March 23, a day to celebrate and remember

(There is no room for any political statements or policies or agedas. Make negative comments at your own risk)

March 23, 2003 stands as the day American forces clashed with Iraqi forces at the Battle of An Nasiriyah. It still stands as the greatest loss of life in a single day of the Iraq War (at the time it was still part of Operation Enduring Freedom, and later named Operation Iraqi Freedom). The significance of the battle from a command perspective is that securing the bridges over the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (yes, this is widely considered the location of the garden of Eden) would ensure an unimpeded supply route to further combat operations. The firefight started just about dawn, ceased a little in the evening, and continued over the next few days. 

At the battles end, 11 U.S soldiers were killed, our unit lost 18 Marines, and about another 59 critically wounded. It is estimated that we eliminated around 3,000 enemy people. If you want to read more about it you should visit https://www.mca-marines.org/gazette/battle-nasiriyah

Or on this link:

http://op-for.com/2008/03/march_23_2003_nasiriyah_revisi.html

Each year afterward has been interesting for me. Like many of my brothers I took to commemorating the event with alcohol. From 2004-2009 that was my ritual. Over the years we got more bad news about friends we lost after the fact, which meant the number of drinks just kept going up. It wasn't until I found CrossFit that I found a healthy outlet. 

In 2010 I asked Jordan, my brother, and forever my coach, but most importantly one of the truest friends and family members that anyone could ever understand... I asked him if we could create a workout that I could do, because I didnt think I wanted to spend that day drinking. The result is WOD Nasiriyah. We've done it each year since. 

My views evolve each year:

Folks the battle was 12 years ago. I remember it like it was yesterday. CrossFit is more than a community to me. It is my therapy. Each day we are presented with seemingly insurmountable tasks in life and in the gym. The biggest thing that inspires me each day is the knowledge that someone somewhere has figured out how to get shit done. 

They are just human. Luckily, so am I. Therefore, I am armed with the tools to be successful regardless of my current ability to accomplish the feat. I have seen the best and believe me the worst that humans are capable of. Challenge yourself to be great. Hold yourself accountable, and take ownership of the decisions you make each day. I promise you I'll help you make the most of it this upcoming year, but the work will be yours to do. 

Now for a description of the WoD:

Buy-in with 59 wall ball shots to represent the wounded. Appropriate because your legs will be a little shot for the rest of the workout. 

Then 3 rounds (for March) of:

12 squats cleans 135#/95# for 1st battalion 2nd Marines... Or 1/2)

18 pull-ups (represents the killed in action)

23 box jumps (for the 23rd day of March)

Then clean or Snatch 165#/115# to represent the moment when I was unable to shoulder a fellow Marine who was unable to move due to wounds in his legs. 

Then buddy carry whomever is standing by 100m to perform the carry that I should have been able to do. The weakness I felt at that moment continues to be my "dark place" I go to when I need to finish a particularly nasty workout. 

Have no fear, the Marine is question survived and last I heard had full range of motion in his legs. 

As you do this workout, remember the fallen. Remember the families of the fallen, because I promise you it is ten times harder for them to remember the sacrifice than it was to die a hero. Lift up the memories of people who put their life on the line, the people who stand between you and danger. First responders, military, police, and the countless others that do it for the pleasure of living a life of service, not for the thank you. 

Semper Fi

Cpl Worthington