Poems

IF YOU'RE NOT IN LOVE WITH A SOLDIER

If you're not in love with a soldier, you can't know adventure. You don't
know smelly gray PT uniforms that require a daily washing. You can't
understand green and brown camouflaged bags flooding your bedroom floor.

If you're not in love with a soldier, you can't understand the meaning of the
phrase "going to the field" and the weeks you spend away from each other.

If you're not in love with a soldier, you can never imagine the hole in your
heart when that phone call comes? "Honey, I am leaving tomorrow to go
overseas. I don't know how long I will be gone or exactly where I am going,
but I want you to know that I love you - always!"

If you're not in love with a soldier, you don't know what it's like to say
that final good-bye. You don't know what it really means to be glued to the
television. You don't understand fear and you can't possibly understand the
sleepless nights of endless crying wondering if you will ever see the love
of your life alive again.

If you're not in love with a soldier, you can't know the immense joy, the
uncontrollable smile, or the butterflies in your stomach when you see your
soldier march into the family waiting area upon redeployment. You can't
understand the self-control it takes to stand on the other side of the room
as some higher-up gives a seemingly endless welcome home speech while all
the soldiers stand in formation. You don't know what it's like to have
that second first kiss or what it's like to experience puppy love all over.

If you're not in love with a soldier, you can't truly understand how to make
every moment count because you never know when that phone call may come again.

If you're not in love with a soldier, you can never really understand how

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Dear Lord,
Give me the greatness of heart to see the difference between duty and his/her love for me.
Give me a task to do each day, to fill the time when he/she is away.
When he/she is in a foreign land, keep him/her safe in your loving hand.
And, when duty is in the field, please protect him/her and be his/her shield.
And Lord, when deployment is so long, please stay with me and keep me strong.
AMEN

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And you thought you were a civilian......

When Dad's away, Mom's the Commanding Officer

When Dad's home, Mom's the Executive Officer,
coordinating and executing actions for the Command
Team

Keeping track of the kids, she's the S-1

Collecting the neighborhood news, and relaying it to
Dad, she's the S-2

Making plans for the entire family and training the
kids, she's the S-3

Stocking food and supplies for the family, she's the
S-4

She answers all the family correspondence and makes
appointments for Dad, that makes her the Adjutant.

Worrying about the family budget makes her the
Comptroller

Paying the bills, and accounting to Dad for the
paychecks makes her Disbursing

Looking for a new place to live when we move, she's
like Billeting

Assigning us chores to do, getting us fed, bathed, and
put to bed, she's our First Sergeant.

Serving the food and doing dishes, she's the Mess
Hall.

Carrying small children, she's ammunition handler.

Driving the family to all our appointments, she's the
duty driver

Looking like a queen when she goes out with Dad, she's
a Military Man's Lady.

Gosh, Mom's the whole darn Military

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I am a small and precious child,my dads been sent to fight..
The only place I'll see his face,is in my dreams at night.
He will be gone too many days for my young mind to keep track.
I may be sad,but I am proud. My daddys got your back..

I am a caring mother. My son has gone to war..
My mind is filled with worries that I have never known before.
Everyday I try to keep my thoughts from turning black.
I may be scared,but I am proud..My son has got your back..

I am a strong and loving wife,with a husband soon to go.
There are times I'm terrified in a way most never know.
I bite my lip,and force a smile as I watch my husband pack..
My heart may break,but I am proud..My husbands got your back..

I am a soldier..Serving Proudly,standing tall.
I fight for freedom,yours and mine by answering this call.
I do my job while knowing,the thanks it sometimes lacks.
Say a prayer that I'll come home. It's me whose got your back.

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Worth reading to the end........

I sat in my seat of the Boeing 767 waiting for everyone to hurry and stow
their carry-ons and grab a seat so we could start what I was sure to be a
long, uneventful flight home. With the huge capacity and slow moving
people taking their time to stuff luggage far too big for the overhead and
never paying much attention to holding up the growing line behind them, I
simply shook my head knowing that this flight was not starting out very
well.

I was anxious to get home to see my loved ones so I was focused on "my"
issues and just felt like standing up and yelling for some of these clowns
to get their act together. I knew I couldn't say a word so I just thumbed
thru the "Sky Mall" magazine from the seat pocket in front of me. You
know it's really getting rough when you resort to the over priced, useless
sky mall crap to break the monotony.

With everyone finally seated, we just sat there with the cabin door open
and no one in any hurry to get us going although we were well past the
scheduled take off time. No wonder the airline industry is in trouble I
told myself. Just then, the attendant came on the intercom to inform us
all that we were being delayed. The entire plane let out a collective
groan. She resumed speaking to say "We are holding the aircraft for some
very special people who are on their way to the plane and the delay
shouldn't be more than 5 minutes.

The word came after waiting six times as long as we were promised that "I"
was finally going to be on my way home. Why the hoopla over "these"
folks? I was expecting some celebrity or sport figure to be the reason for
the hold up.........Just get their butts in a seat and lets hit the gas I
thought.

The attendant came back on the speaker to announce in a loud and excited
voice that we were being joined by several U. S. Marines returning home
from Iraq!!! Just as they walked on board, the entire plane erupted into
applause. The men were a bit taken by surprise by the 340 people cheering
for them as they searched for their seats. They were having their hands
shook and touched by almost everyone who was within an arm's distance of
them as they passed down the aisle. One elderly woman kissed the hand of
one of the Marines as he passed by her. The applause, whistles and
cheering didn't stop for a long time.

