A few days ago there was a couple of back & forth posts between members. The most heartbreaking and vicious comments were directed toward our military and focused on on-the-ground soldiers and included those injured in battle. They were called cowards, traitors and not worthy of respect.
When reading the banter I chose to remain quiet the anger behind those statements was palpable. I was a coward. I said nothing. For the last days my inaction and silence has eaten at my conscience. So to all of our soldiers and veterans please accept my most heartfelt apology; you deserved better! You are the best!
To anyone who cannot understand the risks and sacrifices these men, women and their families have made, go to Walter Reed Hospital, local VA or veteran charity. Listen to their stories, watch them recover from severe burns, disfigurement, amputations and other unspeakable horrors. If that does not change your opinion, hopefully it will at the very least open your mind to gather more information. It has been my honor to take our soldiers hunting, fishing and fundraising for military charities. Whatever you do, do not pity them or question their ability to conquer the task before them. In a duck blind on Realfoot they were comparing who had the most advanced prosthesis. On the Potomac River, we talked smack and I cried with them in my boat, fishing on the Potomac & aligned with the Washington Monument. What a day. One event close to Fort Bragg resulted in a friendship with supporting special ops (Green Berets) when deployed in Iraq & Afghanistan. They loved banana nut bread, peanut butter cookies (chocolate melts too much) and cornbread! A vacuum sealer was key to freshness. What they requested the most was not for themselves but for the children in their area; coloring books, crayons, stickers, bubble makers and hard candy! Between missions they took it upon themselves to reach out to the most innocent and vulnerable. How can you not respect, honor and admire that?
The asses sitting in the Pentagon who’s only daily risk is slipping in the shower...I’m not talking about them. In fact, many, once they get to that level, turn their focus on not loosing rank or benefits. They are the ones charged with the responsibility to lead the soldiers into acting, protecting lives of the soldiers & citizens while defending our country & constitution. They are the ones who are failing miserably, but there are good ones at that level too.
My request, before making a “blanket” derogatory statement about soldiers stop and consider/imagine a warrior listening/reading who will never:
-be able to have a child (physical or chemical injuries)
-never be able to hold their child(amputations)
-hear “I love you” or “Mommy/Daddy” (injury related)
-walk down the isle, wear a wedding ring, holds hands, wipe their own bottom, bathe, eat without assistance
-never have a normal day and pray for normal moments
The list goes on. If you do not defend soldiers, do you deserve to be defended and isn’t that just as insulting as kneeling for our National Anthem? Perhaps more so?
My regrets are many. I cannot promise much, but from this point on I will speak up to those who speak down to our soldiers and veterans and ask others to do the same.
When reading the banter I chose to remain quiet the anger behind those statements was palpable. I was a coward. I said nothing. For the last days my inaction and silence has eaten at my conscience. So to all of our soldiers and veterans please accept my most heartfelt apology; you deserved better! You are the best!
To anyone who cannot understand the risks and sacrifices these men, women and their families have made, go to Walter Reed Hospital, local VA or veteran charity. Listen to their stories, watch them recover from severe burns, disfigurement, amputations and other unspeakable horrors. If that does not change your opinion, hopefully it will at the very least open your mind to gather more information. It has been my honor to take our soldiers hunting, fishing and fundraising for military charities. Whatever you do, do not pity them or question their ability to conquer the task before them. In a duck blind on Realfoot they were comparing who had the most advanced prosthesis. On the Potomac River, we talked smack and I cried with them in my boat, fishing on the Potomac & aligned with the Washington Monument. What a day. One event close to Fort Bragg resulted in a friendship with supporting special ops (Green Berets) when deployed in Iraq & Afghanistan. They loved banana nut bread, peanut butter cookies (chocolate melts too much) and cornbread! A vacuum sealer was key to freshness. What they requested the most was not for themselves but for the children in their area; coloring books, crayons, stickers, bubble makers and hard candy! Between missions they took it upon themselves to reach out to the most innocent and vulnerable. How can you not respect, honor and admire that?
The asses sitting in the Pentagon who’s only daily risk is slipping in the shower...I’m not talking about them. In fact, many, once they get to that level, turn their focus on not loosing rank or benefits. They are the ones charged with the responsibility to lead the soldiers into acting, protecting lives of the soldiers & citizens while defending our country & constitution. They are the ones who are failing miserably, but there are good ones at that level too.
My request, before making a “blanket” derogatory statement about soldiers stop and consider/imagine a warrior listening/reading who will never:
-be able to have a child (physical or chemical injuries)
-never be able to hold their child(amputations)
-hear “I love you” or “Mommy/Daddy” (injury related)
-walk down the isle, wear a wedding ring, holds hands, wipe their own bottom, bathe, eat without assistance
-never have a normal day and pray for normal moments
The list goes on. If you do not defend soldiers, do you deserve to be defended and isn’t that just as insulting as kneeling for our National Anthem? Perhaps more so?
My regrets are many. I cannot promise much, but from this point on I will speak up to those who speak down to our soldiers and veterans and ask others to do the same.