A Memorial Day Message From A Friend Who Serves

Friends and Family -
 
        It's ironic that I send this out to all of you knowing your patriotism stands second only to your faith, or favorite NFL team -- Go Packers '05!  However, I feel compelled to send it based on recent events I've experienced. 
        The news of late tells of 30+ Americans who have died in Iraq in the last 10 days.  While we're sitting in traffic, waiting for our order, or lounging during the evening news, our troops are still under fire in Iraq.  Even though the liberal-biased media taints the headlines for dollar signs, you should be able to see that the "bad" guys are still out there in Iraq. 
        I know better than ever what it's like to sit quietly on a secret deployment that I couldn't even tell Debbie about.  Not to Iraq, but to a different theatre  where the threat of Nuclear war is as real as it was in the Cuban stand-off.  And I can tell you ... when the F-117 goes somewhere, it's not for "training".  I'm off the mission for medical reasons, but I just sent a bunch of my buds off for a "long" time leaving behind there wives and kids for the summer.
        Sitting in an airport last week, I had the privilege of sitting next to a Marine (20 y/o) who was home for his 2-week R&R while fulfilling his 12 month tour in Iraq (his second by the way).  In the ten days prior, he'd lost his best friend to insurgent bombs and his roommate from basic training died in his arms.  Yet, he was going to make the best of his 14 days back in the USA by helping his parents on their farm in rural Georgia and attend two Memorial Day celebrations on the 31st for falling comrades.  When I did the mental math on the locations he'd have to drive to on Monday for both events, I realized he'd spend about 15 hours on the road.  This is a guy who has spent the last 8 months in Iraq, has only 14 days on American soil, and never mentioned one thing he was going to do for himself while back here. 
 
        These events and my recent interest in the 60th anniversary of the end of WWII have me on this "soapbox".  This country will never witness another sacrifice like that of the generation which fought two major powers in two separate theatres, and won.  Not just the three million that served, but the tens of millions who kept the war machine going back here in the States.  However, the sacrifice of American troops fighting today challenges that of the 1940's in the same respect that our Nation's future depends on their victory!  If you're lucky enough to still know a living WWII veteran, or a veteran of Iraqi Freedom, take the opportunity to shake their hand and simply say "thanks!" 
        To finish my airport story from above ... when I ended the conversation with the young Marine I shook his hand and said "thanks".  He said that "thanks" is all the motivation he and his fellow Marines usually need.
    
   Have a great Memorial Day and God's speed.
 
 
 
VR - Doug D.

MAJOR DOUG
USAF, F-117 PILOT

GOD BLESS THE USA!