A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....04-01-03....Courage

Ladtx; Billie | "Courage" written by ladtx

[Billie]

A Few of FR's Finest.....
......Every Day

FR is a Treasure Trove of talented, compassionate, patriotic, wonderful people who gather every day to discuss the latest news and issues; salute and support our military and our leaders;  tell a few jokes;  learn a new word;  write poetry;  pray for those in need;  and congratulate those who are deserving. Thank you, Jim Robinson, for giving us the vehicle in which we can express ourselves.

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   I can remember lurking when there were only a few regulars who posted, and now there are over 60,000 who have registered for posting privileges. The forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest November 11, 2001

So many people have written me since my original Veteran's Day Tribute, asking how they, or a loved one, could be included in that tribute. Since I can no longer add the photos to the body of the thread, I've been including them in additional posts as I received enough to make another collage.

Still that doesn't seem to be enough. I think there's never been a better nor more appropriate time to keep the faces of our own Veterans and Active Military in front of FReepers--every day! That's why I wanted to do yet another Daily Thread .....ABOUT FReepers .....and FOR FReepers. But not only about our Military FReepers; for all FReepers! Wouldn't it be nice to get to know a few of the other FReepers as well? That's why, in addition to seeing FR's Finest Military Personnel every day, I thought it might be fun to feature a different FReeper (or FReepers) each day. If you would like to be pictured, or know someone who would, please FReepmail me and we'll turn the spotlight - on YOU - for the day!

And do let me know if you'd like your picture added to the groups of Veterans/Active Military below. I will keep this page updated, and continue to add them to the comment section of the original Veteran's Day thread as well.

<

TOP:  g'nad, AgThorn's son Justin, SLB, AgThorn's son Brett.
MIDDLE:  fish70, razorback-bert, CheneyChick,Leroy S Mort, Mark17.
BOTTOM:  Terry's Take, Taxman, DinkyDau.

TOP:  ValerieUSA's son Grant, SK1Thurman, kd5cts, RangerVetNam,
dansangel and .45man's son-in-law Tony
BOTTOM:  rangerX, Old China Hand, Trish, Howlin's dad, Mustang

TOP: ohioWfan's son, MamaBear's father-in-law, MamaBear's dad, ladtx
MIDDLE:  The Mayor's niece, M.Kehoe, Beach_Babe's son-in-law
BOTTOM:  deadhead's dad, HiJinx, Severa's hubby, viligantcitizen's granddad.

TOP:  spectr17, RightOnline, SERE_Doc, Tet68.
MIDDLE:  FutureSnakeEater, RightOnline's wife, CIApilot, Clamper1797
BOTTOM:  usmcobra, onedoug, DiverDave, Joe6-pack

We now have eleven groups of veterans/active military; we will post each group of three or four twice a week, with thumbnail/links of the remaining seven or eight groups on each thread. Click on any of the thumbnails below to see the group full-size.

         

GROUP 1A: TOP: Logos, SwedeGirl's hubby, Neil E Wright, FallGuy, 1John, Sneakypete MIDDLE:  T'wit, COB1, LadyX, Dick Bachert, 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub BOTTOM:  YankeeinSC, Delta21, JoeSixPack1

GROUP 2A: TOP:  Bosniajmc, AFVetGal, Archy, A Navy Vet MIDDLE:  4TheFlag, Aeronaut, 68Grunt, Xinga BOTTOM:  Codger, AAABest, Clinton's A Liar, Duke809, dcwusmc

GROUP 3A: TOP:  mc5cents, Norb2569, LBGA's son, VanJenerette MIDDLE:  Jim Robinson, KJenerette, davidosborne, KG9Kid BOTTOM:  gwmoore, Equality7-2521, SAMWolf

GROUP 4A: TOP:  porgygirl, Phil V., MudPuppy, NorCoGOP MIDDLE:  RaceBannon, OneidaM, rdb3, jwTexian BOTTOM:  USMC Vet, TheMayor, Vineyard, rhododogma

      

GROUP 9A: TOP: Q6-God, Scan59, Mama Bear and JKPhoto's son, ofMagog. MIDDLE:  Big'ol_freeper, JustAmy's great uncle, Prodigal Son. BOTTOM:  JustAmy's husband, JustAmy's brother-in-law, JustAmy's brother.

