January 2008

The Paratrooper's Mom

In August of 1990 I was deployed to Saudi Arabia as a reconnaissance scout with the 82d Airborne Division. Shortly after arriving there a buddy in my unit introduced me to the original Leatherman. It was an indispensable tool for someone who carries their world on their back. I wrote a letter back to my folks in Oklahoma asking if they could track one down for me. Well, they did but it wasn't easy. My Mom wanted me to have one before Christmas (and before any invasion) and she drove all over the state (Tulsa & Oklahoma City) to find one in the middle of an ice storm. It did arrive for Christmas and it was an excellent tool for a paratrooper. I used it for repairing equipment and opening supplies. The wire strippers were especially helpful in making field expedient antennas out of common wire.

I still have that tool. My wife (not to be outdone by my mom) upgraded me to a Leatherman Super Tool before going to Somalia in 1993 as a Special Forces Medic. That tool I still carry today and feel a bit naked without it.

Thanks for being a shining example of American ingenuity and creativity. Keep up the good work.


Brendan B.

Arlington, TX