This is a picture of my guys the morning Steve flew to the Gulf region for his 2nd tour there in early 1991. When I took the picture with the little disposable camera... I didn't want the M-16 in the picture, but Steve was obligated not to set it down so he had to hang on to it. How oddly symbolic that the boys should be so at ease around that weapon. I got a letter from Gabe yesterday (thats him in the upper left corner) and in it he wondered about the possibility of him shipping off to Iraq after he completes his training. It was hard enough having my husband go to war, but now my son? My heart will truely break when that time comes, eased only by my pride for his committment to his country.
This is a letter I wrote in 1991, in protest of the horrible things the conscientious objectors were saying about the American soldiers in the Gulf at the time. It was printed in the Fayetteville Observer-Times, in North Carolina (near Ft. Bragg). That was over 13 years ago, but my feelings are the same.
May The Eagle Soar
The national bird for the United States is the bald eagle, not the ostrich as some people seem to think. We, like the eagle, have the ability to see far into the distance rather than to bury our heads in the sand to avoid facing an unpleasant situation.
We did not start this war, Saddam Hussein did when he invaded Kuwait in order to satisfy his greed for power and wealth. Yet we are not so naive as to think that by ignoring the crisis in the Persian Gulf we will know peace. On the contrary, ignorance would invite and even unwittingly encourage further aggression against the Middle East and world security.
Saddam poses a real threat, (one that) when we turn back around is larger and more dangerous than before. It is our generation's responsibility to take care of him now so that our children will not have to deal with him later under considerably worse circumstances.
So let the protesters protest and the conscientious objectors object in the name of peace. Just do not let them stand in the way of the real peace keepers, the men and women of our Armed Forces. And may the Bald Eagle soar forever over the land of the free and the home of the brave!
To all the men and women of the Armed Forces, to their families... their mothers and fathers, their wives and husbands... sons and daughters... Thank you, on behalf of me, my family and our future.
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7 comments:
Great entry. I'll say a prayer for your family.
Have a great day.
R.C.
Dorn......I love this entry, you know that I'm a military brat myself and that kind of life is unique unto itself, civilian life can never really appreciate the sacrafices that the service men and women and their families make to defend this amazing country! Your boy Gab is never far from my thoughts and prayers.
That is Sweet and True. We don't want to let problems get larger so that our children will have to deal with them, I do think their are some things this Country is ignoring. My husband is finally getting out of the Navy 4 long years, horrible for me. I guess i get really resentful......but i'll save that for my own journal-wink-. I read one of the other comments to this journal entry, and I think it's sort of wrong, theirs a lot of civillians who do in fact appreaciate the Military. At the same time it seems that when one Military wife/family is stressed, the people who come down on them the most are fellow Military wives. Well just a thought.
So well said only an Amen is necessary. God be with you and yours!
Wonderful entry! My boyfriend was an "navy brat" and spent almost all of his childhood living in foriegn countries with his family because his father was serving. And, although I have never served myself (when I was younger women weren't joining the armed forces so much), my brother is serving, and recently my nephew joined his father in the Navy. Both of our families have always served, and I think I for one have always appreciated the military and the sacrifices made by the men (and now women) who have served and are serving our country!
I've been wandering around J-land checking out the tributes for Veteran's Day, and it warms my heart!
http://journals.aol.com/astaryth/AdventuresofanEclecticMind
Great message in your letter!! It is good to see that there ARE people out there who have a clear vision of the way things realy are. May God hold you and your family firmly in his hands. I'm sure he will.
Wow Dorn! Gabe was a spittin image of you!! Seriously!!! Notice all of the guys are checking out the "big gun" 'cept for the one who was obligated to it at the time. LOL! You are such a sweet woman Dorn!!! My dad was military, and although he never had to go to war, I appreciate each and every person who serves in any branch of the military!!!! God Bless!
Kell
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