Words of a soldier...

spiel2001 · 07-11-09, 02:22 PM

I do not know who the author of this message is, but I was moved by it...

Okay, I need to rant.

I was just watching the news, and I caught part of a report on Michael
Jackson . As we all know, Jackson died the other day. He was an
entertainer who performed for decades. He made millions, he spent
millions, and he did a lot of things that make him a villian to many
people. I understand that his death would affect a lot of people, and
I respect those people who mourn his death, but that isn't the point
of my rant.

Why is it that when ONE man dies, the whole of America loses their
minds with grief. When a man dies whose only contribution to the
country was to ENTERTAIN people, the Amercian people find the need to
flock to a memorial in Hollywood , and even Congress sees the need to
hold a "moment of silence" for his passing?

Am I missing something here? ONE man dies, and all of a sudden he's a
freaking martyr because he entertained us for a few decades? What
about all those SOLDIERS who have died to give us freedom? All those
Soldiers who, knowing that they would be asked to fight in a war,
still raised their hands and swore to defend the Constitution and the
United States of America . Where is there moment of silence? Where
are the people flocking to their graves or memorials and mourning over
them because they made the ultimate sacrifice? Why is it when a
Soldier dies, there are more people saying "good ridence," and "thank
God for IEDs?" When did this country become so calloused to the
sacrifice of GOOD MEN and WOMEN, that they can arbitrarily blow off
thier deaths, and instead, throw themselves into mourning for a "Pop
Icon?"

I think that if they are going to hold a moment of silence IN CONGRESS
for Michael Jackson, they need to hold a moment of silence for every
service member killed in Iraq and Afghanistan . They need to PUBLICLY
recognize every life that has been lost so that the American people
can live their callous little lives in the luxory and freedom that WE,
those that are living and those that have gone on, have provided for
them. But, wait, that would take too much time, because there have
been so many willing to make that sacrifice. After all, we will never
make millions of dollars. We will never star in movies, or write hit
songs that the world will listen too. We only shed our blood, sweat
and tears so that people can enjoy what they have.

Sorry if I have offended, but I needed to say it. Feel free to pass
this along if you want..

Remember these five words the next time you think of someone who is
serving in the military;
"So that others may live..."

Dramber · 07-11-09, 02:41 PM

True Story/Background

Luke AFB is west of Phoenix and is rapidly being surrounded by civilization that complains about the noise from the base and its planes, forgetting that it was there long before they were. A certain lieutenant colonel at Luke AFB deserves a big pat on the back. Apparently, an individual who lives somewhere near Luke AFB wrote the local paper complaining about a group of F-16s that disturbed his/her day at the mall.

When that individual read the response from a Luke AFB officer, it must have stung a bit.

The complaint:

Question of the day for Luke Air Force Base:

Whom do we thank for the morning air show? Last Wednesday, at precisely 9:11 A.M, a tight formation of four F-16 jets made a low pass over Arrowhead Mall, continuing west over Bell Road at approximately 500 feet. Imagine our good fortune! Do the Tom Cruise-wannabe's feel we need this wake-up call, or were they trying to impress the cashiers at Mervyns early bird special?

Any response would be appreciated.

The response:

Regarding 'A wake-up call from Luke's jets' On June 15, at precisely 9:12 a.m., a perfectly timed four- ship fly by of F-16s from the 63rd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base flew over the grave of Capt. Jeremy Fresques. Capt Fresques was an Air Force officer who was previously stationed at Luke Air Force Base and was killed in Iraq on May 30, Memorial Day.

At 9 a.m. On June 15, his family and friends gathered at Sunland Memorial Park in Sun City to mourn the loss of a husband, son and friend. Based on the letter writer's recount of the fly by, and because of the jet noise, I'm sure you didn't hear the 21-gun salute, the playing of taps, or my words to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques as I gave them their son's flag on behalf of the President of the United States and all those veterans and servicemen and women who understand the sacrifices they have endured..