When we were finally airborne, "I" was not the only civilian checking his
conscience as to the delays in "me" getting home, finding my easy chair, a
cold beverage and the remote in my hand. These men had done for all of us
and I had been complaining silently about "me" and "my" issues. I took for
granted the everyday freedoms I enjoy and the conveniences of the American
way of life I took for granted others paid the price for my ability to
moan and complain about a few minutes delay to "me" those Heroes going
home to their loved ones.

I attempted to get my selfish outlook back in order and minutes before we
landed I suggested to the attendant that she announce over the speaker a
request for everyone to remain in their seats until our hero's were allowed
to gather their things and be first off the plane. The cheers and applause
continued until the last Marine stepped off and we all rose to go about our
too often taken for granted everyday freedoms.........

I felt proud of them. I felt it an honor and a privilege to be among the
first to welcome them home and say Thank You for a job well done.

I vowed that I will never forget that flight nor the lesson learned. I
can't say it enough, THANK YOU to those Veterans and active servicemen and
women who may read this and a prayer for those who cannot because they are
no longer with us.

GOD BLESS AMERICA WELCOME HOME AND THANKS FOR A JOB WELL DONE !!!!!

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"If there must be trouble let it be in my day so my child may have peace." Thomas Paine

The average age of the military man is 19 years. He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father's; but he has never collected unemployment either.

He's a recent High School graduate; he was probably an average student, pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and has a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, or swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away. He listens to rock and roll or hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and 155mm howizzitor. He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because he is working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk.

He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he can field strip a rifle in 30 seconds and reassemble it in less time in the dark. He can recite to you the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either one effectively if he must. He digs foxholes and latrines and can apply first aid like a professional. He can march until he is told to stop or stop until he is told to march.

He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation, but he is not without spirit or individual dignity. He is self-sufficient. He has two sets of fatigues: he washes one and wears the other. He keeps his canteens full and his feet dry. He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never to clean his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes, and fix his own hurts. If you're thirsty, he'll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food. He'll even split his ammunition with you in the midst of battle when you run low.

He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they were his hands. He can save your life - or take it, because that is his job. He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay and still find ironic humor in it all. He has seen more suffering and death then he should have in his short lifetime.

He has stood atop mountains of dead bodies, and helped to create them. He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat and is unashamed. He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate through his body while at rigid attention, while tempering the burning desire to 'square-away' those around him who haven't bothered to stand, remove their hat, or even stop talking. In an odd twist, day in and day out, far from home, he defends their right to be disrespectful.

Just as did his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is paying the price for our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy. He is the American Fighting Man that has kept this country free for over 200 years.

He has asked nothing in return, except our friendship and understanding. Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect and admiration with his blood. And now we even have woman over there in danger, doing their part in this tradition of going to War when our nation calls us to do so. As you go to bed tonight, remember this shot.. A short lull, a little shade and a picture of loved ones in their helmets.

Prayer Wheel

"Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen."

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America ... Land of the free ... Home of the brave

As many others I believe that this statement is very much a part of what this great country was founded upon. I believe that we are blessed to live in such a free land. I believe that our nation is great because we have this freedom and our nation has people who have been willing to fight for that freedom. During World War II my father, like many before him, fought to uphold that freedom ... freedom from dictatorship ... freedom from tyranny ... freedom to choose between right and wrong and the freedom to stand up for what you believe in.

Because of my love for this freedom, I have become greatly concerned with what I see taking place in the backbone and fiber of our country ...

I see people who are discontent with the way in which their communities are being run. I hear them complain, fuss and worry about their circumstances. As I listen carefully to what they have to say I find that I can empathize or have similar feelings and desire for change. Yet, I have come to realize that there is a startling difference in the way some choose to resolve these problems.

I believe that "Change comes on the wings of SACRIFICE" Think back on W.W.II , when we took a stand against the enemy; no "one" man was responsible for ending the war. It took a united effort of not only this country but of all our allies. United we stand, Divided we fall ... is not an idle statement! There "is" strength in numbers. If during World Was II all the young men, women and children in our country told themselves ... because I am only "one" person, I will not make a difference in the war effort, so I need not bother ... there would have been ... no resources to fight with, no support for our troops and no troops to defend our country against Hitler.

My father was willing to die for this country, yet I feel that there are allot of us that aren't even willing to live for our country. Where have our values gone?

We are waging a new war these days. Yes, there are drugs, crime, social and economic problems, terrorism, and tyrants in the world, yet I feel that the greatest eminent threat to our country is a simple word that most of us do not even recognize called "INDIFFERENCE"

Indifference is a problem that is tearing at the very fiber of our nation. When a person is indifferent it dose not necessarily mean that he or she does not care, it just means that they do nothing. Nothing for or against the problem, but instead they remain silent. No problem, regardless of it's magnitude has ever been solved by indifference.

Risk is a very scary thing for most people. No one likes to loose or be hurt, yet if we choose not to risk by being actively involved in our community we choose to give the power we have to another, who may or may not have our best interest in mind. To risk nothing is quite often to gain nothing. We as Americans can not hide from the problems we face by telling ourselves that it will all work out without us, for our thoughts, ideas and efforts are really not needed. "We the people" is each and every one of us!

Robert F. Kennedy said, "Each time a man stands up for an idea or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression & resistance."

May we all find our inner core of strength to fight indifference, send forth a tiny ripple and stand and be counted.

Tamar Gilson

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