How Do Ya Know?

[azwildcat]

quote:
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Originally posted by wrnakedru
I wish you enough, my friends.
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wrnakedru, dammit girl,

i said i wouldn't cry today then i read this and here comes the flood

[jen]

Originally posted by azwildcat
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by wrnakedru
I wish you enough, my friends.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
wrnakedru, dammit girl,

i said i wouldn't cry today then i read this and here comes the flood

az,

Good tears are the best kind to cry!

[azwildcat]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Jen
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by azwildcat
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by wrnakedru
I wish you enough, my friends.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
wrnakedru, dammit girl,

i said i wouldn't cry today then i read this and here comes the flood
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
az,
Good tears are the best kind to cry!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Jen,
so, true, but when your kids come in your room then, as they are looking at eachother and say "Oh boy, her she goes again"
i think that you've done enough of it for a while.


plus the youngest said that it was alright and asked where my aawwweeee was, cuz she'd kiss it and make it all better. kids i tell ya they always have something to say that can always make you laugh and cry at the same time

[wrnakedru]

"Perspective" -

I sat in my seat of the Boeing 767 waiting for everyone to hurry and stow their carry-ons and grab a seat so we could start what I was sure to be a long , uneventful flight home. With the huge capacity and slow moving people taking their time to stuff luggage far too big for the overhead and never paying much attention to holding up the growing line behind them, I simply shook my head knowing that this flight was not starting out very well.

I was anxious to get home to see my loved ones so I was focused on "my" issues and just felt like standing up and yelling for some of these clowns to get their act together. I knew I couldn't say a word so I just thumbed thru the "Sky Mall" magazine from the seat pocket in front of me.

You know it's really getting rough when you resort to the over priced, useless sky mall crap to break the monotony. With everyone finally seated, we just sat there with the cabin door open and no one in any hurry to get us going although we were well past the scheduled take off time. No wonder the airline industry is in trouble I told myself.

Just then, the attendant came on the intercom to inform us all that we were being delayed. The entire plane let out a collective groan. She resumed speaking to say "We are holding the aircraft for some very special people who are on their way to the plane and the delay shouldn't be more than 5 minutes." The word came after waiting six times as long as we were promised
that "I" was finally going to be on my way home.

Why the hoopla over "these" folks? I was expecting some celebrity or sport figure to be the reason for the hold up.........Just get their butts in a seat and lets hit the gas I thought. The attendant came back on the speaker to announce in a loud and excited voice that we were being joined by several U. S. Marines returning home from Iraq!!!

Just as they walked on board, the entire plane erupted into applause. The men were a bit taken by surprise by the 340 people cheering for them as they searched for their seats. They were having their hands shook and touched by almost everyone who was within an arm's distance of them as they passed down
the aisle. One elderly woman kissed the hand of one of the Marines as he passed by her. The applause, whistles and cheering didn't stop for a long time.

When we were finally airborne, "I" was not the only civilian checking his conscience as to the delays in "me" getting home, finding my easy chair, a cold beverage and the remote in my hand.

These men had done for all of us and I had been complaining silently about "me" and "my" issues. I took for granted the everyday freedoms I enjoy and the conveniences of the American way of life I took for granted others paid the price for my ability to moan and complain about a few minutes delay to "me" those heroes going home to their loved ones. I attempted to get my selfish outlook back in order and minutes before we landed I suggested to the attendant that she announce over the speaker a request for everyone to remain in their seats until our heroes were allowed to gather their things and be first off the plane.

The cheers and applause continued until the last Marine stepped off and we all rose to go about our too often taken for granted everyday freedoms......... I felt proud of them.

I felt it an honor and a privilege to be among the first to welcome them home and say "Thank You" for a job well done. I vowed that I will never forget that flight nor the lesson learned. I can't say it enough, "THANK YOU" to those veterans and active servicemen and women who may read this and a prayer for those who cannot because they are no longer with us.

GOD BLESS AMERICA! WELCOME HOME! AND THANKS FOR A JOB WELL DONE !!!!!

This is a ribbon for soldiers fighting in Iraq.

[azwildcat]

wrnakedru,

GOD BLESS AMERICA! THANKS FOR A JOB WELL DONE !!!!!


we own all the service men and women our gratitude for the freedom we all enjoy today !!!

