had many priorities but his first was always to serve his country and keep everyone safe. “It's our duty to serve those who serve us” (Kyle, Chris). This shows that Chris Kyle was compassionate because he wanted to serve the country he loved and everyone in it. He proved that he “can be a complete man- taking care of his family and helping in a small way to take care of others"(Kyle, Chris). Kyle was devoted to both his family and his job but admitted “I am a much better father and husband than I ever was a sniper”(Kyle, Chris). He cared more about being good to his family than being the best sniper. Kyle expresses humbleness because he didn’t find enjoyment in killing, he started a charity to help military families reconnect, and he put everyone before himself. He was compassionate by willing to help these soldiers, worrying about killing the enemy, and serving our country.

Chris Kyle risked his life to serve for his country.https://www.military.com/special-operations/two-chris-kyle-stories-you-wont-see-in-american-sniper.htmlKyle demonstrates self-sacrificial actions because he spent less time with his family to fight for our country and would rather die for his troops than see them die for him. He would sacrifice time with his wife and children to keep America out of harm's way. "I felt bad about leaving Taya. she was still healing from the birth. But at the same time, I felt my duty as a SEAL was more important. I wanted to get back into action. I wanted to go to war"(Chris Kyle). Kyle loved spending time with his family, but realized that the more important thing was keeping them protected. Some warriors in the SEALs would take time off or quit because of their lack of time with their families or loved ones. In contrast, Kyle knew he would be keeping both his family and country safe by continuing his career. He loved his job and family, but ended up sacrificing precious time with them to keep them secure. Chris Kyle would rather lay his life on the line than see one of his friends die on the battlefield. “My regrets are about the people I couldn’t save —Marines, soldiers, my buddies. I still feel their loss. I still ache for my failure to protect them” (Kyle, Chris). Kyle wished he could have saved more soldiers and would have put his life at risk more times if he could. He once said that he “risked his life for his buddies, to protect his friends and fellow countrymen”(Kyle, Chris). Someone else would have been happy with their accomplishments and believed they did their best, but Kyle would never think he saved enough people and would keep wanting to help. He hoped to save more lives and would sacrifice his life to accomplish that. Chris Kyle portrays self-sacrificial traits because he didn’t spend a lot of time with his family so he could get in action and would give up his life to save someone else’s.

Chris Kyle, a largely targeted sniper for the Navy SEALs, was an inspiration because of his courageous actions, his kindness towards his family, and the sacrifices he made for his country. Even though Kyle was highly targeted by Iraqis, he still fought with his troops and never gave up. He had to kill many of his enemies to rescue the people that mattered, still, Kyle would never feel satisfaction while he was taking the shot. He would also shoot the Iraqis to keep America and his family secure, although, he could only spend a limited amount of time with his family because he was sacrificing his life for us on the front line. Chris Kyle is an inspiration because he went into war knowing the consequences and knew he would have to be away from his family.  However, he decided to take this career because he wanted to save Americans and hunt people who were out to harm them. “Kyle explained that when he signed up to be a sniper he wondered if he could kill someone, asking himself, "Am I really going to be able to pull the trigger? ... Can I really do this? Is this moral?" After coming to the conclusion that it was his duty to shoot the enemy, he never regretted his actions.”(Chris Kyle Contemporary). Before entering the military, he contemplated on whether he would be able to kill someone or not. He soon discovered that if it meant rescuing another person’s life then he could do it. He had sacrificed his safety because he killed so many terrorists which resulted in the enemy specifically targeting him. Chris Kyle is and was inspirational, brave, self sacrificing and humble, and showed these traits in a difficult line of work. He is an inspiration in my life because I know I could never be that calm and brave in his circumstances. I can relate to Chris Kyle and his family because I have family members in the military and know what it is like to see them go into battle. I strive to be brave and take risks for the people I love just like my family members and Kyle. Chris Kyle did many things that were selfless, compassionate, and courageous. These are some traits people never possess in their lives. The strengths that he had are significant in our daily lives and can make a powerful hero for our world.

Works Cited

'American Sniper' Kyle received 2 fewer medals than claimed, U.S. Navy says." UPI News

"A sniper's view: 'When you are bred to kill, you know'." CNN Wire, 5 Feb. 2015. Research in Context,

Berry, Henry. “'American Sniper' Irreducibly a Character Study.” Academia.edu, 2018

"Bio.Com." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 4 May 2015.

"Chris Kyle, America's deadliest sniper, offered no regrets." CNN Wire, 4 Feb. 2013

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

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

“Chris Kyle.” The MY HERO Project, Grant, 3 Aug. 2015, myhero.com/pending107140.

Greenblatt, Mark Lee. “Two Chris Kyle Stories You Won't See in 'American Sniper'.” Military.com, Mark Lee Greenblatt, 2018,

www.military.com/special-operations/two-chris-kyle-stories-you-won't-see-in-american-sniper.html.

Kyle, Chris. American Sniper: the Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History. Wm, 2012.

"OUR MISSION." Chris Kyle Frog Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2015.

"Ricky Martin Quotes." BrainyQuote.com. Xplore Inc, 2018. 11 May 2018. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/ricky_martin_553650