U.S. defense chief lauds soldier in pink boxers

[David]

AP


WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday praised an Army soldier in eastern Afghanistan who drew media attention this month after rushing to defend his post from attack while wearing pink boxer shorts and flip-flops.

In fact, Gates said he wants to meet the soldier and shake his hand the next time he visits Afghanistan.

"Any soldier who goes into battle against the Taliban in pink boxers and flip-flops has a special kind of courage," Gates said in remarks prepared for a speech in New York.

"I can only wonder about the impact on the Taliban. Just imagine seeing that: a guy in pink boxers and flip-flops has you in his cross-hairs. What an incredible innovation in psychological warfare," he said.

Army Specialist Zachary Boyd, 19, of Fort Worth, Texas, rushed from his sleeping quarters on May 11 to join fellow platoon members at a base in Afghanistan's Kunar Province after the unit came under fire from Taliban positions.

A news photographer was on hand to record the image of Boyd standing at a makeshift rampart in helmet, body armor, red T-shirt and boxers emblazoned with the message: "I love NY."

When the image wound up on the front page of the New York Times, Boyd told his parents he might lose his job if President Barack Obama saw him out of uniform.

"I can assure you that Specialist Boyd's job is very safe indeed," Gates said in the speech.

The U.S. defense chief was scheduled to deliver the speech at New York's annual Salute to Freedom dinner in Manhattan.






Soldiers from the U.S. Army First Battalion, 26th Infantry take defensive positions at firebase Restrepo after receiving fire from Taliban positions in the Korengal Valley of Afghanistan's Kunar Province on Monday May 11, 2009. Spc. Zachery Boyd of Fort Worth, TX, far left was wearing 'I love NY' boxer shorts after rushing from his sleeping quarters to join his fellow platoon members. From far right is Spc. Cecil Montgomery of Many, LA and Jordan Custer of Spokan, WA, center.

[SEATJERKER]

...

...And give that man a thumbs up knowing that in the moment he was needed, he choose to do the honorable, couragous duty he, along with his fellow troops are there to do,...

...Pink boxers, or not, the man hit his post a runnin',...

...it's called "Doing the right thing when lives are on the line", I'm sure his buddies didn't care, and he'll take some ribbing, but he'll get a few dates out of it also,...

...

[QM3steve]

The bright red shirt might be a serious problem unless he's in a flock of cardinals. Credit where it's due though.

[revwardoc]

How 'bout the guy next to him wearing sneakers but no socks.

[darrels joy]

Fort Worth soldier who fought in pink boxers is glad to be home


03:10 PM CDT on Saturday, July 4, 2009


The Associated Press

A week before he was to go away to college on an ROTC scholarship, Zachary Boyd shocked his parents: He wasn't going.

He wanted to enlist in the Army, he said, to fight in the war so others might not have to deploy multiple times. Some of his high school teachers had been in the National Guard and had been deployed, and he had seen the toll it took on them and their families.
AP
U.S. soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry took defensive positions in Afghanistan's Kunar Province after receiving fire from Taliban on May 11. View larger Photography Photo store


Nearly a year after serving in Afghanistan, the soldier unwittingly became an iconic image of the war after an Associated Press photograph showed him in a firefight, wearing “I Love NY” pink boxer shorts, a red T-shirt and flip flops. Although he was ribbed by fellow soldiers and worried he might get in trouble as the picture ran in newspapers nationwide in May, he was praised by many — including Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

But Boyd, now an Army specialist, said he was just doing his job as a soldier.

“I don't want any extra attention than the guys I served with because we all experienced the same stuff together, so I don't feel like I should get any extra recognition,” Boyd, 20, said Saturday after recently returning from his yearlong deployment.

Besides media attention, Boyd has received messages of support on social networking sites from hundreds of people across the world, including China and Austria. Some young women have commented on his physique, he said, grinning.

That day, Boyd had jumped up from a nap to help a unit that had come under attack by the Taliban. He said getting dressed or changing from his bright red shirt would have wasted precious time, because “every second counts,” so he just grabbed his helmet, vest and rifle and took his station behind sandbags.

“The enemy already knew where I was,” Boyd said, referring to whether his red shirt made him a target. “If they want to shoot at me, then that's less fire they put on the guys that are pinned down, so that's fine with me.”

All of the members of his unit made it back safely that day, he said.

As far as his wardrobe, his boxers are now headed to the 1st Infantry Division Museum at Fort Riley, Kan., he said.

Boyd had bought the boxers during a layover in New York, and chose pink because he thought his friends would laugh, he said.

Boyd's shirt was from Woolley's Frozen Custard near his Fort Worth home, and on Saturday he donated it to the store. Co-owners John Woolley and Brett Allen said they would display it proudly behind a glass case, and they gave him four more shirts — including a pink one.

Boyd had bought the $12 shirt during a two-week leave in March. He said he intended to have a candid picture of himself wearing the shirt in Afghanistan placed on the store's bulletin board, which shows photographs of employees and customers wearing the shirts on their various trips.

After spending a few days at home with his family, Boyd must return to Fort Hood near Killeen, where he is on active duty until February 2011.

Boyd said he plans to start training to become a helicopter pilot but would not be worried if he is deployed again.

“Afghanistan is definitely a different fight than Iraq,” he said. “It's definitely a winnable fight, but we need to throw more resources at it.”

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