We are still at war. Have you forgotten?

We are living in a critical time in our nation’s history. There have only been a few times since the Revolutionary War that our way of life has been so threatened. We are quickly approaching the 8th anniversary of the terrorist’s war declaration on America and the Western world; the attacks on New York, Pennsylvania, and our Nation’s capital- our generation’s very own Pearl Harbor. Today’s service men and women are fighting every day in unimaginable conditions and yet we barely hear about it in the news. When is the last time you heard any news on what our brave Marines and soldiers are doing in Afghanistan and Iraq? Why does Michael Jackson, Ted Kennedy, and nationalizing health care get more attention than the sacrifices of our troops? This war WILL BE the longest war in our history. Our success in this war is as important as our success in the Revolutionary War for it was in the Revolutionary War that we won our freedom, it is this war that we defeat the terrorists that are committed to killing American’s and destroying our freedom. How can it be that we are at this critical point in our history and we don’t hear about it in the news?

Below is a listing of the top news stories by media outlet:

CNN.com/world:

-Japan oppostion on track for landslide victory

-UK minister denies deal on Lockerbie release

-Voter fraud complaints double in Afghan election

-British Royal Marine killed in Afghan blast

-Olmert charged in corruption probe

-18 killed in attack on Pakistan police station

-Dalai Lama arrives in Taiwan

-Gabon voters to elect new president

-In will, late Shiite leader askes Iraqis to unite

New York Times Home Page:

-Cheney calls interogation inquiry a ‘political move’

-Japanese opposition wins election in landslide

-Former Israeli Prime Minister is indicted

-German elections deliver mixed messages for Merkel

-Remnants of Iraq Air Force are found

-California wins little league title

-Late president’s son favored in Gabon election

-Los Angeles forest fire threatens foothills

-Some building not living up to green label

Now, let me tell you what our troops did today that you didn’t read in those headlines:

-13th ESC Soldiers killed by roadside bomb: BAGHDAD – Two 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) Soldiers died of wounds suffered following an improvised explosive device in eastern Baghdad Aug. 28 at approximately 2:30 a.m.

-Afghan-International Security Forces Pursue Taliban Militants in Kandahar

-Afghan-International Security Forces Destroy Haqqani Stronghold in Paktika

I am concerned that we have so many terrorists out there with only one thing on their minds, the destruction of America, and so many Americans don’t even realize how hard we are fighting to keep our country safe.

Darryl Worley said it best, “Have you forgotten?”

 

The Year of the Noncommissioned Officer

The United States Army has labeled this year, “The Year of the Noncommissioned Officer.” According to my research, the last time the Army officially celebrated our NCOs with a year-long event was 20 years ago.

As an officer in the Army, I can personally testify to the quality of our sergeants and I can say that I am very confident that there isn’t a single successful officer in the Army that hasn’t been positively influenced by an NCO. I can think of a few great sergeants in my 11 years that have shaped who I am.

When I was a lieutenant, my platoon sergeant, Sergeant First Class Moody had the biggest influence in my military life. He taught me about holding your soldiers to a standard, never wavering from that standard. He taught me how to hold people accountable.

When I was a captain and a company commander, there was a crew of great NCOs that taught me a lot of things. My first First Sergeant, 1SG John Fetty was, is, and always will be my hero. Eventhough I only worked with him for 2 months, I would be a lesser officer today had I not been exposed to his experience. My 2nd week in command of the 82nd Airborne Division’s only aerial delivery company, we had an excercise to determine our proficiency of rigging and outloading a battalion under the “wheels up in 18 hours” standard. The company rigged 58 pieces of equipment in less than 18 hours in the December cold. 1SG Fetty was there for every minute. Over the next several weeks I really learned what tough love was. He knew how to break a soldier down, how to build him back up. He always took care of soldiers, whether they realized it or not.

SFC Trail, working an issue with the company supply sergeant, Specialist Breland.

SFC Keith Trail, my last First Sergeant, was the “Don’t worry sir, I got it” guy. He was the epitome of the go-to, make-it-happen noncommissioned officer. He knew every trick a soldier would pull– because he pulled them all when he was a soldier. Trail is the guy that you give the hardest job to because you know, no matter what, he will get it done.

My long-time friend, Staff Sergeant Jeff Anderson. I might have survived command without him, but it would have been a lot harder. He got me out of more than one jam and really helped me get the company current on medical readiness. From providing last-minute drop zone medical coverage, to combat lifesaver bags for my unit, to more than one shot clinic- Jeff helped make me successful.

An old battalion commander of mine said something that really stuck with me. She called noncommissioned officers, “officers, noncommissioned.” I subtle rewording but it gets to the point. Our sergeant are, first and foremost, officers. They just don’t have a commission.

SSG Anderson and I getting ready to jump out of an airplane.

To all of the great NCOs in my life: thank you so much. If I can include just a fraction of what I have learned from you, I will be a better officer for it. To all the NCOs in the best Army in the world- this year is for you. Thank you so much for truly being the “backbone of the Army.”

 

Don’t blink! You’ll miss everything.

Where does time go? Seriously? In one respect our lives on this Earth are fleeting, in another respect what we do can have a huge impact on the world. Time moves like sand through an hour glass when you’re in Iraq for 15 months but, “time flies when you’re having fun.” It’s the classic Zall’s Second Law: “How long a minute is, depends on which side of the bathroom door you’re on.” No matter how time goes by, it doesn’t stop and you can’t get it back.

I just came home from my grandfather’s 80th birthday and I had a chance to see a lot of my extended family. Being in the military, it has been really hard to keep up with the cousins I grew up with. Kids have doubled in size, babies are now toddlers, and toddlers are as tall as me. On top of that, my 15-year class reunion is coming up, I’m over half way to retiring from the Army, and my oldest daughter doesn’t recognize the sound of a dial tone on our home phone because we’ve only used cell phones most of her life.

When I looked back on the last few years, I realized that I was away for nearly 3 years of my 8-year-old’s life and almost half of my 3-year-old’s.  When I came home from a long deployment my son was confused about where I was going to sleep in the house and why I was driving “mommy’s car.”

Time has definitely had its way with me. She’s had a good time at my expense.

What I have learned through my experience is that:

1. Time is definitely a precious and finite resource.

2. A moment appreciated and used correctly will live forever

3. If you are wasting time you will probably regret it some day.

Take time to enjoy what you have. Don’t “kill time.” And when in doubt. drive like you stole it!

Time is what we want most, but… what we use worst.  ~Willaim Penn

 

Move Number Nine

Taken just before one of our emotional farewells from our home in Pennsylvania.

Heather, my wife, recently posed a test to me on facebook.com about how well I know her. One of the questions I got wrong was “How many times have we moved in the past 11 years.” The actual answer is nine.

We got married just a month after we both graduated from college. We got our first taste of the Army when I was given an option just before graduation, “Volunteer for a short assignment to Fort Lewis, Washington and pick the date or get volunteered for the assignment and risk having to go during the scheduled wedding date.” The choice was obvious but it required us to leave for Fort Lewis the day after our wedding. That’s right- we never had a honeymoon.

Since that cross-country trip to Washington which we did in 4 days, we moved 9 times. In that time, I spent a year in Korea without my family and I recently spent 15 months in Iraq. My family has lived in several different homes in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and North Carolina.

We are in the midst of our next move. The family is moving from PA to NC and we have no earthly idea how long our stay will be. The good news is that we have friends and church family in NC and we will be together. 

If we have learned anything, we have learned that: home is what you make of it…and…home is where the Army sends you.