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Essay / Summary and Analysis of American Sniper by Chris Kyle
American Sniper, an autobiography of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, describes his life of service to his country, his family, and God. He tells gripping stories about his war experiences that give a very realistic view of the war in the Middle East. He served in four deployments in Operation Iraqi Freedom and others. His honors include two Silver Stars, five Bronze Stars for Valor and Marine Corps Achievement Medals. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The book begins with Chris reminiscing about his childhood in north central Texas. He was born on April 8, 1974. His parents, Wayne and Deby, taught him the values of patriotism, self-reliance, and protecting his family and friends from a young age. “I have a strong sense of justice. It's pretty much black and white. I don't see too much gray. I think it's important to protect others. I don't mind working hard. At the same time, I like to have fun. Life is too short not to do it.” He has also grown up and still firmly believes in God. He says his priorities in life are: God, county, family. Chris naturally became a country boy, taking a liking to the outdoors. As a teenager, he became a cowboy and learned to tame horses. He even started competing in rodeo competitions around the age of 16. “In high school, I played sports – baseball and football – but nothing compared to the excitement of the rodeo.” He continued riding in 1992, when he graduated from high school and went to Tarleton State University. In college, he considered careers such as ranch manager or military. While attending school full time, he also worked as a ranch hand for a man named David Landrum. He did this until 1996, when he left school, stopped breeding and headed to recruiters. He enlisted in the Navy, but was turned down because he had metal pins in his arm from a rodeo accident. He returned to work as a ranch hand until 1998, when the recruiter called him and said he wanted it. Chris breezed through basic training and boot camp. “I remember calling my dad at one point and telling him that basic chores were easier than working on a ranch. It wasn't a good thing. I had joined the Navy to become a SEAL and challenge myself. Instead, I became fat and deformed. His next stop was BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL), a brutal training school to become a SEAL. He survived the infamous Hell Week, 132 straight hours of training exercises, and earned his BUD/S diploma. His first choice was to join SEAL Team 3, and that's exactly where he went. That spring of 2001 turned out to be quite eventful because while on vacation he met his future wife, Taya. “I don’t know if you believe in love at first sight; I don't think I did until the night in April 2001, when I saw Taya standing at a bar at a club in San Diego, talking with a friend of mine." They started talking regularly after that, even though Chris was training on the East Coast. When he returned, they began seeing each other regularly. Just before Chris's first deployment, he and Taya got married. When he left the Middle East, he made his first encounters abroad in the Persian Gulf. They spent time boarding and searching the ships. During the first months, Chris worked with the Polish GROM - GROM Special Military Training of 2013.