Johnny michael spann biography of michael
•
I came across Mike Spann's story while reading Eric Blehm's excellent book The Only Thing Worth Dying For. In the book, Blehm mentions Mike, who was serving in Northern Afghanistan as a Special Activities Division officer with the CIA in 2001. Mike is recognized as the first American citizen to be killed in combat during the US invasion of Afghanistan. Mike's story touched me. As soon as I read about him I knew I wanted to write this blog post. Johnny Michael "Mike" Spann was a true American patriot and hero. He served his country, first as a Marine and then as a CIA agent. He paid the ultimate sacrifice for his country and for a brighter future. He deserves to be remembered. In Mike's honor, and in honor of his family, here is my post.
Early life
Johnny Michael "Mike" Spann, was born on March 1st, 1969, in Winfield, Alabama. On the Thad Forester Podcast about Mike, his father,Johnny Spann, describes him as being patriotic from a very young
•
The Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation has renamed our ally program in honor of Mike Spann, a CIA officer and former Marine who became the first U.S. combat fatality in the Global War on Terrorism on November 25, 2001.
His personal qualities embodied what the Foundation expects from present and future allied organizations:
Action
Each ally’s participation in our work might look different, but a commitment to action must undergird our relationship. Examples of what an ally can do on behalf of the Foundation include sharing our social media posts or hosting a member of our team to speak at their annual national conference or another prominent event. We also welcome allies to hold a Ruck march to benefit the Foundation by raising awareness of our mission or funds for it.
Responsibility
We expect that our allies understand and embrace the importance of honoring all who have served and sacrificed in the Global War on Terrorism. To that end, every one of our allies is f
•