Timothy Spayd; Ranger School instructor
TSO sends us a link to the Washington Post which tells the story of Ranger School instructor Sergeant Timothy Spayd, who happens to have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
Spayd is no typical instructor. A former active-duty sergeant, he was adopted two years ago by soldiers of the 6th Ranger Training Battalion, the unit that runs the third phase of Ranger School in the Florida Panhandle’s swamps.
[…]
“Rangers is definitely a brotherhood that I’ve tapped back into, and they’ve given me a sense of purpose,” Spayd said. “I was literally sitting home dying. I was going downhill fast. I think mental toughness is a big deal. It’s a big issue in life.”
Good for the old buck sergeant. he’s right, though, if you just let the disease take over your life, you are doing nothing but dying
ALS is quickly becoming a veterans’ issue since it is twice as likely to affect veterans than the civilian population. It’s even more common among veterans who served in the Middle East for reasons that aren’t clear yet. The VA has made it a “presumptive service-connected disability” and despite what is making news, the VA has been very helpful in my case, at least.
Category: Real Soldiers
That’s awesome, excuse me I think I got a little dust in my eyes.
Yep. A little bit of CS is loose in my area…
You guys hang in there… both of you.
^^^^^^^^ THIS!!!^^^^^^^^^
Just Keep Being a TOUGH BASTARD.
/we all need you.
Makes you wonder if they are being sprayed in the middle east, or if the shots they are given before they go overseas are spiked with something…I would put absolutely NOTHING past this administration!! If obozo can get rid of the military, he can let his goat humping mooslime buddies take over!
Arthritis will do the same thing to you. They do tell you to keep moving, and show it no mercy.
Ex-PH2. Good afternoon to you. Disclaimer: I am highly sensitive to the death sentence of ALS, as I have lost two friends in the last 5 years to it, and 1 more on the way.
With that said, I also realize ALS awareness is very low in the general population.
But you should take a summary review of it. Arthritis does NOTHING to it’s victims compared to ALS. I myself knew nothing about it until 5 years ago.
Just thought I’d do my part to help spread awareness of what this Ranger NCO is going through. It even further iterates what a tough hardcore soldier this man is! Have a good day.
I always enjoy reading your comments on here, even though I rarely comment myself.
With respect, sir, I beleive the intent was to make a “I feel your pain” comment, with a more familiar reference that encompasses the dread of a steady inexorable progressive loss of function. “Creeping doom”. Rheumatoid Arthritis of the nerves, so to speak.
Most people come to know arthritis. Few can spell ALS. You fight both by, well, -fighting- tooth and claw. As one does a bunch of other creeping dooms.
I rather doubt ex-PH2 was attempting to -diminish- the perception of folks about the suffering of people with ALS. Quite the contrary.
Really, really bad analogy.
This is a great story, although a little sad, too. We haven’t determined the link yet, but just like MS became a Vietnam vet disease (possibly from exposure to Agent Orange), it does appear that ALS will be paired with our DS, OIF, and OEF vets (cause unknown as yet, although there have been some murmurings about exposure to depleted uranium. No scientific support for that though.)
As polluted as the middle east is with everything you can think of (hey liberal environmentalists, where’s your bleeding heart for the pollution over there?), it truly could be anything.
When I returned from Baghdad and was asked what I was exposed to, the only think I put “no” on was nuclear material. Everything else was yes or most likely.
In a few more years it’ll be “oops, sorry everyone. There was some bad juju over there we couldn’t help you getting exposed to.”
Two ALS victims in my immediate circle – a good friend and my ex-sister-in-law’s second husband. The first was a former Marine pilot, the other Navy – both Vietnam era. Too small a sample pool to be significant but makes me wonder whether the geographic correlation holds up.
This IS a great story, makes me count my blessings!
Way to go Sergeant Timothy Spayd! Rangers are a special community for a lot of reasons, this is just one of them.
Great story and yes, it is getting a little dusty in the immediate AO.
Anybody else notice the pace counter on his web gear? I didn’t think those would still be in vogue, but as with all good things, don’t try to fix it if it ain’t broke.
I have one on my key chain, along with a P-38 and my dog tags.
Jonn, this is the former Ranger that I have mentioned to you a couple of times. When I met him, (3 years ago), he was sharing his time with a walker and a wheelchair. He revamped his medicines, as well as his attitude, and is now doing a great job of having fun as OPFOR for the Ranger students here at Swamp Phase of Ranger School. He is a great guy, and I am proud to know Tim, or “Ranger Spayd”, as we call him here at 6th Ranger Training Battallion. He’s one stand up soldier, whether on or off the Military Payroll. I have seen his health, mental and physical, improve since I first met him
in 2012.
Makes me think of the N and second R in Ranger….
“Never shall I fail my comrades. I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong, and morally straight, and I will shoulder more than my share of the task, whatever it may be, one hundred percent and then some.”
“Readily will I display the intestinal fortitude required to fight on the Ranger objective and complete the mission…”
I may not have them exactly quoted, but yep…RLTW! Hoo-ah!
Does anyone know if the folks who live in the ME have higher incidences of ALS tha folks in the West?
Just curious.
OC
They don’t live long enough for anyone to do studies on. They’re too busy killing or being killed.
the link is hydrocarbons. From the burning oil wells to the residual on the ground and the air. Im a refinery guy, I know.
Jonn, in our couple of brief missives on this topic, and your health, I know you are a mentally tough dude with a great attitude. Sgt. Spayd is cut from the same cloth.
Absolute best wishes to both of you. I am considered “tough,” but not sure I could match either of you in stoicism while facing such adversity.