Army Specialist Zachary Boyd Battles the Taliban in His Underwear

No matter how you feel about the war, there's something inspiring about a man taking up arms and fighting in his pink "I love NY" boxers and flip flop sandals.

Associated Press recently reported on one army specialist Zachary Boyd of Fort Worth, Texas, First Army Battalion, 26^th Infantry, who answered the call to duty when his firebase at Restrepo came under fire while he was sleeping in his quarters. Zachary Boyd continued to fight in his pink underwear and flip flops long enough for AP photographer David Guttenfelder to catch Boyd's pantsless behind on film.

Zachary Boyd's bright pink derriere was subsequently posted across the front page of the New York Times newspaper as a lesson to all: we stand up against our enemies even when they catch us with our pants down. Be proud, America, because deep down our American soldiers could defend freedom even in the nude just like the Greek warriors of old.

I doubt however that the Greek warriors would have loved New York. The sandals might have fit, though.

Grecian Olympics aside, Zachary Boyd reporters that he was afraid of potentially being reprimanded for his lack of proper battlefield attire. Defense Secretary Robert Gates had an answer for Zachary Boyd however when he praised him by saying that, "Any soldier who goes into battle against the Taliban in pink boxers and flip-flops has a special kind of courage."

Courage is right. It is doubtful that any Taliban fighters would turn tail and run after seeing Zachary Boyd's pink tail on the battlefield.

Zachary's affair in the pink boxers took place at an American firebase at Restrepo in the Kunar Province of Afghanistan, more specifically the Korengal Valley. This area is notorious for being an active theater of war, and it is not uncommon for these soldiers to need to jump to action at unexpected times.

Is there a lesson to be learned here? Maybe. However, more than anything, it is just great to see that our American soldiers are a group of people who can even be found in their pink boxers and flip-flops, and yet who stand up for freedom and will follow their responsibilities through even when our modern sensibilities of "decency" would prohibit the real decency of standing up to protect those around you.

Zachary Boyd, keep up the good work. America needs young men and women who take their mantles of responsibility seriously and who put forth the extra effort to do what they do well and with conviction.

Sources:

Yahoo! News

Associated Press

http://www.zimbio.com/Zachary+Boyd/articles/4/Defense+Chief+Praises+Soldier+Pink+Boxers