Zero Foxtrot

In 2007, 2nd Battalion 7th Marines had an unique way of rewarding the snipers for a successful mission. Instead of another challenge coin, they handed out a Battalion Commander's 72-hour Liberty Passes.
This first one came after the first mission of the deployment. A leaders recon to get oriented to the area that turned into an opportunity. As the sun rose they identified three insurgents placing an IED south of Saqlawiyah. Watching for 3 hours in the reeds along the rivers edge, finally 2 of them sat down 400m away, pulled AK's out of their jackets, and the green light was given. The certificate documented the engagement, then rewarded the Marines with three extra days of leave when they got home.
It sounded like a good idea at the time and the snipers certainly weren't complaining. The funny part is these were handed out several times during the opening weeks of the deployment. Then someone higher up apparently realized the battalion might be giving away a lot of 72-hour passes if things kept pace. The incentive quietly disappeared. Every unit had its own traditions. Some gave coins, handed out beers, but 2/7 decided combat effectiveness was worth a three-day weekend.

Curious what incentives or attaboys the rest of you got. Did your unit have any strange traditions, or memorable ways of recognizing a successful mission?

Marvin Heemeyer Bulldozer Rampage
June 2004.
Granby, Colorado.

Marvin Heemeyer was a muffler shop owner in a mountain town of 2,000 people. He was in an ongoing property dispute with a growing belief that the town had sided against him.

The fight started over the land nextdoor. The Docheff family wanted to put a concrete batch plant beside him. Heemeyer fought it through town meetings, lawsuits, and code dispute that is supposed to make citizens feel heard.
In his mind, the channels were fake. The board, the concrete plant, the courts, the fines, all of it became one machine grinding him down. Then came the sewer issue with access problems, code violations, and fines. He paid one city check with a single word written on it. “Cowards.”

For more than a year, Heemeyer worked inside a steel shed. He armored a Komatsu bulldozer with steel and concrete, sealed himself inside, mounted cameras to see, and strolled into town in his private war machine. No escape hatch and no surrender plan.

On June 4, 2004, he sent it.

Marvin crawled for more than 2 hours, crushing the town hall, local newspaper, concrete company, homes, and businesses linked to people he believed had targeted him. The police fired at him but it did nothing. He was probably having a pretty awesome time. I'm curious what playlist he went with. 🤔

No one other than Marvin died, but it wasn't for lack of effort. Five children were rushed out of the library just before he hit town hall. He had a 50 cal M82 mounted and fired at police.

Eventually, the machine buried itself inside a hardware store and stopped moving. SWAT moved in and Marvin shot himself while inside the cab. The internet still praises his legacy while Granby got left with the rubble, reputation, and the bill.

The sh!tty part is that Marvin was not imagining it. Small towns can quietly close ranks and become personal very quickly.

He felt cornered, fined, and unheard. So he made the choice that guaranteed nobody could ignore him. That is the tragedy. He jumped through all of the hoops and filed all of the documents. Somehow the system and community failed to notice or care that a man was drowning.

What do you think of when you see this? Our favorite comments will get a shoutout on our story.