On Sunday night, at approx. 8:15 pm I stopped at the gas station at the 210 fwy and Huntington to top off my tank, only needed about 1/4 tank, then 900 miles of open road ahead! My card was declined at the pump, then inside... I figured a hold by the bank, and was right w/a msg to call their fraud prevention, but I was in a hurry to hit the road, so I gave him $20 and figured Id call them at the next stop off I-5, about 200 miles per avg leg. I was walking fast to my car when I saw a soldier in uniform filling his tank. I saw by his patch that he was airborne, a Sgt. I pivoted straight to him, thanked him for his service, and wished him a great upcoming Veterans Day. He thanked me, and as I was about to head to my car he said I just got home two weeks ago, its strange. We chatted for the next 30 mins. I asked about a patch he had when he began telling me of a story about just recently patrolling a little oasis in Afghanistan, sir, it was a beautiful little oasis like youve seen in movies, trees, a river, and a small village surrounded by beautiful mountains. Our job was to walk around and look for bad guys while making friendships with the villagers. We had developed great relationships! Unfortunately, we knew there were caves right there in the mountains with jihadists, but we were unable to go clean them up due to ROE. One day while walking walking through the village I was hit with seven .228 rounds, starting here, just left of my belly button and going straight up to here, just left of my heart...I was trying to shoot back but I realized I was on by back turtling and staring at the sky. It hurt pretty bad, but none of them penetrated my vest... I asked him his plans now that hes home. While he said hed like to stay in the Army, he said hes not sure, doesnt want to do that again, but is afraid of finding a job. We talked a little (I threw on my old S-5 Career Planning Officer hat and gypsy professional life wisdom) and then referred him to his local veterans service center and told him to call them on Wed. My local center is awesome, my rep a former Vietnam combat Corpsman w Marine Force Recon (no puff, Ive seen his stuff/pics, etc... freaking stud/awesome guy and longtime friend as he used to be the local pharmacists assistant in our little mercantile pharmacy!!!). When I got back into my car I was floating on air! After an incredible Marine Corps Ball with some of the greatest combat Phrog crews in our Nations history, from Vietnam thru today, I returned to my hotel, at Pachanga, where the grunts were having their ball. I met and talked to some of THE greatest combat ground pounding rifle carrying killing machine Marines in our Nations history, delivered often by the aforementioned Phrog crews/many Osprey transitioned now too, to this individual rifleman Army Airborne Sgt. I had just met... the most humbling and proud few days I can recall in my lifetime. I had THE most amazing 900 mile drive Ive ever had on this route... I dont remember how many times I changed the old radio w/cassette and only left driver speaker working, I was thinking, smiling, crying, and smiling even more. Another GREAT generation IS HERE!!! We owe it to THEM, and THEIR future lives/families, to BE A WELL INFORMED ELECTORATE, and help them accomplish their missions, to succeed!!! There IS no better force in the world. Many Reagan Vets are not combat veterans... why? Its not because we were pussies and didnt fight, and its not because we were any better/worse than those before or after us, but it WAS BECAUSE WE HAD A CONSERVATIVE LEADER IN RONALD REAGAN! The world is most at peace when America has strong conservative leaders, and a military and intelligence community (allies help too) that are standing at the ready, capable of squashing any foe decisively, anywhere, and at any time. We owe it to future generations to remain strong and resolute; to do that we must defeat the domestic enemy within, the only foe capable of defeating the US military, the Democrat Party.
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 16:27:35 +0000