... there'd be a lot less of this:
Posted by Cjunk at August 17, 2010 11:32 AMHey!!! The little blonde haired cutie isn't in a burkha!!!!!Or married off to a ped yet!!! What was her "daddy" fighting for??
Posted by: Justthinkin at August 17, 2010 11:49 AMYes, and 5600+ American soldiers would have returned home likewise instead of in flag-draped coffins. Not to mention our own dear fallen and those of the British and other nations.
Posted by: Mark Peters at August 17, 2010 11:53 AMYou cannot watch that clip with dry eyes.
Posted by: Abe Froman at August 17, 2010 11:58 AMRegardless of your opinion on military presence/action in the ME, the men and women who serve are the only backbone we have left in our society.
Posted by: Doug at August 17, 2010 12:00 PMMoses 7:63 - is that anywhere near Austin 3:16? Bad ending to an otherwise good video.
Posted by: Gen. Lee Wright at August 17, 2010 12:02 PMAnd your point is,Mark???? Without him and thousands like him,we would all be coming home in coffins,thanks to Islam.I have cried and cheered at the funerals of my fellows who were not as lucky as me.I have gone in and "recovered" those without "vital" signs(11 at one shot).
We and our allies are fighting an evil,barbaric political system that will stop at nothing to kill us.They deserve NO sympathy.If I have mis-read your post,my apologies.
Don't get your meaning there general, but I know I must now head out into the morning looking like I cried all night long.
Posted by: larben at August 17, 2010 12:09 PMAnd to Cjunk.....carry on....I am old Airforce...but it still stands true...Per Ardua Ad Astra
Posted by: Justthinkin at August 17, 2010 12:09 PMHere I am, a grown man, weeping within the first minute of this film.
I have 4 beautiful children and can't help but break down when I put myself in that scenario. When I used to travel for work, my thoughts from the moment I left was the expectant joy and excitement on the little faces I would enjoy when I returned. To be gone for an extended period, like our troops, is more than I think I would be able to bear.
Our heroes, fighting the battle for our freedom, appreciated by us commoners, but mocked by the actions and rhetoric of the Ignatieffs, Laytons, Obamas, and Blombergs of the world.
Posted by: Smitherenzes at August 17, 2010 12:13 PMI contrast the video with the actions of our "leaders", they are coming up seriously short. The sacrifices these people make, kids and adults alike...
That's about all I've got that's printable. Time to go beat on some metal or something.
Posted by: The Phantom at August 17, 2010 12:27 PMLike others, I cried all the way through. God bless all those, from whatever country, who are fighting on the right side.
Posted by: Iowa Jim at August 17, 2010 12:49 PMBeen there, done that - although my longest in single increments were three months long. Even in my last years in the service I averaged nearly six months per year on 'temporary duty' doing what politicians had decided was necessary. Getting tracked by SAMs has a tendency to focus the mind on pensions and benefits though ;-) We used to joke that the kids could call me "Uncle Daddy". All too many civilians (and especially politicians) do not recognize what commitments and sacrifices our troops make except when one dies. In fact, too many desk-bound bureaucrats do not recognize what the front-line folks readily accept. Now, as my wife says, retirement is twice as much husband on half as much money. Yup, a tear jerker but real life.
Posted by: Aviator at August 17, 2010 12:55 PMThere's not a dry eye in the house.
Posted by: Manitoba Moose at August 17, 2010 12:59 PMWell there goes my makeup, thanks C for posting that video.
Posted by: rose at August 17, 2010 1:01 PMTears in 30 seconds flat.
Posted by: grok at August 17, 2010 1:14 PMShoulda been tagged with a "NSFW" label...now I've gotta explain to co-workers my watery eyes and snuffly nose. Uhhh, allergies? Yeah, allergies.
Posted by: Bruce Strang at August 17, 2010 1:15 PMAmen
Posted by: Jeff Cosford at August 17, 2010 1:15 PMI cried my balls out.
Posted by: Alan at August 17, 2010 1:22 PMDoug - agree 100%.
I've seen this video in earlier incarnations at least a dozen times. Cried every single time.
How easy my life seems when I think about what these men and women have gone through, and the sacrifices they have made for their country.
Gawd, I despise the self-absorbed scumbags that insult our soldiers and take for granted all that has been handed to them, bought with the blood of brave men and women.
Justthinkin -- My point is simply that 911 spawned two wars that resulted in thousand of troops being killed and wounded. If 911 had never occurred then it is likely that many of those who have fallen since 2001 would be alive, presuming no other similar attack and subsequent war.
I in no way diminish the sacrifices made by those who fought and fell and those who fought and returned home. I blame the Islamist nutbars who want to take over the world.