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

[wrnakedru]

[This was sent to me from the Mom of the writer, She says she "pieced" it from the emails received over the summer from her son. She felt it was important to share the contents. Additionally, she requests: "Please continue to pray for our military and leaders."]


It has been a while since I have written to my friends about what's really going on here in Iraq. The news you watch on TV is exaggerated, sensationalized and selective. Good news doesn't sell. The stuff you don't hear about?

Let's start with Electrical Power production in Iraq. The day after the war was declared over, there was nearly 0 power being generated in Iraq. 45 days later, in a partnership between the Army, the Iraqi people and some private companies, there are now 3200 mega watts (Mw) of power being produced daily, 1/3 of the total national potential of 8000 Mw. Downed power lines (big stuff, 400 Kilovolt (Kv) and132 Kv) are being repaired and are about 70% complete.

Then there is water purification. In central Iraq between Baghdad and Mosul, home of the 4th Infantry Division, Water treatment was spotty at best. The facilities existed, but the controls were never implemented. Simple chemicals like Chlorine for purification and Alum (Aluminum Sulfate) for sediment settling (The Tigris River is about as clear as the Mississippi River) were in short supply or not used at all and when chlorine was used, it was metered by the scientific method of guessing. So some people got pool water and some people got water with lots of little things moving in it. We are slowly but surely solving that. Contracts for repairs to facilities that are only 50% or less operational are being let, chemicals are being delivered, although we don't have the metering problem solved yet (It's only been 45 days).

How about oil and fuel? Well the war was all about oil wasn't it? You bet it was. It was all about oil for the Iraqi people because they have no other income, they produce nothing else. Oil is 95% of the Iraqi GNP. For this nation to survive, it must sell oil. The Refinery at Bayji is at 75% of capacity producing gasoline. The crude pipeline between Kirkuk (Oil Central) and Bayji will be repaired by tomorrow (2 June). LPG, what all Iraqis use to cook and heat with, is at 103% of normal production and we, the US ARMY, at least 4th ID, are insuring it is being distributed fairly to all Iraqis. You have to remember that 3 months ago, all these things were used as weapons against the population to keep them in line. If a town misbehaved, gasoline shipments, LPG pipelines and trucks stopped, water was turned off, power was turned off.

Now, until exports start, every drop of gasoline produced goes to the Iraqi people, crude oil is being stored, the country is at 75% capacity now, they need to export or stop pumping soon, thank the UN for the delay. All LPG goes to the Iraqi people everywhere. Water is being purified as best they can, but at least it's running all the time to everyone.

Are we still getting shot at? Yep. Are American Soldiers still dying? Yep, about 1 a day from the 4th ID, most in accidents, but dead is dead. If we are doing all this for the Iraqis, why are they shooting at us? The general population isn't. There
are still bad guys, who won't let go of the old regime. They are Ba'ath party members (Read Nazi Party, but not as nice) who know nothing but the regime. They were thugs for the regime that caused many to disappear in the night and they have no other skills. At least the Nazis had jobs they could go back to after the war as plumbers, managers, engineers, etc...these people have no skills but terror. They are simply applying their skills....and we are applying ours.

There is no Christian way to say they must be eliminated and we are doing so with all the efficiency we can muster. Our troops are shot at literally every day by small arms and RPGs. We respond and 100% of the time, the Ba'ath party guys come out with the short end of the stick. The most amazing thing to me is that they don't realize that if they stopped shooting at us, we would focus on fixing things and leave. The more they shoot at us, the longer we will stay.

Lastly, realize that 90% the damage you see on TV was caused by Iraqis, not the war. Sure we took out a few bridges from military necessity, we took out a few power and phone lines to disrupt communications, sure we drilled a few palaces and government headquarters buildings with 2000 lb laser guided bombs (I work 100 yards from where two hit the Tikrit Palace); he had plenty to spare. But, any damage you see to schools, hospitals, power generation facilities, refineries, pipelines, was all caused either by the Iraqi Army in its death throes or Iraqi civilians looting the places.

Could the army have prevented it? Nope. We can and do now, but 45 days ago the average soldier was lucky to know what town he was in much less know who owned what or have the power to stop 1,000 people from looting a building by himself.

