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    Remembering a Great SEAL, Teammate and Friend; Soldiers Honor Fallen Comrade with Memorial Workout

    Taking a Breather

    Photo By Christopher Estrada | A member of Special Operations Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve takes a...... read more read more

    On a hot Sunday evening in Kuwait, shortly after retreat plays, an ammo can full of warm O’Doul’s is shared at the PT track in celebration.

    Nine Special Operations Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve members had just completed a rigorous exercise known as the “Chuck Heavy.”The workout consisted of 100 push-ups, 100 thrusters, and a fragmented three mile run – with the option of wearing a ballistic vest, to boot.

    The warm, non-alcoholic beer may not be the most ideal beverage for post-workout, but warm was how Chuck liked it, and this exercise was in celebration of his legacy.

    Chief Petty Officer Charles H. Keating IV, a U.S. Navy SEAL, who was part of a quick reaction force element, was killed in action during an operation to rescue Coalition advisors from an attack by Daesh four years ago on May 3rd.

    After deploying twice to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and once to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Keating served as the leading petty officer of the SEAL’s West Coast sniper/reconnaissance training cell.

    “Keating spent a lot of time helping SEALS become better snipers and better at their craft in their field,” said Lt. Cmdr. Jeff Gardner, an executive officer for SOJTF.

    It’s no secret that Keating was loved by many, as evidenced by the ones that knew him.

    “Everybody loved Chuck,” Gardner said. “There’s not a person that didn’t love him, and he always had this huge smile on his face. He was just a fun guy that everyone wanted to be around.”

    Being someone that knew Keating personally and professionally, Gardner helped organize the event for SOJTF.

    A popular medium in which service members choose to remember their comrades is through workouts of the day, or WODs.

    “Some [WODs] include specific functional exercises for the type of role they undertake,” said a member of SOJTF who elected to speak under anonymity. “Other WODs, most famously “The Murph,” are to memorialize a fallen service member and has subsequently been adopted by the CrossFit and military community.”

    Keating’s memorial WOD has been public since July of 2016. Being viewed over 4,500 times on one website, the WOD was one of the many ways that his legacy lives on within the Coalition.

    “For many, it’s an opportunity to come together (social distancing applies), to work hard and remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice,” said the SOJTF member.

    A framed photo and biography of Keating hangs outside the Keating Conference Room, one of several rooms of its kind across the Combined Joint Operational Area.

    Behind the aches and sweat of the Chuck Heavy WOD, the principle of remembrance is emphasized. The warm O’Doul’s, and bonds of friendship that Keating loved dearly continue to shine on the anniversary of his passing.

    For more information on Special Operations Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, please visit us on social media at facebook.com/SOJTF, twitter.com/SOJTFOIR, or using the social media handle @SOJTFOIR.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 05.03.2020
    Date Posted: 05.06.2020 04:04
    Story ID: 369299
    Location: CAMP ARIFJAN, KW

    Web Views: 776
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN