Must read this.

[Tunaman]

This one just wrecked me...
Hope this invokes in you the emotions it invoked in me in appreciating what our military is sacrificing for us. Regardless of your feelings on this war, we are safer because of our military and they deserve our thoughts and prayers during this Holiday Season.

Ray "Frenchie" Quesnel
U.S.M.C. Alpha 1/5 '67-'69
Semper Fi


-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Sent: Fri, 17 Nov 2006 7:51 AM
Subject: Fwd: FW: A Different Christmas Poem


In a message dated 11/17/2006 6:12:57 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, [email protected] writes:
A Different Christmas Poem
>>>>
>>>> The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
>>>> I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
>>>> My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
>>>> My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
>>>> Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
>>>> Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
>>>> The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
>>>> Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
>>>> My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
>>>> Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
>>>> In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
>>>> So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
>>>>
>>>> The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
>>>> But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
>>>> Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
>>>> Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the
>>>> snow. My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
>>>> And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
>>>> Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
>>>> A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
>>>>
>>>> A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
>>>> Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
>>>> Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
>>>> Standing watch over me, and my wife and my
>>>> child. "What are you doing?" I asked without
>>>> fear, "Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
>>>> Put down your pack, brush the snow from your
>>>> sleeve, You should be at home on a cold
>>>> Christmas Eve!"
>>>>
>>>> For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
>>>> Away from the cold and the snow blown in
>>>> drifts. To the window that danced with a
>>>> warm fire's light, Then he sighed and he said
>>>> "Its really all right, I'm out here by choice. I'm
>>>> here every night."
>>>> "It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
>>>> That separates you from the darkest of times.
>>>> No one had to ask or beg or implore me, I'm
>>>> proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
>>>> My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"
>>>> Then he sighed, "that's a Christmas 'Gram
>>>> always remembers." My dad stood his watch
>>>> in the jungles of 'Nam', And now it is my turn
>>>> and so, here I am. I've not seen my own son in
>>>> more than a while, But my wife sends me
>>>> pictures, he's sure got her smile.
>>>>
>>>> Then he bent and he carefully pulled from
>>>> his bag, The red, white, and blue ... an American flag.
>>>> I can live through the cold and the being alone,
>>>> Away from my family, my house and my home. I
>>>> can stand at my post through the rain and the
>>>> sleet, I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
>>>> I can carry the weight of killing another,
>>>> Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
>>>> Who stand at the front against any and all,
>>>> To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."
>>>>
>>>> "So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
>>>> Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
>>>>
>>>> "But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
>>>> "Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a
>>>> feast? It seems all too little for all that you've done,
>>>> For being away from your wife and your son."
>>>>
>>>> Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
>>>> "Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
>>>> To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
>>>> To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
>>>> For when we come home, either standing or dead,
>>>> To know you remember we fought and we bled.
>>>> Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
>>>> That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."
>>>> * * * * *
>>>> PLEASE, Would you do me the kind favor of
>>>> sending this to as many people as you can?
>>>> Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due
>>>> to our US service men and women for our being
>>>> able to celebrate these festivities. Let's try in this
>>>> small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make
>>>> people stop and think of our heroes, living and
>>>> dead, who sacrificed themselves for us.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> LCDR Jeff Giles, SC, USN
>>>> 30th Naval Construction Regiment
>>>> OIC, Logistics Cell One
>>>> Al Taqqadum, Iraq

[evildead420]

On veterans day, i happen to take some pics for myself & a tribute to my grandfather who serviced the military during WW2. Ill add to this thread if u dont mind.

[Warwitch]

Right on brother! And I agree, it doesnt matter how you feel about our govts. decisions. Our troops are out there doing the job nobody else will. Say "thank you" once in a while

[bentothejam1n]

i was just thinking about posting this... i liked it a lot
great pictures evildead

[ahellers]

thanks for posting that tuna and evildead. means alot.
t

[evildead420]

this was one of those times were I felt really doing something for other people to appricate. GGC is just a few minutes away from my home and I always wanted to take stills there forever. That day was perfect to do it, and I was hungover as hell i had a great time doing it, that place has such a wierd atmosphere cause of all the headstones. That was just one of the sides of the cemetery, its really huge.

[bentothejam1n]

as long as we are posting patriotic emails..
John McCain's remarks about the Pledge of Allegiance!

In light of the recent appeals court ruling in California, with respect to the Pledge of Allegiance, the following recollection from Senator John McCain is very appropriate:

"The Pledge of Allegiance" - by Senator John McCain


As you may know, I spent five and one half years as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War. In the early years of our imprisonment, the NVA kept us in solitary confinement
or two or three to a cell. In 1971 the NVA moved us from these conditions of isolation into large rooms with as many as 30 to 40 men to a room.

