September 12, 2011

Military Veteran and country music sensation Keni Thomas has opened for such country stars as Keith Urban and Brad Paisley, but on October 1, he will put down his guitar and give a personal account of his heart-wrenching experience in the chaotic 1993 Black Hawk Down battle in Mogadishu, Somalia. With the desire to express a unique set of leadership lessons and inspired view of our greater purpose, Thomas will unveil his first memoir Get It On! What it Means to Lead the Way (B&H Publishing Group).

“Three words. That’s all it took. I was writing a letter home to my mom when the call rang out across the American compound: ‘Get it on!’ And just like that, the course of my life changed forever,” describes Thomas.

The decorated army ranger turned country star now gives us a message of inspiration reminding readers that as individuals every person can make a difference.

“If everyone can start setting an example, start leading by example, start doing something here and there, then as a whole exponentially we make the world a better place to live in,” says Thomas. “You are the most important part of the puzzle and you have to see yourself as being the most important part because you are, and that is what I want people to know at the end of the day.”

Keni’s itinerary, during his visit to Columbus.

WED 12/14/2011
2:45p.m. – Dee Armstrong Show/WLTZ 38

7:00p.m – THE LOFT- 1032 Broadway (706) 322-7832 – perform/sign books

THUR 12/15/11

11:30a.m -1:30p.m.-Acoustic Performance/Book Signing/FT Benning PX

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Rank: Captain

Rank and organization:  Captain (then Lieutenant), U.S. Army, Company E, 305th Infantry, 77th Infantry Division.  Place and date:  Near Cognon, Leyte, Philippine Islands, 14 December 1944.  Entered service at:  New Haven, Conn. Birth:  13 June 1922, New Haven, Conn.  G.O. No.: 16, 8 February 1946.  Citation:  He commanded Company E in an attack against a reinforced enemy battalion which had held up the American advance for 2 days from its entrenched positions around a 3 story concrete building.  With another infantry company and armored vehicles, Company E advanced against heavy machine-gun and other automatic weapons fire with Lt. Nett spearheading the assault against the strongpoint.  During the fierce hand to hand encounter which ensued, he killed 7 deeply entrenched Japanese with his rifle and bayonet and, although seriously wounded, gallantly continued to lead his men forward, refusing to relinquish his command.  Again he was severely wounded, but still unwilling to retire, pressed ahead with his troops to assure the capture of the objective.  Wounded once more in the final assault, he calmly made all arrangements for the resumption of the advance, turned over his command to another officer, and then walked unaided to the rear for medical treatment.  By his remarkable courage in continuing forward through sheer determination despite successive wounds, Lt. Nett provided an inspiring example for his men and was instrumental in the capture of a vital strongpoint.

http://www.c-span.org/Events/Dedication-of-plaque-honoring-Sen-Bob-Dole/10737420959-1/