There is much talk going on about President Barack Obama’s recent Nobel Peace Prize win; we are not, though, going to talk about that here. But in our readings regarding the Nobel, we came across an opinion piece submitted by the mother of marines and published on the Canada Free Press. The mother, Marijane Green from Kansas, spoke out to urge the President to dedicate his Nobel to the troops who are currently deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries. She gave special mention to the story of Navy SEAL and Kansas native Lt. Daniel Cnossen.

Lt. Daniel Cnossen was recently awarded a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. The awarding was done at the National Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, where Lt. Cnossen is currently confined; and the reason he is there is because this young Navy SEAL recently lost both of his legs to the war.

Dan Cnossen has recently come a long way. A website dedicated to him tells of how this Topeka, Kansas native started at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland in 1998 not even knowing how to swim. With courage and determination, he eventually became a Navy SEAL, his initial absence of knowledge of the ocean and its environs behind him.

He was part of BUD/S Class 242 and has served two deployments to Iraq and one deployment to the Philippines. He also supported JSOC through a deployment to Afghanistan.

Just last September 6, Dan Cnossen arrived in Kandahar, Afhanistan, and soon after received his mission, along with his team; they were to target Taliban operatives. On September 7, he sustained injuries brought about by an improvised explosive device. He has since lost both of his legs, is still suffering from a broken hand and still has more surgeries ahead of him. According to the latest update posted by his sister Leslie Cnossen, Dan underwent surgery last Friday to fix his broken hand, and skin grafting for his remaining wound is set to begin this week.

It can sometimes be disheartening to find out about the sacrifices that our troops have to make, but uplifting to realize that they choose these paths knowing all too well what may lie ahead. The Daniel Cnossens in the world are, indeed, heroes – in the truest sense of the word.