So many encouraging posts from non-flipflopping allies today!
Posted on 09/24/2004 4:27:20 PM PDT by neverdem
Insight on the News - Politics
Issue: 9/13/04
Always Faithful
By Frederick J. Chiaventone
"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers..." Wm. Shakespeare (Henry V)
It's late night, maybe 10:30 at night already and I'm outside putting the trash out for the morning pick-up. I pause for a moment and enjoy the sound of crickets and cicadas chattering in the trees.
A warm breeze wafts in from the plains of Kansas and, as it sweeps up over the bluffs, the breeze brings with it the sound of distant volley firing.
The rifle ranges at Fort Leavenworth.
Odd they should be operating at this time of the night, but then after more than two decades as a line officer I have been there before. I know the feel of the hot summer night, the buzz of insects as sweat rolls down your nose, the sharp report and recoil of the weapon and the acrid smell of cordite.
What, one wonders, are they getting ready for? Is it a routine familiarization firing? But then seldom are these done so late at night. More than likely it is some unit - probably National Guard or Reserves - doing what they can to get ready for a deployment overseas. That means Iraq. Or Afghanistan.
It also means long separations. Children who sleep with their arms locked around their teddy bears and their cheeks stained with tears; wives, or husbands, who jump every time the phone rings. Long sleepless nights and dreams that startle one awake sweating and shivering at once. Prayers uttered in silence or aloud for the safe return of a loved one and the solemn, horrific knowledge that some of these prayers won't be answered.
Some children will grow to adulthood without fathers, perhaps without mothers. The mere thought is enough to bring you to tears.
But what is infinitely worse is the thought of what if... What if there were no one who was willing to shoulder the burdens carried by the men and women of our armed forces? I go back inside the house where my two young sons are sleeping and think back on a chat with an old friend over lunch one day. We have been friends, fellow soldiers, for over thirty years.
He talked about his retirement and one of his last tours - commanding a tank battalion during the first Gulf War - it was a unit I had commanded in beforehand and I had given him my "leadership tabs" for good luck - an old tradition. He smiled thinking about it and then remarked that he had a son who was now assigned to the same outfit - a scout. Shaking his head he said, "I don't know him."
All those years away from home. All those tours of duty, those long separations, the danger, the adrenaline highs, the loneliness, the broken homes.
My friend said that in many ways he had missed watching his son grow up. But when I asked him if he knew then what he knows now that he would have chosen another career he said no. There was no other career which he knew of which was so important.
Now we hear on the radio or on television constant reports of how many of our sons and daughters have died in Iraq or Afghanistan - over 1,000. And we hear critics saying that enough is enough and we should not be engaged and should bring the troops home as soon as possible. But the troops disagree.
When President Bush visited a young soldier in the hospital he found that the man had lost his leg to a landmine in Iraq but, when the President asked what the soldier wanted, the young man replied that he wanted nothing so much as to get on with his recovery and to rejoin his brothers in arms as soon as possible. This is the stuff dreams are made of. Sad dreams but proud...and praiseworthy.
The arithmetic of combat is a terrible thing. Yes, we've lost over 1,000 brave men and women to a terrible enemy over the past year. But, when you start the tally don't forget about a previous math problem - 3,000 men and women - brokers, waiters, policemen, secretaries, firemen, emergency workers, janitors, cooks, airline pilots, grandmothers, children - they died in this fight as well.
They did not choose to fight. They were simply living their lives and the enemy made the decision for them and they died not over a period of a year, or two, or three - they died over the course of a couple of hours. Don't ever forget that.
The brave men and women of our armed forces fight - and sometimes die - by choice. Because they believe in the value of what they are doing for all of the policemen and firemen and brokers and secretaries and janitors. They risk their all for us and the least we can do is say thank you....and God speed.
Frederick J. Chiaventone is a contributor to Insight.
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ping
Why is this so different from WWII--when it wasn't a "happy few" but a very envious few indeed who never got the opportunity to serve? This, too, can be allayed to Kerry's disdain and ridicule of the U. S. uniformed services.
So many encouraging posts from non-flipflopping allies today!
Sorry people there are no rifle ranges at fort leavenworth.
Bump
No I was never lucky enough to be stationed at a post this nice. There are a couple of reserve units here. The rest of the post for the most part is a training center for Officers. Other than the diciplinary barracks, mp's and garrison the post is over run with officers.
I've never asked why they don't have one (as they do have a skeet range) maybe they use the Kansas state pen's range south of town (the fort is on the north side). They've got room for it, I can't imagine why they don't, but having been in the army I'm almost afraid to ask for fear the answer would make sense to me.
The arithmetic of acquiescence is unspeakable.
Bump!
This brings comfort to the enemy. Dan Rather, John Kerry Et.Al. will only prolong war as they continue to flap their gums.
I believe in freedom of speech but with that freedom comes responsibility. From where I sit Dan and John haven't figured that out. They put their ambition above human life.
And pray for them, every day. These young warriors are on my mind all the time. There is no way to adequately thank them for what they do for us.
Good stuff ~ Bump!
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