God bless you and your son! Prayers for your family and for all the families who have people in the war. This man is a true patriot. We stand with you all the way!
May God bless you for posting this. You may want to add a tissue alert for those of us who melt when reading about true patriotism.
PONG
Ouch! Eye strain alert ... no paragraphs.
Big bump.
Marine Bump
Our troops are always in my prayers and I thank them for their courage and commitment to continue to fight for what's right.
The Marines and Navy corpsmen of Alpha Company of the 3rd LAR have saved the lives of numerous innocent Iraqi civilians and have developed a relationship with the Iraqi Army to the point that I can call them brothers-in-arms. A language, religion, and culture barrier separates us, and yet one common factor allows us to unite and fight side by side. The fight for freedom—to liberate a country.
I got choked up reading this.
God Bless Our Troops.
Let your son know that patriotism is not dead in average Americans and never was alive in the dino media.
Ping
To: CPL Steve F....Thank you for your service to our country and for your willingness to sacrifice your life so we may have a better life. Thanks to your mother for bringing up such a wonderful son, and to your wife and family for supporting you in this most trying time. We do appreciate and support what you are doing, and thank you for writing this letter. Please know you and all our military men and women are in our prayers. God bless you and keep you and yours safe.
OOH RAH!!
Keep up the great job, were behind you!
Bumperoo!
At the core, it's STILL the Corps..
May the Almighyt be his shield and strengthen his sword arm..
Semper Fi
Sounds like Jack Nicholson in "A Few Good Men":
"Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna guard 'em? You? (to Tom Cruise) You, Lt. Weinberg? (to Kevin Pollak) I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know...that Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, no matter how grotesque, or incomprehensible to you, saves lives! You don't want the truth, because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you WANT me on that wall. You NEED me on that wall!
"We use words like 'honor', 'code', 'loyalty'. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. YOU use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, then questions the manner...in which I provide it! I would just assume you'd say 'thank you', and went on your way. Otherwise, I'd suggest you pick up a weapon, and stand a post! Either way, I don't give a DAMN...WHAT YOU THINK YOU ARE 'ENTITLED' TO!"
NEMDF, thank you for providing your son's letter.
I salute him and the other fellow Americans in the Armed forces. Keep up the great work fellow soldiers and stay safe!
I can only imagine how proud of him you must be. You raised such a great guy. Brought tears!
Bumping straight to the top!! Thanks for the ping Coop. I got a letter yesterday from a depolyed AF Captain -- I'm telling you -- we may send them geedunk, but the return is soooo much more! God bless the heroes who guard and defend our freedoms!!
Please thank the parent of this fine Marine for me. I am so grateful to have men like him defending freedom for the world. What an awesome example of what our military represents. May God bless him and keep him safe!
Bump.
BUMP!!
God Bless this Marine and all our troops. They make me proud to be an American.
God bless you and your son, and THANK YOU BOTH!
"For those who have forgotten, we were sent here to defeat tyranny and fight terrorism. Tyranny has been abolished and we are now in the process of ridding this country from terror. Our fight is not over, we still have a mission to accomplish, and we still need the support of our country: not support for the troops but support for the war on terror."
Did I forget why you are there? Did I forget this?
Never!
Thank you, Marine.
Thank you troops. God bless each and every one of you.
Daily and always, may you understand and know the gratitude we have for you.
I've posted the following a few times before, but your Worthy son may gain some support from it when he doesn't feel like he gets it from the people of this nation. It was originally printed in a daily devotional that my Mom gave to my Dad as he was shipped off on a minesweeper to the Pacific in WW II. The book is called “Strength for Service to God and Country”. This devotional was for SEPTEMBER 11 -
CHOSEN TO SUFFER
“They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name.” (Acts 5:41).
All of us are called upon to suffer in one way or another. Much of our suffering goes to waste because it is not geared up with an all-compelling purpose. A great cause, such as liberty, chooses men who are big enough to suffer, men who “can take it.” It chooses men who have the stuff in them to endure hardships; who can laugh at privations; who are willing to give up privileges, comforts, and ease. It chooses men like the apostles who, after being treated in a most shameful way and cruelly flogged, came from that experience rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ.
Great causes have a way of choosing men who are worthy to suffer. And it is through men that suffer that great causes come to victory. The highest blessings that we enjoy today came in this way. Christ on the cross, Washington at Valley Forge, Lincoln baited by newspapers and even by his cabinet members, and a few among many who were chosen to suffer for great purposes and were found worthy – bringing victory to the cause that chose them.
In these days, the great cause of liberty is again choosing men to suffer for its sake. Shall we who are chosen be found worthy?
Prayer:
Our Father, we are being called upon to suffer for the sake of all men everywhere. The great cause of liberty, with all that it means, is calling for men who are worthy. Wilt Thou make us worthy in every way. Keep the high purpose of freedom upper-most in our hearts, and cleanse us from all selfishness. Dedicate us anew to the high cause of world brotherhood, and give us the victory of an enduring peace. And so shall our suffering be not in vain. In the Spirit of Christ we pray. Amen
He is an incredibly intelligent patriotic articulate Corporal...I believe it is time for a promotion to Sargeant ASAP.
Two things I should clarify, as I have apparently caused confusion.... First, the letter was NOT from/by my own son (who is, of course a very bright young man and awesome Marine; at 21 he rants to me about the liberals in CA where he is stationed).
Secondly... the Marine who wrote it is in my son's unit, and is in Iraq... but my son is NOT in Iraq. He was seriously injured in a car accident in December (he is getting along fine now and should end up almost "as good as new") and was unable to deploy with his unit, which was heartbreaking for him. It would have been his 2nd Iraq tour.
Thanks for all of the comments and pings...
Semper Fi