Posted by: Mark Peters at August 17, 2010 1:40 PMSeeing this makes you appreciate even more the sacrifice soldiers make. This gives someone much to think about; I've been staring at the monitor for the past ten minutes trying not to cry.
Best regards, everyone.
Posted by: AD at August 17, 2010 1:44 PMNo fair, big boys don't cry...
I used to think that being away for months was a big chunk of my life away, but for your kids that is a big portion the whole 2, 4 or 10 years of their lives. And by God, how they grow when you are gone.
Posted by: Texas Canuck at August 17, 2010 2:00 PMEven amoung us single types with no kids, not a day goes by that you don't spend at least a couple minutes day dreaming about the day you get back.
It is kinda hard to explain to folks who have only ever lived a "normal" 9 to 5 life. Even in peace time (whatever that is) we head out for 6 or more months at a time. Away from family, friends, the familiar. Most cannot fathom being away for a week or two.
The wives, husbands, kids, parents, brothers, sisters and friends left behind are a special breed. At least we have our jobs to keep us occupied and busy. A young wife, married for maybe three months, left behind for the next six? Like I said, a special breed.
No feeling on earth like the day you get home. That time away, teaches you what the word really means.
Can never say thank you enough.......so again - thank you to our soldiers. I admire your bravery, talents and strengths. And thanks to your families as well. (hopefully the spelling is ok - I'm still having trouble seeing through the tears!)
Posted by: andrea at August 17, 2010 2:16 PMNo fair, Cjunk!
Now how is one expected to type something through watery eyes? Bless 'em all!
God bless every one of them: our military men and women and all of their families who support them and miss them and pray for them and carry them in their hearts every minute of every day.
What sweet hellos.
Posted by: batb at August 17, 2010 4:59 PMNow that was uplifting. Thanks!
Posted by: Revnant Dream at August 17, 2010 5:32 PMWhat sweet hellos.
Nicely said, batb. Thanks for posting this Cjunk. I was a total basket case after just the first reunion in the video. I was caught sobbing in my office -- "allergies," I explained (thanks, Bruce@1:15).
Allergies........
I instinctively know that I could never stand on the overpass.....I just can't do it....I'm not allowed!
A long time ago I was one of those sorry SOBs who was assigned "survivor assistance officers"....you know the guys who have the duty to make that dreadful walk from the unmarked car to the door......and it is a very strict DUTY,
Our briefer was a formidable, senior NCO who looked you in the eye, regardless of your rank, ....ORDERED...."you are not allowed to cry---don't EVER do it." It was not command authority---it was leadership...the kind that sticks....
After months, when you come home to your baby and get greeted like that, nothing else is real.
Nothing.
Posted by: langmann at August 17, 2010 8:37 PMFamilies serve too, when a soldier goes away. I remind my troops that they need to remember the strain our families are under and the pain they feel when we take a posting overseas. This video is a great reminder that those that serve and the families that wait for their return know the price of liberty.
I wept when I saw this too.
Posted by: Leth at August 17, 2010 9:10 PM"You cannot watch that clip with dry eyes.
Posted by: Abe Froman at August 17, 2010 11:58 AM"
Amen...
(Tears flowing)That was absolutely outstanding.....
What's the url so I can email the link?
Remarkable product, again outstanding....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSMlIM9zLio&feature=player_embedded
Posted by: Cjunk at August 18, 2010 12:17 AMI consider myaelf as being a really tough guy. Been wounded on the job a few times...one time was really serious....was in hospital for an extended period of time.
But watching this video....I bawled like a baby.
Thanks for posting it.
Posted by: Bruce at August 18, 2010 1:08 AMTo this day this is the biggest tear jerker of them all. I had an extremely hard time(and my wife) watching around 1:30 because she seems to be around the age of our oldest daughter.
An extreme job running with extreme emotions. I thank all those serving to make this a better world, and I thank all those precious hearts who are left behind who must also bare the cost.
Posted by: Knacker at August 18, 2010 2:02 AMThat-restored some of my faith in humanity, and that is not easy to do.
Thank you.
Posted by: Cascadian at August 18, 2010 2:05 AMToday my daddy went away
to protect boys and girls so they could play
It not easy to see him go
I cry at night and feel alone
I hear the people on the news
Who claim my daddy is going to loose
But they don't know the man I know
and how he hates to see evil grow
And If he should not come home to me
I know he went setting children free.
So with this prayer I will say good night
Please Dear Jesus keep daddy safe alright.
Crying and Poetry all in one night, so much for my macho image. Now where are those tissues.
P.S. Daddy in the poem represents both mom and dad It just would not have sounded right to make it gender neutral.
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