GROUP 10A: TOP: dakine's wife, MeeknMing's dad, Auntbee's nephew, MilitiaMan7, AlasBabylon. BOTTOM:  Joe Brower, Temple Owl, Temple Owl's wife, dutchess' dad, Aomagrat.

GROUP 11A: TOP: ladtx #2 son; DiverDave's twin Don; petuniasevan and husband poorman; Mustard; ladtx #1 son. BOTTOM: AlamoGirl's brother Floyd; AG's dad; AG's brother Jim (inset); WVNan's husband; ladtx' Aunt Eva.

                     

"Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Courage by ladtx

Winston Churchill said that: "Courage is rightly deemed the first of human qualities...because it is the quality that guarantees all others."

Click to read some courageous profiles

Where does courage come from? What makes a regiment cross an open field in the face of withering rifle fire only to be cut to pieces? What pushes another regiment to follow in their brother’s footsteps and be likewise cut down, as portrayed in the recent movie GODS
AND GENERALS?

"True Courage is not the ABSENCE of fear, but the MASTERY of fear." ~ Mark Twain

Courage is a quality that is elusive and difficult to understand. Even the person who has displayed courage in the face of danger has difficulty explaining why they were courageous. The hero generally assumes an embarrassed look and kicks imaginary rocks at his feet and mumbles something about doing his job. But there is more to it than that. Most acts of courage on the battlefield are products of training and repetition, combined with leaders who have built trust and teamwork.

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"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength while loving someone deeply gives you courage."
~ Lao Tso

That was to be my beginning of my essay on courage. After researching courage, as evidenced by my Churchill quote, it only took a short flash on the television screen to set my concept of courage reeling. A young military wife and mother with a beautiful child in her arms was being interviewed on TV and there went all my high-flown theories from Clausewitz and the U.S. Army Field Manual 100-5.


The embodiment of courage was being interviewed by a pushy television journalist for the evening news and never wavered in the backing of her deployed husband and her country.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She now has had to pay the bills, mow the lawn, shovel the snow, go to PTA and attend all Cub Scout Pack meetings alone. She must endure thunderstorms, snowstorms, and icestorms and still get the kids to school on time.

She has to get the car repaired, change the oil and repair the lawn mower, alone. There will be weddings, funerals and birthday parties to attend. Yet she will do it all. There may be some tears of loneliness but she will endure. She will tell her parents and in-laws that she is fine and, no, she won’t come home, she’s at home.

She is the military wife of a United States fighting man at war. She is courage embodied. I’m proud to say she was my wife, she is my daughter-in-law. She is all of the military wives past and present throughout this country. They never get the recognition they deserve. We are proud of them and are heartened by them all. God bless them. We are a stronger country because of them.

SCOUTS OUT!

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Ladtx flew UH-1's in Vietnam, OH-58's in Germany, and the CH-47 Chinook in Korea and Texas. He served 20 years in the United States Army. He retired as a Chief Warrant Officer (CW4). Click on the calvery horses above to read more about him, and his family. Two of his three sons have recently been deployed: one in the USAF and the other USAR. ~ Billie

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"I am old enough to know that victory is often a thing deferred, and rarely at the summit of courage. What is at the summit of courage, I think, is freedom. The freedom that comes with the knowledge that no earthly thing can break you."
Paula Giddings

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O God, Your judgment probes to the core of our being, and courage comes by your direction. You are God whose anger is kindled by injustice, whose heart is touched by the suffering of a child. We seek the power of your protection for all the men and women fighting for justice in far away places. Give them courage to do battle on behalf of the oppressed. Armed with the breastplate of righteousness, let them never lose heart.

Lord, we pray for those who have the courage to stand and wait. Give them courage to stand firm in the face of tribulation. When they are tossed to and fro by the trials that beset them, give them clear heads and open hearts so that they can hear what you are saying. Lift them up to the heights where they can see a vison of your eternal order and give them a glimpse of your peace. Amen

Thank you, Nan, for the beautiful prayer.

