The handsome young man you see in the picture above is Grant Naughton, the Older Brother’s middle son. If his name sounds vaguely familiar, it’s because he’s listed in the credits for Fat Head as a camera operator. When he visited us in California a few years ago, Grant volunteered to do some shooting for me, since he knew I was less than happy with the footage I was getting from a film-school intern whose courses apparently didn’t include basic lessons such as “Don’t let the top of the frame cut off your subject at the nose.” (I had to toss most of his footage.)
Grant shot several scenes for me, including me hanging around in front of restaurants, the interview with my mom, and me asking the clerk at the drive-up window if anyone would force me to eat french fries.
Grant’s always been a sweet and funny guy. My girls adore him. He’s now also officially the toughest S.O.B. I know, since he just attended Ranger school and was among the 39% who survived the cut. The Older Brother and several other family members drove down to Georgia to attend his graduation and stopped by the mini-farm on the way back to get the “before” view.
The videos below provide a pretty good idea of what Grant just endured – in temperatures that exceeded 100 degrees most days. In addition to the usual training tortures, he ended up with a full-body case of poison ivy and was stung in the face by a hornet. But he refused to quit and is now the proud owner of a Ranger tab.
Way to go, Sergeant … Hoo-Ah!
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If I went to Ranger school or MovNat it would turn out something like this –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vyjgTRNJKI&feature=related
I’m pretty sure I’d be in that group too.
I’m going to assume he’s not on a high grain USDA recommended diet right? :p
He sticks as close to a paleo diet as he can. He told me he’s going totally paleo while recovering from the training. They come out of there physically whipped.
If I went to Ranger school or MovNat it would turn out something like this –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vyjgTRNJKI&feature=related
I’m pretty sure I’d be in that group too.
I’m going to assume he’s not on a high grain USDA recommended diet right? :p
He sticks as close to a paleo diet as he can. He told me he’s going totally paleo while recovering from the training. They come out of there physically whipped.
Hooah Grant! From one Ranger to another, it is great to see a new generation earning that tab. Glad to see the course is every bit as tough as it used to be. Hope the food at Darby is better now than it used to be. Not that you get much time to eat, but we used to say the toughest part of the course was “Mastering your stomach in the hostile environment that is the Mess Hall.” This a 40 hour block of instructions requiring iron will, a blocked nose, and the stomach of a billygoat!” Being half starved most of the time helped.
Wear that tab with pride. Aside from husband and father, there will be no greater title you will receive in life than RANGER! Gotta go, starting to get flashbacks to the Darby Queen…
Hooah to you to, JC.
Hooah Grant! From one Ranger to another, it is great to see a new generation earning that tab. Glad to see the course is every bit as tough as it used to be. Hope the food at Darby is better now than it used to be. Not that you get much time to eat, but we used to say the toughest part of the course was “Mastering your stomach in the hostile environment that is the Mess Hall.” This a 40 hour block of instructions requiring iron will, a blocked nose, and the stomach of a billygoat!” Being half starved most of the time helped.
Wear that tab with pride. Aside from husband and father, there will be no greater title you will receive in life than RANGER! Gotta go, starting to get flashbacks to the Darby Queen…
Hooah to you to, JC.
What a very handsome young man! Too bad I’m married already! lol
Smart, funny, good-natured, handsome, and tough as nails … what’s not to like?
He is totally YUMMY!! ; ) Looks like a paleo poster child!
If he were my relative, I’d be bragging on him, too!
You go guy! You’re going to have an amazing life.
He’s a fine young man. I knew he was strong, but frankly, I had no idea he was that tough.
“Smart, funny, good-natured, handsome, and tough as nails … what’s not to like?”
Don’t forget paleo, too. That rounds him out as extremely eligible in my book. Good luck to him!
Thank you.
I might, just might make it through the first day. But day two? I’d take one look at that balance beam over the water and quit right then and there. I’d be petrified with fear. Way to go, Grant.
Even if I had the physical endurance for the training, I’d freeze on that balance beam. Any height above about shoulder level gives me the willies.
I cannot speak for anyone else, but the fear of redoing that course for failure (no way was I gonna quit) kept me going. The thought of being called aluminum (recycle joke there) kept me head down, mind focused. Would I do it over given a chance? Heck yes! It defines you. Just like the instructor says at the end of part 3, you are a Ranger for the rest of your life.
Anyone who can get through that course has my respect. I wouldn’t last the first day.
Congrats Sgt. I hope Cpt Burkey and the other instructors weren’t too tough on you. Thank you for your service and wanting to be a cut above the rest. Wear that tab with pride and keep it paleo!
What a very handsome young man! Too bad I’m married already! lol
Smart, funny, good-natured, handsome, and tough as nails … what’s not to like?
He is totally YUMMY!! ; ) Looks like a paleo poster child!
If he were my relative, I’d be bragging on him, too!
You go guy! You’re going to have an amazing life.
He’s a fine young man. I knew he was strong, but frankly, I had no idea he was that tough.
“Smart, funny, good-natured, handsome, and tough as nails … what’s not to like?”
Don’t forget paleo, too. That rounds him out as extremely eligible in my book. Good luck to him!
Thank you.
I might, just might make it through the first day. But day two? I’d take one look at that balance beam over the water and quit right then and there. I’d be petrified with fear. Way to go, Grant.
Even if I had the physical endurance for the training, I’d freeze on that balance beam. Any height above about shoulder level gives me the willies.
I cannot speak for anyone else, but the fear of redoing that course for failure (no way was I gonna quit) kept me going. The thought of being called aluminum (recycle joke there) kept me head down, mind focused. Would I do it over given a chance? Heck yes! It defines you. Just like the instructor says at the end of part 3, you are a Ranger for the rest of your life.
Anyone who can get through that course has my respect. I wouldn’t last the first day.
Congrats Sgt. I hope Cpt Burkey and the other instructors weren’t too tough on you. Thank you for your service and wanting to be a cut above the rest. Wear that tab with pride and keep it paleo!
God bless Grant.
I just wish he had a better commander-in-chief.
Amen. I hope he does soon … say around early 2013.
God bless Grant.
I just wish he had a better commander-in-chief.
Amen. I hope he does soon … say around early 2013.
He will be useful in the revolution.
And he’ll be on our side. He was raised right.
He will be useful in the revolution.
And he’ll be on our side. He was raised right.