OT: Young Military Folks ** Need Help

[Guest guest]

Hey Dale,

 

> certainly is hard to be away from family this time of year.

 

Yep .. matter of fact. I spent probably 60% of my 30 year military

service away from the family on Christmas .. and this year will be one

more that I will have to do that. But nobody promised us a rose garden

and those who join the military will find that that is one of the least

difficult things they will have to contend with prior to reaching that

level of professionalism that allows them to find comfort amongst their

own and not feel so lonely during special times.

 

> I remember being in college and waitressing and still not having

> enough money for a ticket home for the holidays. my parents told me

> not to worry all would be well they'd send on the care box and I

> should just take care and be good. had a holiday meal in the dorm

> cafeteria and Wendy's for dinner that night after walking a mile down

> the road from campus!!

 

Nobody expects professionalism from college kids. ;-p

 

> they taught me the lesson of providing for myself and how to truly

> value the work that earned the dollar that I chose how to spend.

 

Good show.

 

> distance doesn't ever keep us apart.

 

It shouldn't.

 

> did you write the poem at the end? it was warming! Dale

 

No .. its been around for a long time .. attributed to many different

types of military folks.

 

Though it might be hard for some to take what I said .. I can assure you

that even if the young Marine in training doesn't buy it now he will

when he finishes that training and gets into the Ooogah mentality. ;-p

 

>

> Nightengale .. obviously I don't know your son personally. But

> I can say from deep within my heart that I might love him more

> than you do. My love is a different kind than yours but at this

> stage in his life it might be a more valuable type of love. He

> has joined a fraternity that all soldiers .. especially old

> soldiers like me .. hold to be sacred and we honor and protect

> our brothers and sisters who are or have been members of this

> very elite group. :-P

>

> Y'all keep smiling, Butch http://www.AV-AT.com

>

> The Night Before Christmas and All Is Secure

>

> T'WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HE LIVED ALL ALONE,

> IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.

>

> THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,

> " SANTA DON'T CRY, THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

>

> I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,

> MY LIFE IS MY GOD, MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS. "

>

> THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND SOON DRIFTED TO SLEEP,

> I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

>

> THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER, WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,

> WHISPERED, " CARRY ON SANTA, IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS

> SECURE. "

>

> ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.

> " MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT. "