This was, as you can imagine, a wonderful change and was a direct result of the efforts of millions of Americans onbehalf of a few hundred POWs 10,000 miles from home.

One of the men who moved into my room was a young man named Mike Christian.

Mike came from a small town near Selma , Alabama He didn't wear a pair of shoes until he was 13 years old. At 17, he enlisted in the US Navy. He later earned a commission by going to Officer Training School Then he became a Naval Flight Officer and was shot down and captured in 1967. Mike had a keen and deep appreciation of the opportunities this country and our military provide for people who want to work and want to succeed.

As part
of the change in treatment, the Vietnamese allowed some prisoners to receive packages from home. In some of these packages were handkerchiefs, scarves and other items of clothing.

Mike got himself a bamboo needle. Over a period of a couple of months, he created an American flag and sewed on the inside of his shirt.

Every afternoon, before we had a bowl of soup, we would hang Mike's shirt on the wall of the cell and say the Pledge of Allegiance.

I know the Pledge of Allegiance may not seem the most important part of our day now, but I can assure you that in that stark cell it was indeed the most important and meaningful event.

One day the Vietnamese searched our cell, as they did periodically, and discovered Mike's shirt with the flag sewn inside, and removed it.

That evening they returned, opened the door
of the cell, and for the benefit of all of us, beat Mike Christian severely for the next couple of hours Then, they opened the door of the cell and threw him in. We cleaned him up as well as we could.

The cell in which we lived had a concrete slab in the middle on which we slept Four naked light bulbs hung in each corner of the room.

As I said, we tried to clean up Mike as well as we could. After the excitement died down, I looked in the corner of the room, and sitting there beneath that dim light bulb with a piece of red cloth, another shirt and his bamboo needle, was my friend, Mike Christian. He was sitting there with his eyes almost shut from the beating he had received, making another American flag. He was not making the flag because it made Mike Christian feel better. He was making that flag because he knew how important it was to us to be able to Pledge our allegiance to our flag and country.

So the next time you say the Pledge of
Allegiance, you must never forget the sacrifice and courage that thousands of Americans have made to build our nation and promote freedom around the world.

You must remember our duty, our honor, and our country

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

[-Tab]

That was some powerful stuff.
I haven't completely decided if I want to be a Marine yet, but everytime I see stuff like this, it makes the calling stronger.

Everytime I hear about war protests and people who don't support our troops, I wanna snap. Very few things upset me more than being unpatriotic.

Thanks for the great post!

[Recon by Fire]

[KC]

Im posting it on txzr2.com

What a tribute.

[MedicDVG]

I am currently in the process of pre-deployment as a civilian paramedic to Iraq. I will be at camp anaconda sometime in the next two weeks. While I am not a soldier, I certainly thank those that serve, and I hope that I can contribute in some small way to thier mission while I am there.

[Tunaman]

I am currently in the process of pre-deployment as a civilian paramedic to Iraq. I will be at camp anaconda sometime in the next two weeks. While I am not a soldier, I certainly thank those that serve, and I hope that I can contribute in some small way to thier mission while I am there.

You are a soldier Bro...in my eyes. You enlisted to help out and you are doing just that. Now "Git 'er Done" and get back safe. Thanks for your service.

[kosmo]

Everytime I hear about war protests and people who don't support our troops, I wanna snap. Very few things upset me more than being unpatriotic.

Uh, move often than not, war protestors ARE supporting the troops, you dolt. As a soldier, I appreciate someone who says "We love our troops, stop getting them killed" much more than someone who says "Thanks for getting killed while installing useless, corrupt Islamic governments".

[warbeak2099]

Ooh-rah! I have the utmost respect for the Marine options in my ROTC unit. I know I could never do what they're doing and what they're going to do, especially Marine OCS.

And yes, send this to people. Maybe it'll get back to a service-man or woman. I was home for Columbus Day weekend and was in my SDB's (Service Dress Blues) after church. I went with my gf to pick up some orange juice from the supermarket and a woman stopped me outside. She just shook my hand and said thank you. I was dumbfounded. I couldn't think of anything to say except for "oh thank you ma'am". It felt amazing. I'm not even active duty, so to someone who is, showing them you support them doing their job feels fantastic. All it takes is a simple thank you.

[-Tab]

Uh, move often than not, war protestors ARE supporting the troops, you dolt. As a soldier, I appreciate someone who says "We love our troops, stop getting them killed" much more than someone who says "Thanks for getting killed while installing useless, corrupt Islamic governments".

Say what you want, but I've seen plenty of people that show direct hatred towards troops.
I realize you're a serviceman, so I can't argue with you a lot, but when I talk about people not showing support for our troops, I mean it.