A Look You Never Forget…

Firearms Friday posts will resume next week!

Over the years I have met quite a few men who were prisoners of war. Obviously, these weren’t long discussions but there were moments when the topic somehow came up and there were a few brief glimpses into what they experienced. It is during these 30 second clips that seems to last for days when you can see all they want to tell you in the way they squint and stair right through you one second and seem like they are in another world far from the reality of the present the next instant. The exact details each time may vary but those looks remain constant.

These are the moment in life when you can’t say anything, you can’t relate, you can’t really help. All you can do is listen. That is all that is needed at that point. As I have been told many times over, ‘sometimes there just needs to be someone there to listen. Not to offer their opinion or sympathy. Just someone who takes the time, pays attention, doesn’t judge, and just listens.’ Thankfully I have never once forgotten that and I have applied this to many other situations when the trauma is evident in the face and eyes of the person with whom I am speaking.

I have seen this look in the eyes of family, friends, and one of the few people with whom I have a shared (albeit brief) military experience. It is a look that has become all too common and I sometimes wonder what ever happened to the men and women from my platoon. It has been over 13 years and I keep thinking about whether this day is honoring some of those with whom I spent a summer in Missouri. Actually, it really isn’t a question of ‘if’, it is a question of how many does this apply to.

There are countless people who fought to stay alive as prisoners and more that are still missing. These are good men and women who fought for what they believed to be right and they fought for the soldiers beside them. We honor them on this day, National POW / KIA Recognition Day, especially the ones who fought to rescue a soldier who many believe to be a traitor. It is rather ironic that the Bergdahl trail is going on as this day presents itself on the calendar. Many men were KIA trying to rescue a deserter who, while seen as many as a traitor, was also seen by others as a POW. However, for now, this day is NOT meant to honor you Bowe!

Firearms Friday: The Devil Of Ramadi

This past Tuesday former Marine Eddie Ray Routh was found guilty of the death of former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, the author of “American Sniper”, and Kyle’s friend Chad Littlefield. It took the Erath County, Texas jury less than two hours to convict Routh of capital murder with the judge sentencing him to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Kyle, who had taken Routh to a local shooting range to help him cope with PTSD, was shot in the back along with Littlefield on February 2, 2013. Kyle had done the same work with returning veterans to help them cope with life after war.

While Routh had admitted to the killing immediately afterward plead not guilty at the onset of the trial with his attorney asserting that he suffers from psychotic episodes caused by PTSD and other factors. In the end however, the right verdict was reached as he was the coward behind the trigger that ended the lives of two American heroes who both fought the same battles in the field and in the mind. Sometimes, the insanity plea should not be a factor in such a heinous act.

In the short time since the verdict was read, two Texas Congressmen have filed legislation intended to award the Medal of Honor to the late Chris Kyle. It should be noted that the military credits Kyle, "The Devil of Ramadi", with 160 confirmed kills, out of 255 claimed (probable kills). Ignore the political timing for a moment and consider what is being proposed…

As the most lethal sniper in military history, there is little doubt that Kyle “distinguish himself through conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty” both “while engaged in action against an enemy of the United States” and “while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force.” When reading this definition from the US Department of Defense website, it is clear that there is merit to this case. However, there is a process, a chain of command, that must be followed so don’t expect a decision in the near future.

To this end, Representative Roger Williams, a co-sponsor of the bill, made the following statement, “There is no doubt that this true American hero is worthy of our nation's highest military honor… While the Medal of Honor will not bring back a husband, father, son and a model Texan, we owe Chris Kyle and his family a great deal of gratitude for his relentless devotion to his country."

Kyle is a man who lived up to the cliché of living life to the fullest. While he was not perfect, he went above and beyond the call of duty both in and out of uniform and should be honored for his heroism. This is an honor long overdue especially since the White House refused to lower flags at half-staff at the time of his death but had no problem doing so not long prior to his passing when they were informed of the death of Whitney Houston. It is about time that we honor his life and his service by considering him for the highest honor this country has to offer. The "The Chris Kyle Medal of Honor Act," which is co-sponsored by Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, was sent to the House Armed Services Committee for consideration.

A Memorial Day Perspective

Gettysburg National Cemetery, 2013.

Today is one of those days when I can’t help but be grateful for sacrifices made by others to ensure that we are able to live the lives that we do. Without those who gave all for this country we would not be able to enjoy the rights and freedom that we do today. It is for this reason that I am so angered when some insists on stripping the rights and freedom of people through the stroke of a pen which flies in the face of the sacrifices made to preserve all that we have in this country.

As I have done before, to give you a concise description of the holiday, I am pasting the introduction below that can be found on Wikipedia:

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering the men and women who died while serving in the country's armed forces. The holiday, which is celebrated every year on the last Monday of May, was formerly known as Decoration Day and originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the war. By the 20th century, Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who have died while in the military service. It typically marks the start of the summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end.

Many people visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in military service. Many volunteers place an American flag on each grave in national cemeteries.

Annual Decoration Days for particular cemeteries are held on a Sunday in late spring or early summer in some rural areas of the American South, notably in the mountains. In cases involving a family graveyard where remote ancestors as well as those who were deceased more recently are buried, this may take on the character of an extended family reunion to which some people travel hundreds of miles. People gather on the designated day and put flowers on graves and renew contacts with kinfolk and others. There often is a religious service and a "dinner on the ground," the traditional term for a potluck meal in which people used to spread the dishes out on sheets or tablecloths on the grass. It is believed that this practice began before the American Civil War and thus may reflect the real origin of the "memorial day" idea.

Memorial Day is not to be confused with Veterans Day; Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving, while Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans.

One amendment that I believe that should be made to this holiday is to honor those active duty personnel and veterans who lost their lives due to physical or psychological injuries received in combat. This is an issue that seems to be forgotten, especially considering the controversies running rampant in the Department of Veteran’s Affairs and VA Hospitals throughout the country. We need to honor those veterans fighting those battles beyond the theater of war and do all that we can to ensure that they are not one of those fallen after the war is over.

We must honor those who fought and remember what the fought for. While an imperfect union, it is the best that we have and we should not allow the flick of a pen to change the course of our country and question the freedom in this country that we all tend to take for granted. We must remember, support, and defend all that those men and women gave their lives to defend. That is the best way we can celebrate Memorial Day today and every day.

Put Down Your Hot Dog For A Second!

Today is Memorial Day, a day that we remember the men and women who lost their lives to ensure our safety as well as our way of life. This is something that we should all be conscious of on a daily basis but sadly we forget. This is a day for us to refocus and appreciate what we have.

Just as I remember the fallen on Veterans Day, for me, Memorial Day is also a day to remember those who could have easily been one of the memorialized. Those who were saved by being a day late or a day early, those who were born a year prior or a year after, and especially those who were sitting a foot to the left or a foot to the right. These people could have easily been etched on the monuments of the fallen. These people need to be remembered and honored not just for their own service but as the keepers of memory… the brothers and sisters in arms who bear the burden of survival and wrestle with the pain of memory. This is also the reason why we should remember the brave lives that were lost somewhere else besides the battlefield.

I consider myself fortunate that there have only been a few in the many generations of my family, from the Revolutionary War to the present, which have lost their lives fighting for this country. However, there have been countless generations who have struggled with their own memories and many who have had to carry the guilt of life.

For this reason, I take this time to not only remember the sacrifices of the fallen but also offer my undying gratitude to all those who have served and could have easily been a second too late or early. Thank you!