Tuesday, March 29, 2005

It Is A Modest Way Of Showing That We Care

We never should forget the sacrifices of those who have paid so dearly for helping to secure freedom for so many, or those whom had their lives taken by the cowardly acts of terrorists.

When the Trade Center collapsed, we lost a fellow Arizona horseman there. His name is Gary Bird. I had the chance to ride with him a bit at a mutual friend's ranch. He left behind quite a legacy of caring and service to his family, friends and community. I attended his memorial and really came to understand the caliber of human being that these radical Islamic terrorist's took from us. During a business trip to New York a year after the attack, I visited Ground Zero and found his name on plaque listing all who were lost there.

The pride held for the troops and their families cannot be fully expressed. Their aren't words. Truly, where do we find such dedicated individuals? Many of my co-workers have family in Iraq for whom we have created "Care Packages" since the war began. Either creating these packages or purchasing these bracelets is in my view, a modest way of showing that we care.

I am a veteran myself from the Vietnam era. I enlisted in 1974 as a US Army helicopter crew chief and was sent to Europe (due to the reduction of troops in Southeast Asia) to keep an eye on the Soviets and did my complete hitch there until coming home in late 1977. When I returned to the USA, only one person welcomed me home (a very kind U.S. Customs Agent) and it makes me glad to see we don't treat the our troops like that any longer, and pray we never do.

Keep the flame burning and never forget,

Kurt

Monday, March 28, 2005

I Thought It Would Be A Great Gift

My boyfriend used to serve as a sniper in the army. He fought in Panama
and Somalia as well as some other "secret" locations. He recently told
me that he once had a memorial bracelet with the name of a soldier who
was killed in Vietnam. He said if he ever found a place that sold these
he would buy another one. The bracelet he had was significant in that
he and that soldier had the same name and rank. The year that soldier
died was the year my boyfriend was born. I thought it would be a great
gift.

Jantzi

I Wear My Bracelet In His Honor

I recently found a memorial bracelet of my mother's from the Vietnam War. I was not born yet but it really touched me, especially with the war going on today and now its people I know who are sacrificing their lives. I guess it's true that the more things change the more they stay the same. The name on the bracelet is MAJ. James Tucker. He was from Oklahoma. I will wear this bracelet in his honor.

Sunday, March 27, 2005

It Was A Shock To All Of Us

My cousin's son was killed in Iraq on Dec. 23, 2004, he had only been over there since Oct 2004. He was only 32 and married for only 2 yrs. It was a great shock to all of us, like all the others families who lost loved ones. We pray that they all have not lost their lives for nothing.

To Support My Hero

I ordered it to support my closest friend and hero. He retired two years ago after 30 years of service in the army. The army called him and asked if he would serve a tour in Iraq. He said yes with out blinking (he did not want to retire to start with). He believes that if he goes one young soldier will not have to or at least be delayed. This is such selfless service on his part. He served in Vietnam with the 1st cav as their medic. He was a 2nd LT. He lost a kidney and 2 ribs, spent 3 months in the hospital in Japan and 2 in Ft. Carson. I served with him in the army and he is a father figure to my son who is in the Air National Guard as a F-15 crew chief. We are a proud military family and I wanted to wear this until he comes home safely to me. I wear it proudly with my military uniform. He always wears his when in uniform bearing the name of a soldier lost in Vietnam. He is my hero and I could not imagine life with out him in it.

Friday, March 25, 2005

So I Will Never Forget The Men That I Lost

The reason I order this particular person, is because I was involved. I was the platoon leader on QRF the night that his tank was hit with an IED. We responded to the site, to find an Abrams tank blown into two pieces. We pulled the bodies out of the tank. Two were medevac and one we were unable to retrieve until we got some heavy equipment in. That next morning we retrieved SPC Campoy's body. I loaded his body into my vehicle and drove him an hour to the nearest medical facility. I will never forget those two long days.

Thank you very much.

Greg