The United States and Britian are doing a very noble thing here. We stuck our necks out on the world chopping block to free a people. I've already talked the weapons of mass destruction thing to death, bottom line, who cares, this country was one
big conventional weapons ammo dump anyway. We have probably destroyed more weapons and ammo in the last 30 days than the US Army has ever fired in the last 30 years (Remember, this is a country the size of Texas.), so drop the WMD argument as the reason we came here; if we find it great, if we don't, so what? I'm living in a "guest palace" on a 500 acre compound with 20 palaces with like facilities built in half a dozen towns all over Iraq that were built for one man. Drive down the street and out into the countryside 5 miles away (I have) and see a family of 10 living in a mud hut herding two dozen sheep. Then tell me why you think we are here.

Please forward this to as many as you can. If our news media won't print the truth then maybe we can do their job and get the news out thru email. Let the people of the U.S. and the world know just what our men and woman are doing in Iraq. I couldn't live like those people do and I don't think 98% of the people in the US could either.




The big Texan...Smile its catchy......:-)))

[wrnakedru]

Thursday, September 11, 2003
Resilience

The best thing to do when the worst thing happens is to begin moving forward again. The real essence of strength is in resilience. Drawing upon and exercising such strength will make it grow ever stronger. Make the commitment to bounce back and you end up at an even higher level, an even stronger position than before.

It is indeed difficult to begin going forward when your world has just been devastated. Yet time and time again, people do, and as they move persistently ahead, the world does too.

The resilience of a positive purpose knows no defeat, for each setback serves to move it forward. It requires much effort and sacrifice, yet it is worth the cost. For with resilience we steadily rise above higher and higher levels of challenge. With resilience we move our lives beyond our fears, and forge ahead in the direction of the best we can be.

On this day especially, consider the power of resilience. And do what must be done to move yourself and your world positively and lovingly forward.

-- Ralph Marston

[wrnakedru]

It could have been any night of the week, as I sat in one of those loud and casual steak houses that are cropping up all over the country. You know the type- a bucket of peanuts on the table, shells littering the floor, and a bunch of perky college kids racing around with longneck beers and sizzling platters.

Taking a sip of my iced tea, I studied the crowd over the rim of my glass. I let my gaze linger on a few of the tables next to me, where several uniformed military members were enjoying their meals. Smiling sadly, I glanced across my booth to the empty seat where my husband usually sat. Had it had only been a few weeks since we had sat at this very table talking about his upcoming deployment to the Middle East? He made me promise to come back to this restaurant once a month, sit in our booth, and treat myself to a nice dinner. He told me that he would treasure the thought of me there eating a steak and thinking about him until he came home. I fingered the little flag pin I wear on my jacket and wondered where at that moment he was. Was he safe and warm? Was his cold any better? Were any of my letters getting to him?

As I pondered all of these things, shrill feminine voices from the next booth broke into my thoughts.

"I don't know what Bush is thinking invading Iraq. Didn't he learn anything from his father's mistakes? He is an idiot anyway, I can't believe he is even in office. You know he stole the election."

I cut into my steak and tried not to listen as they began an endless tirade of running down our president. I thought about the last night I was with my husband as he prepared to deploy. He had just returned from getting his smallpox and anthrax shots and the image of him standing in our kitchen packing his gas mask still gave me chills.

Once again their voices invaded my thoughts.

"It is all about oil, you know. Our military will go in and rape and pillage and steal all the oil they can in the name of freedom. I wonder how many innocent lives our soldiers will take without a thought? It is just pure greed."

My chest tightened and I stared at my wedding ring. I could picture how handsome my husband was in his mess dress the day he slipped it on my finger. I wondered what he was wearing at that moment. He probably had on his desert uniform, affectionately dubbed coffee stains, over the top of which he wore a heavy bulletproof vest.

"We should just leave Iraq alone. I don't think they are hiding any weapons. I think it is all a ploy to increase the president's popularity and pad the budget of our military at the expense of social security and education. We are just asking for another 9-11 and I can't say when it happens again that we didn't deserve it."

Their words brought to mind the war protesters I had watched gathering outside our base. Did no one appreciate the sacrifice of brave men and women who leave their homes and family to ensure our freedom? I glimpsed at the tables around me and saw the faces of some of those courageous men, looking sad as they listened to the ladies talk.

