Navy SEAL Michael A. Monsoor told his family in Garden Grove before he went to Iraq that he knew the dangers of war but he believed in himself and others on his SEAL team, who were like brothers to him.
"He knew what he believed in and would stand by what he believed in. Of this, he couldn't be corrupted," said Monsoor's younger brother, Joe.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Monsoor, 25, was killed in combat Sept. 29 in Ramadi, Iraq, west of Baghdad. Not much is known of the circumstances surrounding his death, family members said.
Last week, family members spoke of his life and military duty, including his dedication to becoming a SEAL, a goal he achieved after initially dropping out of the training course.
He was expected to return in another week to see his family and watch his 21-year-old brother play in an upcoming football game at North Dakota's Minot State University, where he is a junior and tight end.
Although they chatted on the telephone, the last time the brothers saw one another was during spring break. That was when they drove cross-country to the university and Michael spoke about the discipline it took to overcome pain during his first SEAL training, which he had to quit.
"Michael had a broken heel and he still had to pass more physical tests," his brother said. "He was running hard in sand and the pain mounted, but he told himself, 'Don't pass out, I can't pass out.' But he couldn't continue.
"He rang the bell," his brother said, a signal that a trainee has quit the program.
Michael Monsoor stayed in the Navy and waited for another chance. He was assigned to Europe for two years, and when his mother, Sally, visited him in Italy, she said she found him focused, "working out, swimming and running," so he could reenter the SEAL program.
For Monsoor, it was his chance to join one of the nation's elite forces, she said, adding that when he finally graduated, it was her son's and the family's proudest moment.
The 25-week Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training in Coronado, Calif., is one of the most grueling training programs in the military, and the dropout rate exceeds 50%.
As one of the U.S. military's most elite and secretive fighting units, the SEALs almost never reveal their missions to the public, even long after completion.
In August, when the Pentagon announced the death of Petty Officer 2nd Class Marc Alan Lee, who was the first SEAL to die in the Iraq war, it was the first recognition that the SEALS are involved in the battle to wrest Ramadi from insurgent control.