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 03-31-03 A Salute to Our Military

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

[Billie]

I did have to wipe my eyes. I have to do that a lot lately, watching TV, reading stuff online. Really emotional stuff going on.

[MeekOneGOP]

Howdy ! I've been out most of the day. My apologies for not being able to participate more today here.

[Billie]

Well, get busy and make up for it. :)

[LadyX]

Sorry to not have responded to you earlier to thank you, dutchess.
Lost custody of the computer for several hours...:(
Sharing is so hard...sigh...

[daisyscarlett]

I always look forward to ladtx's posts and essays. I enjoyed this one very much. Thank you Billie for presenting it to us.

Courage has been in my thoughts for the last couple of months since I finished the John Adams biography. And lo and behold when I clicked on the Profiles in Courage link, I was not surprised that one of them was to John Adams.

A nice tribute to military wives....I have known many of them through the years and have always have been in awe of all that they endure when their husbands are serving. And they are so young too, usually in their 20's.

Living in a military community, I read lots of local stories about military wives and families. One last week tugged my heartstring. A young military wife is moving back to the Midwest with her young children while her husband is deployed. Problem is, they have a dog, her parents have cats. So she gave the dog to the local Animal Shelter to see if he could be adopted out with the proviso that if he was not adopted in 7 days, she would reclaim him and deal with the problem another way. Well, somehow the paperwork got mixed up and the doggie had been euthanized by mistake. So, she has that to deal with in addition to everything else.

[MeekOneGOP]

heh heh ! :O)

[GailA]

You and me both..no fun to have pain that bad.

[daisyscarlett]

Well heck the calendar page can' t always be on the mark; thanks for posting it anyway!

[daisyscarlett]

You two southern gals did a great job with Abe Lincoln and the Battle Hymn of the Republic...Speaking of courage, he sure had it!!

[daisyscarlett]

Wonderful photo and caption of the Marine alone with his thoughts.

[daisyscarlett]

Thanks for stopping in with an update of Eric. You and he are constantly in my thoughts and prayers...

[daisyscarlett]

LOL...you still have whoever's elephant!! GIVE IT BACK, GIVE IT BACK!

[Aquamarine]

You had a good idea on the Abe post and I enjoyed doing it...Will be posting a a pic of the Confederate monument that my great grandpa carved in the future just to keep things fair and balanced...hehe.

[daisyscarlett]

Hi sistah...Glad to hear your daffodils survived a brutal winter. I love them. Don't have any though, not too good with bulbs. But I do have scads of roses in bloom...and a prized lilac bush too and daisies of course...

[Mama_Bear]

Sorry, all, for the width of my post yesterday. Billie mentioned this morning that it was perfect, except for one little thing.......it was too wide for the screen! She had to scroll in order to see the entire width of the page. Other people have told me that they had the same problem with it. I don't understand why, because I don't see it that way on my monitor. I didn't get a scroll bar when I viewed it. It looked fine to me. We both have our screen set at 800x600 and we both use IE. It's a mystery why I see things differently on my monitor.

In light of other things going on in the world, it really isn't that big a deal, I guess, but I like my posts to be perfect. So, it has been corrected.

Billie discovered that the problem was my paw print at the bottom. It has been removed and Jim has reposted the thread. Thank you, Jim. Next time I will have Billie preview my post, since I can't depend on what I am seeing on my monitor.

Thanks, Billie, for telling me.....I know you didn't want to. You know what a perfectionist I am, sort of like you. LOL! :-)

[daisyscarlett]

[Billie]

Hi, daisy - nice to see you made it. I always enjoy presenting ladtx' essays.

Hope you're doing ok - you don't seem your usual chipper self.

[LadyX]

How very lovely of you, Aqua - and I so love pansies - cheerful and durable, surviving even ice-encrusted winters.

I was away from the board when this was posted, and am now trying to catch up on the thread.

[Billie]

No more dots. :) It's those dots that were the culprit.

[Mama_Bear]

No more dots. :) It's those dots that were the culprit.

LOL! Yes, ma'am. No more dots. :-)