"Well, I for one, think it is a travesty to invade Iraq and I am certainly sick of our tax dollars going to train the professional baby killers we call a military."

Professional baby killers? As I thought about what a wonderful father my husband is and wondered how long it would be before he was able to see his children again, indignation rose up within me. Normally reserved, pride in my husband gave me a boldness I had never known. Tonight, one voice would cry out on behalf of the military. One shy woman would stand and let her pride in our troops be known.

I made my way to their table, placed my palms flat on it and lowered myself to be eye level with them.

Smiling I said, "I couldn't help overhearing your conversation. I am sitting over her trying to enjoy my dinner alone. Do you know why I am alone? Because my husband, whom I love dearly, is halfway across the world defending your right to say rotten things about him. You have the right to your opinion, and what you think is none of my business, but what you say in my hearing is and I will not sit by and listen to you run down my country, my president, my husband, and all these other fine men and women in here who put their lives on the line to give you the freedom to complain. Freedom is expensive ladies, don't let your actions cheapen it."

I must have been louder than I meant to be, because about that time the manager came over and asked if everything was all right.

"Yes, thank you." I replied and then turned back to the ladies, "Enjoy the rest of your meal."

To my surprise, as I sat down to finish my steak, a round of applause broke out in the restaurant. Not long after the ladies picked up their check and scurried away, the manager brought me a huge helping of apple cobbler and ice cream, compliments of the table to my left. He told me that the ladies had tried to pay for my dinner, but someone had beaten them to it. When I asked who, he said the couple had already left, but that the man had mentioned he was a W.W.II vet and wanted to take care of the wife of one of our boys.

I turned to thank the soldiers for the cobbler, but they wouldn't hear a word of it, retorting, "Thank you; you said what we wanted to say but weren't allowed."

As I drove home that night, for the first time in while, I didn't feel quite so alone. My heart was filled with the warmth of all the patrons who had stopped by my table to tell me they too were proud of my husband and that he would be in their prayers. I knew their flags would fly a little higher the next day. Perhaps they would look for tangible ways to show their pride in our country and our troops, and maybe, just maybe, the two ladies sitting at that table next to me would pause for a minute to appreciate all the freedom this great country offers and what it costs to maintain. As for me, I had learned that one voice can make a difference.

Maybe the next time protesters gather outside the gates of the base where I live, I will proudly stand across the street with a sign of my own. A sign that says "Thank you!"

Lori Kimble
-----------------------

Lori Kimble is a 31 year old teacher and proud military wife. She is a California native currently living in Alabama.

[Elusive BiFem]

Wow, wrnakedru...a potent message...no matter the side of the fence one may sit on.

I would like to say, "Thank you," too...to all the men, women, mothers, daugthers, fathers, brothers...just everyone...that give of themselves and their loved ones...to protect and defend me.

And thank you...for posting this.

- EBF

[C@YWMI]

Wow, wrnakedru...a potent message...no matter the side of the fence one may sit on.

Elusive BiFem

Exactly What I thought. I sit hear with tears in my eyes, tear of pride and tears of sadness. After reading that message, I for one am so proud of our Military and thier family, And that one short Paragraph

Smiling I said, "I couldn't help overhearing your conversation. I am sitting over her trying to enjoy my dinner alone. Do you know why I am alone? Because my husband, whom I love dearly, is halfway across the world defending your right to say rotten things about him. You have the right to your opinion, and what you think is none of my business, but what you say in my hearing is and I will not sit by and listen to you run down my country, my president, my husband, and all these other fine men and women in here who put their lives on the line to give you the freedom to complain. Freedom is expensive ladies, don't let your actions cheapen it."

Wraps up all my feelings about the moaners and the groaners That don't understand the pride or the E Spite' de-cour(sp?) The honor or the pride that our troops have or the pain that their families have to endure.
I guess why this hits so close to home. A couple of weeks ago after watching my son play on the local High School Football Team I was congratulating the team like I always do for a good game. When I came across a young man Who had a excellent game that night. His family was around him trying to comfort him he had tears in his eyes. I congratulated him him for a good game, then asked his Aunt if he was okay, she nodded her head and quietly said he just misses his Dad. You see his Dad was activated at the begining of the year for a tour in Iraq. And this is his last year to play High School ball. Even those this family misses this reservist terribly they are proud of him and can't wait to see him home I have never heard them publicly. Cut down the President for sending him over there, they seem to understand

[OhioCouple]

C@Y

One word.

