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Published: April 30th 2007
Bad News I know I promised you big news in this blog. Well, I won’t disappoint, but I wish I could. I had no idea how much news I would have to give in this blog and how bad it would all be.
”Medic!” I walked into the gym the day before yesterday and saw a friend of mine, a medic, on one of the cardio machines. I nodded and said hello to him, but that was all. I didn’t want to bother him while he was working out. That was the last time I’ll ever see him. Someone got hurt on a patrol, and Mike ran to aid his wounded comrade. He never made it there. He died trying to help a fellow soldier in need. He is a hero.
Army Sgt. Michael R. Hullender Kennedy I haven't seen Kennedy since we left Alaska because he is stationed at a different forward operating base (FOB). I met him in October 2005 when we attended the Pre-Ranger Course together. He was assigned to a different unit on post, but he was a nice guy and we always talked when we bumped into each other. He was hit by a mortar round on
April 8th. He is a hero.
Army Sgt. Adam P. Kennedy The Memorial Service The Army requires a General to attend all memorial services. They do that because they want us to know that the loss is important to the Army. The problem is that they end up having to work around the General’s schedule for the memorial service even if that means that people who really were important in the life of the fallen soldier are unable to attend. Last night, I was detailed to organize 4 HMMWVs (hummers) to go pick up his party and the Colonel's party at the helicopter landing zone and bring them to the memorial service.
The bad part was that the General left as soon as he had paid his respects and while all the other soldiers were lined up to pay theirs. The mood was somber and quiet, and into the stillness came the piercing sound of HMMWV doors slamming, diesel engines firing up, and huge steel gate grinding across the pavement. I was mortified to be part of the distraction, but he didn’t seem to care. He's a busy man. He obeyed the letter of the Army’s policy to have a general at
Me Manning an M2 .50 calibre Machine Gun
Sometimes I man the machine gun. It's not an NCO's normal duty, but I do it so my soldiers can get some time off. And, taking care of your soldiers is an NCO's job.all memorial services; but he came far from obeying the spirit of that policy, which is to show support, care, and comfort to the comrades of a fallen soldier. In his defense, how can you force someone to go to memorial services and fake it? I think the policy is well intentioned but inherently flawed. I wouldn’t force a private to attend a memorial service for someone he didn’t know. It just doesn’t make sense.
Once I had completed the dog and pony show, I had the opportunity to pay my own respects. Like I said, I wasn’t super close to Mike; but I walked up to his memorial and tore off my American flag leaving it with many others as a tribute to him. I saluted; and as I walked away, I couldn’t hold back the sobs. I don’t exactly know why. I really don’t cry that often. I walked quickly to a dark corner, and it passed as quickly as it had come. I thought about his fiancé. I wondered if they will give her a flag, and I thought about Laura receiving a flag for me. I know I’m going to heaven, so death holds no
Me Searching an Iraqi #1
This guy was driving suspiciously, so we stop and searched him. I think he was just in a hurry. fear for me. However, the thought of her pain and loss is frightening.
”Till Death Do Us Part” One of my soldiers (who is also a close friend) has been having trouble with his wife. She's basically a deadbeat mom. Now, she wants a divorce because the separation from her husband is “too much” for her. Please pray for their marriage. This whole situation is far more frustrating than I can politly convey, so please pray. Especially pray for their son and for peace of mind for my soldier. Unfortunately, there's already enough stress over here without problems on the home front.
The Gift That Keeps On Giving A couple weeks ago the Secretary of the Army held a press conference to announce that all future Army deployments would be fifteen mounts long instead of twelve. In addition, all present deployments would be extended to fifteen months to support the troop surge. What does that mean for me? I will be here an extra three months. This doesn’t really bother me as much as it did other people because I have an amazing wife back home. She is handling this deployment beautifully. The challenge is actually making her
Andy Pulling Security For Me
Andy (aka Double Dutch) covered me while I searched this guy. a stronger better wife and mother. In fact, she’s helps and comforts other wives of deployed soldiers; and they help and comfort her. Regardless, I still miss being with my family.
