I wanted to take a minute before I head off to play for the weekend to remember the reason I can do so. I don't know who wrote the following statements, but they stuck with me so I decided to share them with you. Please stop, take a minute and say a prayer for all the men and women who are serving our country and protecting our freedom. Have a great 4th of July!!!
The average age of those men serving in the military is 19. He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father's but he has never collected unemployment either.
He is a recent High School graduate; he was probably an average student, pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and has a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left or swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away. He listens to rock or hip-hop or rap or jazz or country and a 155 mm howitzer.
He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because he is working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk. He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he can field strip a rifle in 30 seconds and reassemble it in less time in the dark. He can recite to you the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either on effectively if he must.
He digs foxholes and latrines and can apply first aid like a professional. He can march until he is told to stop, or stop until he is told to march. He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation, but he is not without spirit or individual dignity. He is self-sufficient. He has two sets of fatigues: he washes one and wears the other. He keeps his canteens full and his feet dry. He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never to clean his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothers, and fix his own hurts.
If you're thirsty he'll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food. He'll even split his ammunition with you in the midst of battle when you run low. He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they were his hands. He can save your life - or take it, because that is his job.
He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay, and still find ironic humor in it all. He has seen more suffering and death than he should have in his short lifetime. He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat and is unashamed.
He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate through his body while at rigid attention, while tempering the burning desire to "square-away" those around him who haven't bothered to stand, remove their hat, or even stop talking. In and odd twist, day in and day out, far from home, he defends their right to be disrespectful.
Just as his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is paying the price for our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy. He is the American Fighting Man that has kept his country free for over 200 years. He has asked nothing in return, except our friendship and understanding. Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect and and admiration with his blood.
And now we have women over there in danger, doing their part in this tradition of going to war when our nation calls us to do so.
Of all the gift you could give a US Soldier, Sailor, Coastguardsman, Marine, or Airman prayer is the very best one.
I think it must take a special talent to come down with pneumonia in the middle of the summer, but somehow I accomplished it. I started with a cold on the Monday we were in Yellowstone. It got progressively worse as the week went on and by the time we got home on Sunday I was feeling pretty lousy. Luckily I went in to InstaCare yesterday and I have pneumonia. They gave me some good cough medicine so I'm getting some sleep now. Let's hope this passes quickly.
