As I was driving some of the students to school today I couldnt help but remind them of how they should be grateful for every day. I briefly told them of how today was especially difficult for me to clear my mind. Today marks eight years since three American heroes selflessly gave their lives for the good of the WORLD. Three American heroes, three of my fellow Marines, three of my friends. As much as people wish they could change the past, they cant. If they could, it would change the course of history and today wouldnt be the same. Im certain that Cpl. Adam Galvez (Salt Lake City, Utah), LCpl. Randy Newman (Bend, Oregon) and HN FMF Chadwick Kenyon (Tucson, Arizona) wouldnt have changed places with anyone 8 years ago today. They wouldnt have because they wouldnt want any of their brothers to have had to make the ultimate sacrifice as they did. They wouldnt want one of their brothers families to feel the hurt that theirs feel. Many of us that have been deployed in combat and lost a brother ask ourselves, Why not me? I ask myself that daily and after 8 years the only thing I can come up with is that they gave their lives so I can live mine, WE can live OURS. I can still feel Adams emotions (after he was injured at TCP3) as he told me that he didnt want to go back to the states because he couldnt leave his brothers behind, I see the smile on his face as I closed the back troop hatch just before they drove away on that patrol. I see Randy with a dazed look in his eyes after he got a concussion from the first IED they hit, the smile on his face as we sat on a cot in an Iraqi chicken coupe and watched a dvd on my 4 inch screen portable dvd player. I can still feel the passion and the hurt in Chadwicks heart when he told me that we lost our Marines at TCP 3, I see the excitement in his eyes when he asked me to train him in Marine Corps Martial Arts and I told him yes. These memories and many more go through my thoughts daily and despite my reasoning they still leave me asking, Why not me? I love you, My Green Brothers. Until we reunite.... God speed.
Posted on: Thu, 21 Aug 2014 02:49:19 +0000