Today It Is Our Turn To Give (To Our Servicemen and Servicewomen)

Posted by Ercille Christmas at 11/9/2009 9:20 AM
Categories: Military
Tags: Project Valour-IT;US Military;Fort Hood

Over the past few days, we have had brought home to us how the servicemen and women in our Military, are called upon to lay down their lives, even in the safety of a base on their home turf. The slaughter at Fort Hood is a reminder to us all how, on a daily basis, men and women who choose to serve, sacrifice more than many of us will ever have a clue.

As I learn more about the individual soldiers who were killed, I have to confess that I am struggling with grief and rage. I did not know any of them personally, and yet I feel as if I did. Maybe I feel that way because they were "us," men and women going about their daily lives, on the job earning a living. There is one significant difference. While we may leave home in the morning to go to work, and return some time later that day, these troops say their goodbyes on their way to work, and return months, years later, if they are fortunate. 

The soldiers at Fort Hood never returned from the job. Their families are left to mourn soldiers who range from a young kid just out of school, to a grandfather whose grown daughter plaintively asked: "Now, who am I going to talk to"? I hope that we all can be there for Keeley Vanachek who lost her dad Michael Grant Cahill.

So how can the rest of us help? We can help by giving what we can to help the wounded, and there are about thirty now added to the roll of troops whose bodies have been broken, but from all reports, their spirits are whole, as whole as can be expected in their circumstances. Project Valour-IT is drawing to a close and we can help any of the teams participating. But, as a supporter, or as I call myself "a temporary" Marine, please support the Marines' Team, which did win the video contest!  

The following link shows the winning entry in the video contest: Project Valour-IT: Help for our heroes . What I find striking about this collage is that it captures the can do spirit of those who lost limbs.  There is no "woe is me" attitude, just the opposite.
<:od>Come November 2010, my period of observation will have the following sequence: November 5 (massacre at Fort Hood), November 10 (Birthday of the Marine Corps), and November 11 (Veterans Day).

I share the following courtesy of http://thecsquare.blogspot.com/

Swab The Breach

Lance Cpl. Marcus Ramos and M777 A2 lightweight howitzer Fire Base Pico, Nov. 2, 2009.
USMC photo Sgt. Christopher R. Rye

Constitution of the United States

Constitution of the United States
We The People........

"We the people" have our freedom, courtesy of the brave men and women of all branches of the service. May we never forget or take for granted their sacrifice. I borrow the oft-quoted: "Land of the free, because of the brave," (men and women of our Military, the finest in the entire world)!

 

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  • 11/10/2009 7:53 AM Villainous Company wrote:
    Two days away from the end of the competition, and on the 234th Birthday of the Marine Corps, the Marine team stands about $3000 away from our goal. We've worked hard, but we're coming into the home stretch. I'd like...
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