A four-ship fly by is a display of respect the Air Force gives to those who give their lives in defense of freedom. We are professional aviators and take our jobs seriously, and on June 15 what the letter writer witnessed was four officers lining up to pay their ultimate respects.

The letter writer asks, 'Whom do we thank for the morning air show? The 56th Fighter Wing will make the call for you, and forward your thanks to the widow and parents of Capt Fresques, and thank them for you, for it was in their honor that my pilots flew the most honorable formation of their lives.

Only 2 defining forces have ever offered to die for you....Jesus Christ and the American Soldier.
One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.

Lt. Col. Grant L. Rosensteel, Jr.

todd0168 · 07-11-09, 03:54 PM

holy shiznat thats epic

/tear

spiel2001 · 07-11-09, 04:08 PM

This moved me to tears...

Only 2 defining forces have ever offered to die for you....Jesus Christ and the American Soldier.
One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.

Lt. Col. Grant L. Rosensteel, Jr.

Seer · 07-11-09, 05:46 PM

It's late and I might express myself a bit.. wrong..

I'm guessing this is mostly a "US thing" (no offence), not meaning that we treat our soldiers better orso, but I think most here respect the soldiers. They may not approve of what they are doing per see, but at least they blame the government more then the soldiers.

As for what is written by the unknown author, well, he's right, tho I doubt the media (blame them) would ever make to much effort to create the same "hysteria" as when Elvis, Lennon and Jackson died, and off course, the more people "knew" someone the more likely they are to visit grave and give memorials and the more likely the media is reporting on it.

Oh, btw, governments should focus on running the country foremost, it was kinda disturbing when some of our politicians started "meddling" when our nation famous couple broke up (a "singer" and a presenter/actress/model/whatever)... I don't think they should talk about stuff that is of little importance to running a country, the dead of Jackson being that kind of stuff.

***Cairenn*** · 07-11-09, 06:02 PM

Given that both my grandfathers (one Army, one Air Force) were in the war, and given that I have family members that are still in the Forces (some Army, some Air Force, some Navy), and given that my husband used to be in the Air Force ...

And given that I worked with an active Air Force Squadron, and given how close everyone gets in a Squadron, and give that I had to go to the funeral for a member of the Squadron ...

I'm sure you know how that article makes me feel. Very little brings me to tears faster than the sound of Taps being played and the sight of a Missing Man formation overhead.

Riddrick · 07-12-09, 03:07 AM

Human in war is just a tool, not untill somthing bad happens they get publicitet
because some high officer order somthing they can't stand for and the soildier
had to take the blame and had to get in to court...thats the way
it is, and always been for over 1000 years .. easy as that.

And if you famous you get attention and publicity for everything you do,
even if you fart in public, or if you got a shirt someone don't like.

But the strangething in this, when some famous die, people can talk trash
about Him/Her and put them down so much they can, but when the die,
people say they miss them so much how much they love them,
but when they lived, not much people care in the good way of the person.
Thats the reality, it's bad and it sucks.

us2006027321 · 07-12-09, 05:50 AM

During my enlistment in the Air Force, I was stationed in an area that was renowned for anti-military protests. As this was the case, our unit was instructed that any time we went into the general public, we were to refrain from sporting any indicaters of our military service so as to avoid being on the receiving end of unwelcome harm.

One weekend, I had chosen to leave base with a fellow Airman, and neither of us noticed that he had an Air Force logo emblazoned on the back of his jacket. As we made our way into the heart of the city, we got swallowed up in a particularly riotous mob, and a little old lady boldly stepped up to my buddy and spat in his face, screaming obscenities at his decision to be a "mercinary". He very calmly wiped her sputum off his face and told her the following:

"Ma'am, my colleagues and I risk our lives every day so you can have the right to spit in my face without bombshells flying over your heads. If this is the price I must pay for your freedom while I am stationed on home shores, so be it."

The old lady let the sign fall from her hands as she disappeared into the crowd with a look of awe on her face. I'd love to say his statement was made so loudly that it dispersed the mob, but life isn't a fairy tale, and it did not. We did, however, hurriedly make our way back to our unit without further incident so he could change his jacket.