Note from a young Knox County sailor serving aboard

Knoxville News Sentinel ^ | 20Mar03 | James Cornelius

[Tennessee_Bob]

Last week, the News Sentinel received an e-mail from a young Knox County sailor serving aboard a destroyer in the Mediterranean. He was awaiting the moment the United States launched war on Iraq. He addressed the e-mail to his community, to folks who support the war effort as well as those who oppose it.

"My name is James Cornelius.

I am a Damage Controlman in the US Navy. I joined the Navy on July 17, 2001 at the Military Entrance Processing Station on Parkside Drive in Knoxville. I left for Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Illinois on the 5th of June in 2002. After my graduation from recruit training, I attended Damage Control "A-school" at Naval Training Center, Great Lakes.

I am currently stationed aboard the USS Donald Cook (DDG-75), part of the Harry S. Truman battle group, which deployed from Norfolk, Virginia on December 5, 2002.

Since my childhood, I knew that I would join the military.

What better way to repay a country that has done so much for us?

After joining the Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps at Farragut High School, my decision to join the military was reinforced, and since the Navy was what I already knew a little bit about, the Navy is what I joined.

Besides joining the military to try to repay the country, I joined for many of the same reasons as my shipmates and people in other branches of the Armed Forces. I joined for college money, to see the world, and to get training for a job in the civilian world.

More importantly, I joined to serve.

I joined to protect my family, my girlfriend, my friends, and complete strangers.

I joined to defend the Constitution.

I joined to give protesters the right to protest, burn flags, and volunteer as human shields in Iraq.

I joined so that people lucky enough to be born in this country could talk bad about it and the people who died to protect it.

I am here to defend all of the freedoms that most people take for granted:

Freedom of speech. Freedom of religion. Freedom to do pretty much whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it.

Where would our country be with out these freedoms?

I am here so that you don't have to be.

The next time that you want to say something bad about America or her leaders, think about all of those who have died or could die to allow you to say what you are thinking.

Then pray for them, and their families.

For those of you who already do pray for us, thank you.

You will never know how much it helps, or how much it means to us, unless you have been in our position.

[Tennessee_Bob]

I saw this in this morning's paper and felt it needed to be posted - an excellent counterpoint to those who protest. Unfortunately, I don't think they'd understand.

[Tennessee_Bob]

Ping

[Mr. Silverback]

Thanks Bob. Incidentally, Donald Cook is one of the ships that fired the first few Tomahawks. See this thread.

[GailA]

Thanks for posting it. Maybe we can find his email addy and email him a THANK YOU.

[GailA]

Millington, TN Support Our Troops Rally

What we would like to do is have the children to write letters, make cards or draw pictures and bring them to the rally. Or have an adult do it if they are not being brought by their parents.

We will have decorated boxes for them to place their items in. We will then see that their out pouring of love will get to several different units or ships.

The 101st Airborne out of Ft Campbell and the USS Tennessee at the very least will be getting their letter/card/pictures.

Please spread the word into those in the community you have contact with.

Please have any you contact send the message onto their contacts.

Thanks Gail