"The nurses at the hospital tried to soothe me, and they even tried unsuccessfully at one point to return me to Americans."

“I'm not about to take credit for something I didn't do.”

“I had a story tell, a story that needed to be told so that people would know the truth.”

“I lived the war in Iraq, and today I still have family and friends fighting in Iraq. My support for our troops is unwavering. I believe this is not a time for finger-pointing, it is a time for truth — the whole truth— vs. hype, and misinformation.”

“I was given opportunities not extended to my fellow soldiers, I embraced those opportunities to set the record straight.”

“My hero is every American who says "My country needs me" and answers that call to fight. I had the good fortune and opportunity to come home and to tell the truth; many soldiers, like Pat Tillman... did not have that opportunity. The truth of war is not always easy. The truth is always more heroic than the hype.”

“When I remember those difficult days, I remember the fear, I remember the strength, I remember that hand of that fellow American soldier, reassuring me that I was going to be okay.”