Soldier Follows in Footsteps of His Father, Grandfather

Multi-National Force - Iraq ^ | Sgt. Brandon Little, USA

[SandRat]

Pvt. Christopher J. Forit Jr. (left), food service specialist from Renegade Troop, 4th Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, passes a case of drinks to a dining facility worker at ‘Command Sgt. Maj. Cook’ dining facility, Jan 1. Forit, a native of Fresno, Calif., comes from three generations of military service members. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Brandon Little, Task Force XII Public Affairs.

CAMP TAJI — When Christopher J. Forit Jr. decided to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, more than two years ago, he started a voyage that would lead him halfway around the world. It all began with a trip to the recruiter’s office. Forit, a native of Fresno, Calif., chose to continue his family’s tradition of military service by becoming one of the thousands of Soldiers who joined a military deeply entrenched in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“My family really influenced my decision to join the Army,” said Pvt. Forit, a food service specialist in Renegade Troop, 4th Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment from Fort Hood, Texas. “My grandfather was an infantryman in the Korean War, and my dad was the in the Army for a while; he was stationed in Italy for a few years.”

In addition to helping this 23-year-old make the decision to join the military, his father and grandfather also influenced another member of his family to enlist.

“My brother, Derek, joined the Army the exact same day I did, and we even shipped off to basic training the same day,” he said.

Enlisting in the military, during this time of civil unrest throughout the world, Forit knew his first deployment would be in his near future, he said.

“When I found out I was coming to Iraq, I was really excited,” he said. “My family and my fiancé, Chong Lee, were all very sad I was leaving but they’re all proud and supportive of what I’m doing.”

Since his deployment to Iraq, Forit has been performing various jobs in the ‘Command Sgt. Maj. Cooke’ dining facility.

“He’s a good Soldier,” said Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Williams, the non-commissioned officer in charge of the ‘Command Sgt. Maj. Cooke dining facility’. “I really think he has a bright future in the military.”

Forit says he plans on staying in the military for a long time to earn a college degree and hopefully retire as a first sergeant.

Many years from now, after he has retired, Forit may one day be able to share his experiences in the military with his children and grandchildren.

“I think when I look back on my service (many years from now) I know I’ll be proud of what we accomplished,” he said. “Sometimes I wish I could do more, but just being in Iraq makes me feel like at least I’m doing my part.”

[SandRat]

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[do the dhue]

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[MSF BU]

We are fortunate to have men like this. It’s sad relatively so few decide to meet their responsibility as young men who are citizens in this republic. I was going to finish this with a cynical remark regarding specific republican candidates children who are third generation no-shows...but I won’t.

[yuleeyahoo]

Take up the White Man's burden-- Send forth the best ye breed-- Go bind your sons to exile To serve your captives' need; To wait in heavy harness, On fluttered folk and wild-- Your new-caught, sullen peoples, Half-devil and half-child.
Take up the White Man's burden-- In patience to abide, To veil the threat of terror And check the show of pride; By open speech and simple, An hundred times made plain To seek another's profit, And work another's gain.

Take up the White Man's burden-- The savage wars of peace-- Fill full the mouth of Famine And bid the sickness cease; And when your goal is nearest The end for others sought, Watch sloth and heathen Folly Bring all your hopes to nought.

Take up the White Man's burden-- No tawdry rule of kings, But toil of serf and sweeper-- The tale of common things. The ports ye shall not enter, The roads ye shall not tread, Go mark them with your living, And mark them with your dead.

Take up the White Man's burden-- And reap his old reward: The blame of those ye better, The hate of those ye guard-- The cry of hosts ye humour (Ah, slowly!) toward the light:-- "Why brought he us from bondage, Our loved Egyptian night?"

Take up the White Man's burden-- Ye dare not stoop to less-- Nor call too loud on Freedom To cloke your weariness; By all ye cry or whisper, By all ye leave or do, The silent, sullen peoples Shall weigh your gods and you.

Take up the White Man's burden-- Have done with childish days-- The lightly proferred laurel, The easy, ungrudged praise. Comes now, to search your manhood Through all the thankless years Cold, edged with dear-bought wisdom, The judgment of your peers!

- Rudyard Kipling 1899,

[ASOC]

Maybe ,more than you realize.
My Grandpa fought the HUn, in France that his children would be free.

Dad and Uncle fought the Japs and the Nazis so that their children might be free

I spent 22 years in (and won the Cold War, or os they tell me) so my kids would be free from Communism.

My son just finished 4 years with the Corps. He was happy just to get home alive.

I know lots of familes like mine. But we grew up in the ‘sticks’.

[ARE SOLE]

I appreciate his service but ... food service specialist? I hated KP and sure as hell didn't’t want to specialize in it.

Regards

[snippy_about_it]

It takes and army to feed an army.

[MSF BU]

Sounds similar to my own, but yours is the exception, especially for your son who apparently must have served with McCains or Hunters. For the rule as opposed to the exception, see the Romney family.

[MSF BU]

...or to paraphrase Kipling (or Orwell depending on who you believe) Mitt Romney sleeps safely at night only because men like Duncan Hunter stand ready to do violence on his behalf.

[ASOC]

I was in USAF at almost the same times as McLame. I retired in 94, he bailed in 81. I was not an aviator nor a POW. Dunno about Hunter.

Son was active in 2002-2006 and is IRA right now, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Since his “close encounters” with multiple IEDs, he carries an 50%+ disability - so the Corps *may* not call him back to active service.

OTOH, he *can* walk pretty good and is generally found to be above room temp (we live in Alaksa) — so you can never tell for sure.

I may not look like much, but I raised a Marine!

I will note that he served, sweated and bled with a shitpotload of good men and women - Heros all.

[MSF BU]

I meant that he served with McCains and Hunters to the extent that both families have sons who are Marines and who’ve deployed. They’re too few young men like your son and theirs.

[ASOC]

Yup.

Some times I get maudlin in the winter - and think that only salvation for this Nation is “former” Marines and military types (active and retired) as a group.

Then the sun comes out and things don’t look too gawdawful....

[MSF BU]

Throughout America’s history it’s only been roughly 33% to begin with. After the revolution we got smart and exiled about 10% of the population, those who’d been on the wrong side.