[Just another Joe]

Thanks, Jeff.

I gave a little back to the armed forces yesterday.
I was at the airport Tuesday night to pick my wife up. She's been in the PI for a month and a half.

Got to talking to a young Marine. Seems like he had a 36 hour layover in KC and the airline had sent his duffle bag ot Cancoun, Mexico. It had everything in it. His clothes, his money, his ATM and credit cards.
The airline gave him a couple of the small pillows and a couple of the thin airline blankets and told him they would have his duffle to him about 2:00 PM the next day. His next flight didn't leave until 11:00 PM the next day.

I asked him if he would take some help if it was offered. He said sure.
I told him that we would stick around to pick up my wife and then he could come home with us, stay the night, eat a couple of good meals, and I would take him back to the airport the next day.

You should have seen the look of increduality on his face! He said to me, "You don't know me. Why would you offer to do that for me?" I just said that I had been in the military, been stuck in airports with no luggage, and wished that someone had done it for me.

He came home with us and slept the night. I left him at my house yesterday morning with my wife feeding him up nicely with some Italian beef sandwiches, pepperincinis, and iced tea.

He's headed back to Fallujah. He had 12 days leave after 14 months in Iraq.

I figure it's the least I could do for one of our servicemen.

UPDATE: The airline called Wed morning and said they had no idea where his duffel bag was.
I took the young marine to the military surplus store and got him a set of desert digital BDUs so that he wouldn't have to show up in Fallujah in his class Ds and sent him on his way at the airport last night.

Hope and pray he makes it all tight.

[Jeff Head]

God bless you for your kindness...my guess is you have forged a bond that will endure with this young man and his family for years to come...probably an eternal bond!

[Eaker]

These young people don't realize how much we appreciate and respect them.

Way to go!!!

[SLB]

Just another Joe. You are a true American, one of those that took the flak put out by M. Moore and the hollyweird crowd and voted your true beliefs. My hat is off to you sir, you are the reason this land is so grand.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

What an incredibly decent thing to do.
I happened to see a young soldier from the 10th Mountain down in El Paso a few months ago. He was sitting alone in the small airport dining area, waiting for someone. I bough him a coffee and he said thanks. He said I was the third or fourth total stranger to have done something for him on his way back to Afghanistan.

[Sunshine Sister]

I would expect nothing less from you my friend. Thanks for being such a great guy!

[Bahbah]

That sounds just like you, Joe, and your lovely wife as well. Thanks for doing that.

[ExSoldier]

I took the young marine to the military surplus store and got him a set of desert digital BDUs so that he wouldn't have to show up in Fallujah in his class Ds and sent him on his way at the airport last night.

You just brought tears to my eyes. Thank you and God Bless you and yours!

[gimme1ibertee]

What a wonderful thing to do...If all of us would just give a little this way,it would mean so much.

[4integrity]

Wow. I want to say God bless you.....but, obviously, HE already has.....you've been blessed with a good heart, compassion, a wonderful wife....
thank you for what you did......you've made this fellow American feel very proud. Your good deed will be returned to you many fold.

[cyn]

What a sweet story! Thanks for sharing it. Thanks esp. for your kindness, which is 180º from what he would have had otherwise. What a blessing you and your wife were able send him off with! Praying for his protection and that of our other soldiers. We (Jacksonville) just lost a son ...