Amen.

[OhioCouple]

NAIL IN THE FENCE

There once was a little girl who had a bad temper.
Her mother gave her a bag of nails and told her that
every time she lost her temper, she must hammer a nail
into the back of the fence.

The first day the girl had driven 37 nails into the
fence. Over the next few weeks, as she learned to
control her anger, the number of nails hammered daily
gradually dwindled down. She discovered it was easier
to hold her temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the girl didn't lose her
temper at all. She told her mother about it and the
mother suggested that the girl now pull out one nail
for each day that she was able to hold her temper.
The day passed and the young girl was finally
able to tell her mother that all the nails were gone.
The mother took her daughter by the hand and led
her to the fence.

She said, "You have done well, my daughter,
but look at the holes in the fence. The fence
will never be the same. When you say things in anger,
they leave a scar just like this one." You can put a
knife in a person and draw it out. It won't matter how
many times you say "I'm sorry", the wound is still there.
A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.

Friends are very rare jewels, indeed. They make you
smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear,
they share words of praise and they always want to
open their hearts to us.

Please forgive me if I have ever left a hole in your fence.

[BradAndJanet]

Originally posted by OhioCouple
...
Please forgive me if I have ever left a hole in your fence.

Nope, you never have

And that's a really cool story...

-B

[tinceltoes]

I am a spouse of a military husband that will soon be leaving for South West Asia, as of the first week of next month. I have had mixed emotions on this. He is going for one hundred twenty days or more, depending on the job. I know where he is going is very dangerous but I also know that he will be fighting for our country. That was the main reason why he signed up for the military.

To all of the Military Families out there who have a soldier in war, My prayers will always be with you on a safe return.

[wrnakedru]

And in return, please know that our caring, concern and gratitude go to both of you. The separation is a huge sacrifice for you both.
Our thoughts and prayers for his safety - as well as his safe return.

I was raised as an "Army brat" and lived overseas twice, in countries that had been severly affected by actions prior to the time I lived there.

I was in Germany for 3 1/2 years. We lived in housing off-post, in an area that Americans had occupied during and following WWII. We lived amongst German families, and other American families as well. As children, we all played togther with none of the pre-conceived notions that may have made this living situation difficult for our parents. We children became "fluently bilingual" with ease - by osmosis.

Dad's tour of duty in Korea, which we were permitted to be a part of - - gave most all their first true viewing of "gut level existence" - something thankfully most have not and will not experience first hand. It enabled our eyes, minds and hearts the capacity to appreciate with new pride and profound gratitude what it truly means to be an American.

It should be noted there are many Americans in addition to our military in these locations - then and today. Some are with the diplomatic corps, some are with Church World [and similar] type organizations, others are functioning in various engineering and business capacities. And yes, some are media affiliated.

I believe the [acknowledged] difference is [or should be] quite apparent. Without exception, the non-military persons are there totally and completely by individual option of choice. And yes, many [but not all by any means] are quite handsomely compensated for their choice.

Our military are basically of two types. The reservists who joined of their own choice [since the draft was not breathing down their neck]. We should not be deluded into thinking any great numbers of reservists have joined to gain "extra income." They have joined so that they will be mentally, physically, and emotionally prepared for when ever and what ever need their country has for them. Of course it is their hope not to have to leave home. But they understand the contingency - and are prepared - and do, time after time - respond and are sent.

The balance of our military are those who either have chosen the path as their career, or have signed up as they felt called to do so - their hearts knowing and believing in their country's purposes, responding to the need for them, and answering with every fiber of their being.

We are all - each of us - their family to them, and they are giving of themselves to us.

They are all - each of them - our family. Let us always be mindful of that, acknowledging with gratitude what they are in fact providing for us every moment of every day.

Our freedom - our America.

Pray for them, one and all - each time you pray. Be mindful and caring of the gift each of us are receiving from them.

Treasure the gift by loving them, and the America they make possible.