For those who have, excuse me. For those who haven’t….
The greatest honor that any officer can have is to actually command young men and women in the Armed Forces of the United States of America. Many Many officers when mentoring their junior officers and, in a few cases, their children tell them - “Being a squadron commander is the best job in the world! It goes down hill from there.” For my Army, Navy, and Marine brethren you know what level of command that statement belongs to in your services.
Gen Pace never for got the honor he was given as a very young man. He never forgot the men he couldn’t bring home. In the calculus of war there is always a point where the “needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few”; and, “the needs of the few out weigh the needs of the many”.
I find myself at loss of words to go much farther and the above.
To my young friends who will never grow old - please wait for me for I want to join you and share your laughter and friendship again.
Well said, brother. Well said.
This is the reason I hold our veterans in such high regard. These are the sentiments of noble men, and ours is a world that can sorely use more of that nobility.