Jambo and I have a friend who is just returning from Iraq... we'll call him Jason Rad. He is serving with the MN Air National Guard, and included me in his last letter to family and friends from Iraq. I just had to share some of what he wrote:
"First and foremost, I want you all to know I think about home as often as I can let myself. Tending not to dwell on people or places other than here keeps my mind on the here and now. Something that is paramount to making it out of here. I would also like to let you all know this is far from bad. I could tell you about the Steak and lobster I ate last week or the Mongolian barbecue that I will miss to let you know that, but I wanted to take a second to acknowledge those men and women outside the “wire” that are shouldering the brunt of what we’re doing here. And make no mistakes, we are doing extraordinary things regardless of what you see in the media or hear of in the news. You have no idea what the Iraqi people have been through, lived through and now have at their feet opportunity that was only available through the sacrifices of those same people outside the wire, some of whom will never come home. If it’s anything you do NEVER belittle their sacrifices by making some political statement about the cost of this war and their lives, until you’ve been here, seen the real story and understood what it means to serve... regardless of personal feelings, just shut your mouth. You’ll piss me off. Those people on the outside protect me, so I can do my job to keep support in the air to protect them, and I am forever appreciative of what they go through for my safety and the safety of others like me as well as what they do for my country, Iraq and the world. Rick, please… pass that on, you Army folks rock!
There is a sense of pride in what I’m doing here, even though I don’t feel like I’m on the “front line”. The changes that have been made for the people of this country, the support for my fellow airmen and soldiers. It may sound a little crazy, but it hit me one night when I made it to “work”. One of our “ladies” was moving out as I walked by the taxi way. I snapped a salute so crisp it could have made it on a poster, not because I had too, just because it’s unspoken protocol I guess. I had the salute returned from the cockpit and as she rolled by I saw those little brown bands on the loaded munitions (she was hot). At that moment, engine screaming through my hearing protectors, I grinned from ear to ear. Macabre as it may sound, I knew someone, somewhere was going to have a bad night. And that someone was America’s enemies."
Jason... well done, my friend! Can't thank you enough for choosing to share this with me, and for serving in the manner and with the enthusiasm that you do. You do your country, your family and yourself PROUD, buddy... we won't forget it.
Happy New Year Jason... and safe travels as you make your way home.
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1 comment:
Let him know I said be safe and Thank you.
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