Merry Christmas message

I feel compelled to post this message from the Secretary of Defense. I want to wish all the troops a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Or at least as good as it can be serving where they may be.


Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates' Holiday Message

"“The holidays offer a special time to remember our many blessings as Americans – perhaps chief among them are the dedicated soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines who protect our nation. Since assuming this post a year ago, I have been awed and humbled by our men and women in uniform who are carving for themselves a noble place in American history.

“We began the year by deploying tens of thousands of additional troops to Iraq as part of a concerted civil-military effort. Violence has declined sharply, and former enemy strongholds are being transformed into communities of hope and possibility. While it is premature to declare victory, we must protect our hard-earned and hard-fought gains and redouble efforts to defend our long-term interests in this region.

“In Afghanistan , the U.S. and our allies have inflicted heavy losses on the Taliban, launched a comprehensive, nationwide reconstruction effort, and strengthened civic institutions. Afghanistan remains threatened by ruthless extremists, a destructive narcotics trade, and a legacy of decades of war and brutality. But our efforts are helping the people of Afghanistan rebuild their lives and enabling this fledgling democracy to take root.

“To relieve the stress on the force, we began expanding the Army and Marine Corps – the first significant increase in a generation. Mobilization policies have been revamped to provide more stability and predictability for Guardsmen and Reservists. To ensure that troops have the best protection available on the battlefield, MRAPs became the military’s highest acquisition priority, and thousands of these vehicles are in production and en route to theater. And to meet our sacred obligation to care for those who have been injured defending this country, we have begun to fix the problems with outpatient care exposed earlier this year.

“At home and abroad, I have met with small groups of service men and women – from junior enlisted to field grade officers, from Active Duty to Guard and Reserve – to hear their questions, concerns, and aspirations unvarnished and uncensored. I am grateful for their candor, their questions – and their advice. These exchanges have frequently shaped my thinking and influenced my decisions on everything from day-to-day military operations to enhancing the quality of life for service members and their families.

“President Roosevelt could have been addressing us today when he said some seven decades ago, “To some generations much is given. Of other generations much is expected. This generation of Americans has a rendezvous with destiny.”

“We are in our seventh year of war – the first sustained combat with an all-volunteer force since our nation’s inception. Our troops and their families – Active, Guard, and Reserve – are giving so much. This holiday season, many of those in uniform are on repeat deployments or have had their tours extended. Many will miss midnight mass or have already missed Hanukkah’s Festival of Lights. Many will not hear the squeals of delight from their children on Christmas morning. Many will sing neither carols nor hymns. Instead, they serve half way around the world to honor a pledge they made to the country they love. Please keep our troops in your thoughts and may God forever bless them and this wonderful nation we call home.”"

Family

Well, I have received my orders...finally. I'm heading to the sand, but no ultimate duty station listed yet. I have mixed emotions right now. I'm excited to go, but now that it's really here, I'm getting a little scared. Going through the online courses is a little unnerving. I guess I really haven't grasped the magnitude of the journey I am about to embark on.

I received a card in the mail today from an aunt that I have not spoken to in many, many, many years. I'm assuming my dad gave her my address.....without asking me if it would be alright of course. But, that would be the respectable thing to do and I have learned, he doesn't give a rats ass about respecting me. He's self-centered and he drives me nuts. I will not write my aunt back. I feel that they have had lots of chances over the years to contact me and have not, but I'm sure I'll be the bad guy with them. I'm used to that by now. Oh well, all I can do is rant about it and move on. These people aren't my 'family' they are just some people I'm related to by blood. Whooppee. My dad sent me some sort of package for Christmas or my birthday or something. Once again trying to be the 'better' person so that when I don't reciprocate, I will be the shitty one and he will be the hero for 'going the extra mile'. Please, give me a break!! I'm not going to even open the package and just return it to sender...along with the money that he sent me for my birthday. I can't be bought and that's what he's trying to do. Jerk!

Tonight we had our Christmas party at work. It was a lot of fun!! It was nice to just go out and get away from work and laugh and talk. These people are great. As much as I bitch about this or that at work...these people are a great group of people to work with. I will really miss them all when I leave.

Not much in the writing mood tonight after the card. I just needed a place to vent.

random

The more I read from the milbloggers, the more I am compelled to do more for my country. I know the war sucks and there is nothing good that comes from this hell-hole called Iraq, but I want to do more than just sit behind a computer and read about it. I want to go serve my time in the sandbox and put my mark on this war. I am awaiting orders for "the sandbox" and getting more excited, anxious by the minute. I have the unique luxury to be forewarned of my impending doom of being deployed, others aren't this lucky. It comes with mixed emotions. On the one hand, I feel myself starting to detach from my normal existence and start to distance myself from the ones I love and things I love because I know it will hurt less that way. On the other hand, I feel the need to surround myself with the things and people I'm going to miss the most in my year away. I have so many thoughts that keep pulling me away from my normal daily life to a place of unknown in a land foreign to me. What will it be like? What should I pack? How will I survive? All unknowns for the moment, but with each passing second gets closer to the answer.

My thoughts go to theunlikelysoldier and red2alpha....these guys have seen some shit and I can't help but think that my time in the sandbox will never compare to theirs. I tell myself that my role in the war is equally important, but somehow it just seems trivial. I don't think civilians ever truly know what it's like to serve your country or the swell of pride you feel when you hear the National Anthem and see the flag being waved. It's in our blood. It's a calling, a sense of pride and duty that can never be matched in the civilian world. The brother and sisterhood that is felt and found only in the military is something that I have ached for during the 9 years that I was off active duty. It's that ache that made me find my way back to the military and the same ache that is sending me to "the sandbox". I try to explain it to my mom, but I don't think she understands. I tell fellow military people and they just get it without much explanation at all.

I have a picture of a little boy receiving the folded flag at a funeral, probably his dad's funeral, hanging on my wall at work. My boss keeps telling me to take it down because it's too hard for him to look at. To that I say, "what the hell have you done for your country?!" That little boy has done more for his country than you ever will. I won't take it down. I feel it's paying honor and tribute to that fallen soldier and his/her family. To hell with you if you think it's "too sad to look at!" War is too sad, death is too sad. So piss on you buddy!