“From the bitter cold at Valley Forge, to the mountains of Afghanistan and the deserts of Iraq, our soldiers have courageously answered when called, gone where ordered, and defended our nation with honor.” – Solomon Ortiz THANK heavens for soldiers!
For there are those of us who enjoy the safety and freedoms they have consistently fought to maintain for us, yet do not have the stuff of which they are made, and so are not able to fight.
I was reminded of this last week when I attended the departure ceremony for the local National Guard Blackhawk unit that has been deployed to Iraq. With the exception of my grandfather, who served in the Army as a dentist during World War II, there are no soldiers in my family and so it was with great awe, an aching heart and more than one tear in my eye that I photographed the event for this paper.
There is nothing in me that tells me how to tell a husband, father, son, daughter, wife or, in some cases, grandfather, “Goodbye!” knowing that, because they have been called up, they are now headed straight for harm’s way.
There is nothing in me that comprehends the bravery with which people sign up to become soldiers. There is nothing in me that understands how families endure the uncertainties, separations and hardships they endure, year in and year out, in service of our country.
To me, all of these things are amazing – which is not to say I’m not from a family of good citizens and patriotic Americans – it’s just that we’ve never sacrificed in those ways.
I remember the first time I left my two small children in day care, part-time, for four hours a day, three days a week. It was gut-wrenching for me and they hated it… How did that brave young mother stand so tall and proud, smiling in front of that helicopter, holding her four-year-old son so that I could photograph them, knowing it would be a year before she sees him again?
Mr. Clark travels for work and, at times, he’s been gone for as long as a month or two. I can’t imagine sending him off with that brave, tired, proud smile I saw on the faces of those Army wives – not for a month or two, but for a year or more – with no assurance he’d come back unharmed.
And, my grown children — they were blessed with the opportunity to study abroad during college, which wonderful as that was, made me miss them a lot and worry too much… How, how, how do all of those parents send their beloved children/soldiers away, with all of those well-wishes, bright smiles and well-masked fears not knowing how and when they may return again?
They are a different breed, those soldiers of ours and their families. I admire, respect and marvel at their ability to carry on, with braveness, humor and dignity, in the face of circumstances someone like me cannot imagine and could not handle.
There was a particularly vitriolic (as in severely bitter or caustic) posting by a blogger this week, about the pictures and brief article on the departure ceremony. He/she called it, “militaristic nonsense,” and went on to say, “to trumpet the latest dispatch of weekend warriors as anything other than another expensive spasm of…the military-industrial complex is…disgusting simple-minded rah-rah journalism.”
Wow! In what country defended by a military like ours, upheld by a constitution like ours, would this yahoo not end up in prison or dead by publicly voicing such an opinion? I say, shame on you, sir or ma’am! Your lack of context and humility is appalling.
In response, another blogger said, “That you take exception to the need for such a call…is fine, but they are to be respected…for their sacrifices.”
And, that is where I end this column.
I do not and have never supported the war in Iraq or Afghanistan; however, the brave men and women called to that duty – our soldiers, mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, uncles, aunts, cousins, coworkers and grandparents – deserve our unwavering support, thanks and prayers, as do their families.
Godspeed and I look forward to attending/photographing the ceremony honoring your return home!
Lorin Sinn-Clark is a reporter for the Barrow Journal. She can be reached at lorin@barrowjournal.com.
As a retired veteran myself of 20 plus years, and 2 sons now serving in the military, there is not enough credit given those that serve. It is a sacrifice that too few know, feel, and experience. On the other hand, it's an opportunity of a lifetime to be able to give back for the freedoms we ALL enjoy and take for granted on a daily basis. Having served and been in numerous other countries around the world, something as simple as running water and a Big Mac really are a big deals. Serve safely my brothers and sisters, you are a part of a larger family, and even as a veteran, there is not enough I can ever do to show my appreciation for your service.
Bill Wilson
USAF MSgt, Retired
Winder, GA