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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Ish who wrote (104650)	3/17/2005 7:33:51 AM
From: JDN	Respond to of 793790

After reading about the Democrat Senators threats to shut down government and then reading the info below I say to myself, does this country deserve rotten Senators like Reid, Kennedy, Schumer and the bunch? jdn >> >> >> This is written by a Navy Commander at a port in Kuwait .. No commentary >> needed, the 3-minute read below says more than a 20-page article could about >> our warriors and the constitution of our men. >> >> >> Where do we get such men? >> ********************************** >> "They are so damn young" I was going to the gym tonight ( really just a >> huge tent with weights and treadmills), and we had heard that one of the MEUs >> (Marine Exp Units) that had come out of service in the "triangle" was >> redeploying (leaving country). We saw their convoy roll in to the Kuwait Naval Base as >> the desert sun was setting. >> I have never seen anything like this. Trucks and humvees that looked like >> they had just come through a shredder. Their equipment was full of shrapnel >> blast holes, and missing entire major pieces that you could tell had been >> blasted by IEDs. These kids looked bad too! I mean, sunken eyes, thin as rails, >> and that 1000-yd. stare they talk about after direct combat. Made me pretty >> damn embarrassed to be a "rear area warrior". >> All people could do was stop in their tracks and stare... and feel like >> me...like I wanted to bow my head in reverence. A Marine Captain stationed with >> me, was standing next to me, also headed to the gym. He said, "Part of >> 1st Brigade Combat Team, 8th Marines, sir. Took the heaviest losses of any >> single unit up north as part of Task Force Danger, sir." >> As the convoy rolled up, all of us watching just slowly crept toward these >> kids as they dismounted the Hummers and 5-tons. Of course, we were all shiny >> and clean compared to these warriors. This kids looked like they had just >> crawled from Iraq. I had my security badge and ID around my neck, and started >> to help them unload some of their duffle bags. >> A crusty Gunny came up to me and said "sir, you don't have to do that..." >> I said, "Gunny... yes I do..." They all looked like they were in high >> school, or younger!! All held themselves sharply and confident, despite the >> extreme fatigue you could tell they had endured. "You guys out of the triangle?" I >> asked. "Yes, sir". 14 months, and twice into the grinder, sir" (both fights >> for Fallujah). >> All I could do was throw my arm around their shoulders and say "thanks >> Marine, for taking the fight to the bad guys...we love you man". I looked at >> these young kids, not one of them complaining or showing signs of anything >> but focus, and good humor. 'Sir, they got ice cream at the DFAC, sir?" "I >> haven't had real ice cream since we got here..." They continued to unload... >> and after I had done my handshakes and shoulder hugs, the Captain and I >> looked at each other ... >> They want ice cream, we'll get them ice cream. You see, a squid O-5 and a >> focused Marine O-3 can get just about anything, even if the mess is >> closed. Needless to say, we raided the closed DFAC (mess tent), much to the >> chagrin of one very pissed off Mess Sergeant and grabbed boxes of ice cream >> sandwiches (as many as we could carry), and hustled back to the convoy. I felt >> like Santa Claus. "Thank you, sir.." again and again from each trooper, as we >> tossed up the bars to the guys in the trucks. I'm thinkin', "Son, what the >> hell are you thanking me for? I can't thank you enough." >> And they are so damned young .. I will sleep well, knowing they are >> watching my back tonight." >> "Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they have made a >> difference in the world. Marines don't have that problem." >> Ronald Reagan