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I served 21 years in the Air National Guard. I was proud to serve in the Reagan/Bush years. We had an important job, Air Defense. After winning the Cold War, the traditional military mistakes were made again, including cutting way back on the Air Defense mission.

The disgusting Clinton years made it very easy for me to decide to retire, which I did in August 2001. I was the supervisor in our unit's Command Post. I was called back to help on 9-11 and am in the process of "unretiring". We are performing our Air Defense mission again (shutting the barn door after the horses escaped).

I am once again proud to be serving my country and having an important mission, one which should never have been cut in the first place. While we who are conducting this nation's Homeland Defense don't get much notice, we are dedicated to ensuring that what happened on 9-11 never happens again. The people I work with have left their civilian jobs for over a year now. We have gone from one weekend a month to covering a 24/7 operation with 12 hours shifts. We face the very real possiblity of deploying as well. We are ready, if not eager.

How have things changed in the last year? Everything has changed for us. Things I trained for, for 21 years, we do for real on a regular basis. Many have discovered, for the first time, the true nature of our "business". We are prepared to stick it out as long as necessary.

I have been lurking on Free Republic for several weeks now and so I know that the people here appreciate what we do. We appreciate having a President who stands for something and means what he says.

How have things changed in the last year? Everything has changed for us. Things I trained for, for 21 years, we do for real on a regular basis. Many have discovered, for the first time, the true nature of our "business". We are prepared to stick it out as long as necessary.

Good to be back?

Compare your new focus with that of the Leftists who don't yet seem to recognize 9/11.

Like you, my son is in the ANG and I know how hard he works and how proud he still is after ten years with them. He is a Loadmaster for the C-130s and is very skilled at what he does, as are his fellow military. I know how he felt under Clinton and had Gore won, he was debating leaving. I can only imagine where we would be today with Al at the helm. Instead, many more are enlisting and re-inlisting. I hope you post more often. And thank you for being there for us.

Welcome to Free Republic and to the Foxhole! I can relate to so much in your post especially your pride in serving during the Reagan/Bush years and disgust for the draft-dodging, pot-smoking, womanizing Clintoon.

Thanks so much for 'unretiring' and serving our country again. Homeland defense is such an important role and I'm thankful there are people like you who are serving to keep our country safe.