Over the years, we have all had that special store, convention, garage sale or eBay find that we go back to in our minds as being something that can never be outdone. Today, we believe we have found the ultimate example of that due to not only its uniqueness, but its potential for saving lives – maybe even the President of the United States. Click on through to read an amazing account from a US Army Officer stationed in Afghanistan back in 2012.

I am currently an Officer in the United States Army.  While serving in Afghanistan, I located a booth in the bazaar on the Kandahar NATO military base that sold movies.  I saw an odd looking boxed set of the original Star Wars trilogy so I picked it up.  The boxed set was titled “Star Wars: the Old Republic”.  Since I knew this was never used as a movie title, I flipped the DVD set over to read the back. What I began to read was a truly terrible (and painfully hilarious) translation at first glance.  I stopped laughing when I noticed a pattern in the word placement.  I really stopped laughing when I saw the words Obama, device, and lamentations appear.  I began to suspect that the “poor translation” was something else entirely (which was met with monumental laughter from my tobacco spitting Soldier companions).

It wasn’t lost on me that I was a Star Wars fan or that this was a real life version of “the rebel plans” with the exception of my not having to choke out a Princess to obtain them.

I took my suspicions, along with two copies of the DVD set, to the Military Intelligence section. After some initial analysis, M.I confirmed my suspicions. There was an encoded message on the DVD and a credible threat that the DVD itself contained embedded material. That’s the extent of my knowledge concerning what was on the DVD or anything relating to their actions afterward as I have no need for that information.

I received an Army Commendation Medal from my unit for uncovering the threat and I was allowed to retain an unopened copy of the boxed set.  Unlike the medals Luke, Han, and the gang received in the movie, I am the only member of any branch of any planet’s military to ever receive a medal in physical reality relating to Star Wars.  Eat it Harrison Ford….

I’ve included some more photos of the Award as well as the box set itself.  Pretty high quality job.

I had originally decided to keep the item for all eternity, however; Weddings don’t pay for themselves so it’s time to let go of it towards that end.  Nobody on earth can say they’re the guy who discovered enemy plans on a Star Wars DVD and can prove that through military records. Price guide doesn’t cover that sort of situation, so; I’m hoping you folks have some insight into this.

– Greg Fricker

First of all, thanks Greg for your service. This is truly an amazing story.