The co-author of the book, 13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened in Benghazi, will make a special presentation to the fourth - twelfth grade students on Tuesday, December 13 at 9:20 am in the Eckburg Center. As a Marine Corps veteran and member of the Benghazi Annex Security Team, Mark Geist will share his incredible testimony of how he made it through a heralding battle which saved so many lives during those 13 hours in September of 2012.

The opportunity to hear from Mr. Geist is a gift provided to the children of SCPS by Marty and Cindy Daniel of Daniel Defense. “Mark has dedicated his life to serving our country and protecting our freedoms”, said Marty Daniel, President and CEO of Daniel Defense. “He is a godly man with core values and beliefs that align with Cindy and I’s, and that’s why we are grateful for the relationship we continue to build with him. We are truly honored and humbled to call 'Oz' our friend". A free, private screening of the movie provided by Daniel Defense will be made available on Sunday, December 11 at 3 pm at Pooler's Royal Cinemas to the school community in preparation for this important visit.

In an age-appropriate way, our students will get to hear from a real American hero who has served our military and been willing to risk his life for his brother and his country. Mr. Geist finished his career as a security contractor in Benghazi, Libya, where he was credited with helping to save the lives of more than 25 Americans. Mr. Geist is still recovering from the injuries he sustained in the battle.