Happy Belated Veterans Day

I got this email from my dad yesterday and thought I'd share...

My friends: Veteran's Day has more meaning to me this year than ever before. I have a new appreciation for our veteran's who have served, and are currently serving overseas - especially those in a combat zone. Likewise, I have a new appreciation for the families of those veterans and the constant question they deal with daily as to whether their spouse, dad, mom, son, or daughter is safe on any given day. Many thoughts passed through my mind on this Veteran's Day. I would like to share them with you as they will not be the same next year, or years to come as I will have returned home - Lord willing. They announced a special ceremony to be held this afternoon at 1600 at our flag pole, in honor of Veteran's Day. After sending a special message to my team yesterday thanking them for their sacrifices of leaving family, convenience, comfort, and safety, and granting them Veteran's Day off, we tried to relax today amidst a mass casualty training exercise. I really wanted my team to have the day off completely free of work, worries, etc. Then, around 1400, a bomb exploded near our camp, completely unexpected. They announced on thel oud speaker our first real battle station. How ironic, on Veteran's Day. So much for a relaxing, worry-free day. This evening as we were standing in formation for the ceremony, shivering as the temperature was quickly dropping, we stood at attention in front of coalition flags at half-mast for the combat deaths that occurred this week, along with a POW-MIA flag raised by a retired, Vietnam veteran Marine serving now with a private company. Standing with a salute as the final words were sung, "... and the home of the brave" I heard the eery call to prayer from the mosque on the neighboring base. "Thank God for our religious freedom" went through my mind. Helicopters suddenly flew overhead in combat formation as if it was planned for the ceremony, though we knew it wasn't. It is an honor to serve you all and our country here in Afghanistan. It is an honor to help fight those who have brought, and continue to plan to bring destruction and death "to the Western infidels." It is especially gratifying to help those care givers who treat the wounded. Rest well, there are very strong and capable American men and women here in Afghanistan, committed and unwavering to protecting our country. I join you in honoring the warriors of our country, past and present.