j.w
I Love my Goldies
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I just thought I'd share this w/ you all. It's from a friend who is quite involved w/ helping the military:
My friend got this letter after she remarked in a letter that she sent this soldier that he would always be a hero to her......
Truth be told – I needed to see someone [no offense Roy – I’d have picked Judy] and was blessed that the person I ended up seeing also wanted to see me. As I said – like seeing an old friend. This is what my guys need too. They don’t need to be here – they need to go home and connect with a few good friends. They need to try to explain their experience, their time away and even their loss to someone that wasn’t there – so they can put what happened into words and come to deal with it.
My guys in their twenties will know this as the time that defined their lives. Some will deal with it well, others no so well. As I am in my 50’s – to me it was just another adventure in a long string of the same. I can help the young-lings – but ultimately they will have to learn what works for them. Regardless of their attitude or age – friends are the key. Non-judgmental, interested friends. Not people to help us ‘get over’ ‘get past’ ‘get on with life’ ‘get while the getting is good’ ‘get er done’ – oops got get-ed away there – but friends just to talk with, eat with, drink with – just be with.
It’s not what happened to us or our friends, it is how we deal with it. And I give my guys a different point of view – how you deal with it doesn’t ever change it, as what happened is now history. Waterloo, Battle of Breeds Hill, death of Steve Jobs – all history – all unchangeable. You call us heroes – I call my men heroic. And before you say that I have pointed out a difference without a distinction I will remind you that Hero refers to the past but heroic refers to actions.
We are not heroes, we are Soldiers. We may be described by what we did – but we choose to be remembered by what we do. If I am great, it is due to the fact that daily I put on a uniform and go to work in a place where few choose to go. If I am great it is because I take a great group of likeminded individuals with me. If I am great it is because I serve with the greatest our nation has to offer. We volunteered, we made this choice, and we watch each other’s back. We live, laugh and love with a ferocity that scares timid souls and makes women swoon. We crush obstacles without a second thought and cradle small babies in our arms without waking them. We are your sons and daughters. We are your husbands and wives. If we are great, if we are heroes, we are because you have made us that way. We are you, that part of you that dethrones tyranny, herald’s justice and celebrates the rights of the individual.
My comrades and I have given up our individual freedoms for a time to insure a greater freedom. A freedom that was passed on to us and a sense of duty to share that freedom with the world. Well – anyway – I guess I’m preaching to the choir. If you insist on calling me a hero – measure me on this scale. Was I hero in my loyalty, in doing my duty, in my respect? Was I a hero in my selfless service and my honor? Was my integrity and personal courage heroic? In short – did my actions live up to my Army Values / The Army values? And if my actions did – then am I a hero – or did I just meet the standard?
I will shake your hand, thank you for all your kind words and well wishes, accept the cup of coffee, glass of water, and/or slice of pie with the same gratitude it was offered. I will even let you call me a hero, if it does your heart good. But know that deep inside I see myself as something else; I am an American fighting man. My comrades, be they Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen or Marines and I have a different word for us – we are Patriots, and we are Damn proud of each other and Damn Proud of the country we serve!
My friend got this letter after she remarked in a letter that she sent this soldier that he would always be a hero to her......
Truth be told – I needed to see someone [no offense Roy – I’d have picked Judy] and was blessed that the person I ended up seeing also wanted to see me. As I said – like seeing an old friend. This is what my guys need too. They don’t need to be here – they need to go home and connect with a few good friends. They need to try to explain their experience, their time away and even their loss to someone that wasn’t there – so they can put what happened into words and come to deal with it.
My guys in their twenties will know this as the time that defined their lives. Some will deal with it well, others no so well. As I am in my 50’s – to me it was just another adventure in a long string of the same. I can help the young-lings – but ultimately they will have to learn what works for them. Regardless of their attitude or age – friends are the key. Non-judgmental, interested friends. Not people to help us ‘get over’ ‘get past’ ‘get on with life’ ‘get while the getting is good’ ‘get er done’ – oops got get-ed away there – but friends just to talk with, eat with, drink with – just be with.
It’s not what happened to us or our friends, it is how we deal with it. And I give my guys a different point of view – how you deal with it doesn’t ever change it, as what happened is now history. Waterloo, Battle of Breeds Hill, death of Steve Jobs – all history – all unchangeable. You call us heroes – I call my men heroic. And before you say that I have pointed out a difference without a distinction I will remind you that Hero refers to the past but heroic refers to actions.
We are not heroes, we are Soldiers. We may be described by what we did – but we choose to be remembered by what we do. If I am great, it is due to the fact that daily I put on a uniform and go to work in a place where few choose to go. If I am great it is because I take a great group of likeminded individuals with me. If I am great it is because I serve with the greatest our nation has to offer. We volunteered, we made this choice, and we watch each other’s back. We live, laugh and love with a ferocity that scares timid souls and makes women swoon. We crush obstacles without a second thought and cradle small babies in our arms without waking them. We are your sons and daughters. We are your husbands and wives. If we are great, if we are heroes, we are because you have made us that way. We are you, that part of you that dethrones tyranny, herald’s justice and celebrates the rights of the individual.
My comrades and I have given up our individual freedoms for a time to insure a greater freedom. A freedom that was passed on to us and a sense of duty to share that freedom with the world. Well – anyway – I guess I’m preaching to the choir. If you insist on calling me a hero – measure me on this scale. Was I hero in my loyalty, in doing my duty, in my respect? Was I a hero in my selfless service and my honor? Was my integrity and personal courage heroic? In short – did my actions live up to my Army Values / The Army values? And if my actions did – then am I a hero – or did I just meet the standard?
I will shake your hand, thank you for all your kind words and well wishes, accept the cup of coffee, glass of water, and/or slice of pie with the same gratitude it was offered. I will even let you call me a hero, if it does your heart good. But know that deep inside I see myself as something else; I am an American fighting man. My comrades, be they Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen or Marines and I have a different word for us – we are Patriots, and we are Damn proud of each other and Damn Proud of the country we serve!