It doesn’t bother me too much, but I get mad when I see this war tearing other soldier’s families (or bodies) apart. And that is another thing that bothers me - I get mad. I never used to get mad at stuff. I would just take it in stride and not let it bother me, but I find myself getting mad much more these days. I don’t like it.
Citizenship What does it mean to you? What did it cost someone else so that you could have it? What did it cost you? I have so much respect for immigrants that join our Army and receive their citizenship after serving for several years. They embrace a country that they love even though she is not their own. In fact, I think that they usually love our country more than we do. In reality, I would argue that she is more their country than she is ours because they love America, appreciate her, and take advantage of the
opportunities that she offers. That, my friend, is true citizenship. What did your citizenship cost you? Nothing? Maybe, but it certainly cost someone. The bleeding soldier on the beach at Normandy didn’t pay for his citizenship either; he paid for yours. What will you do with that gift? Will you take it, squeeze the life out of it, and suck it dry? Or will you sacrifice it? Freedom cannot exist without the men and women who sacrifice that very freedom to secure it for posterity. Who will pay for your grandson’s citizenship? I will, young man; but will you pay for my grandson?
“What the heck am I trying to say,” you wonder. I am saying teach. Enforce the law. Fight fires. Find a cure for cancer. Tell someone about Christ’s love. Go to war. Give back. You have been given so much. The men that fought this war before me are tired, and they have gotten out of the Army. I don’t blame them. They did their time, and paid their price. I’m tired and I’m getting out too. But we don’t have enough young men volunteering to fill in the holes, so we extend deployments to fifteen
Selah's 1st Birthday
My awesome neighbor Frank is a cook and he always makes these tiny cakes for the birthday girl/boy. I wish I could have been there. months. Next, it will be eighteen months. If there is anyone I can be frustrated with, it is the young man or woman that takes this great gift of citizenship for granted.
Heavenly Citizenship If you have committed you life you Jesus Christ, then you have another type of citizenship. You are a citizen of heaven. What do you do to earn that citizenship? Nothing. What did it cost? Everything. How then can we not respond to Christ’s sacrificial love with love of our own? How then can we not respond in love to such love as He has shown us? I’m not trying to make you guilty, and
neither is God. Just the opposite, God wants you to know how much he loves you whether you take Him for granted or not. So love Him back. How? I can't tell you the specifics for your situation, but God can and will. Just ask Him, read your Bible, and pray. He will tell you if you keep asking. I promise. More importantly, God promises.
My Knee On a lighter note, my knee is healing slowly. The doc says that I need an MRI, but they don’t have any
Army MRIs in Iraq. The closest one is in Germany, but they won’t send me to Germany. I had two options. I could accept a REALLY bad desk job (and make someone else take care of MY soldiers) or keep on going out on mission and doing what I’m doing. That answer was easy. I hope I don’t ruin anything in my knee. Please pray for healing. I’ve been going on patrol for a while now with no ill effects. Sometimes it feels a little stiff, but that’s about it. I walked all over God’s creation yesterday, and I only noticed it for a few minutes.
Sorry I’m sorry to be such a downer this month. War sucks! I wish it wasn’t so.
News From Alaska - Selah's First Birthday Jeaden and Selah are getting cuter and cuter by the day. Selah had her first birthday on April 6th. The had a little party and our next door neighbor made her a tiny birthday cake just for her to demolish. I'm really bummed to have missed it. Daddy's little girls are growing up.
Jaeden is in the, "Why, Mom," phase. Selah is trucking around on her little
legs, and Jaeden likes to play with her like Laura plays with her. Laura recently sneaked upstairs and watched them playing. Jaeden was telling Selah where her nose and toes and tummy are. She was singing to Selah, and Selah was having a great time. Laura does lots of arts and crafts with the girls, and Jaeden really loves making jewelry out of beads and string. Selah was sick for a few days, and Laura is feeling a little under the weather as well. Overall, however, God continues to give Laura great strength, and she is really excelling as a "single mom."
Thank God for her.
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Dad
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the thought of her pain and loss is frightening.
So it is. She knows this. It is hard. Son, do not think such thoughts, except to give you strength at the moments when you cry out to God for his grace and protection. Only then will it help you. Grit your teeth. There is one choice, come home. No other. Dad