This was posted on Jerry Pournelle's, CHAOS MANOR site, the link is on the right hand side of the blog. Dr. Pournelle site is the prototype for every blog since Al Gore invented the internet ;^) If you want to catch up on the education your government school neglected to provide it is a "must read". BTW I'm so glad to hear the medico's report that Dr. Pournelle will be around to enlighten us still, great news.
I'm a Air Force brat/camp follower TSgt Sutter, my dad, retired after we just got out of Iran in 78. My Uncle Brad was Army and at Chosin Reservoir, Uncle Jerry a Marine in Korea also. My Uncle Norm and Aunt Glo Navy and my Uncle George Army. My soon to be son-in-law is undergoing training up in D.C to be a Tomb Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown. His brother-in-law is Army also, back from Iraq missing a leg. Most people have no idea the dedication of these men who stand on the wall thousands of miles from Home and Family and keep us safe day and night.
Think about these men and women as you read this.
Present Arms
FROM Maj. Gene Duncan.
I want to preface this by saying I don't have a thing against Heath Ledger. In fact, until yesterday, I didn't even know who he was. I'm not a movie buff and don't spend much time watching them.
But today at lunch, I happened to be in a restaurant in which a news program was running on one of the TVs. And, of course, his story came up. The coverage was extensive, interviews with fellow actors were conducted, his dad spoke, and everyone was obviously saddened by his loss.
I guess the irony came as I happened to look away from the TV and onto the page of the USA Today I was reading. Page 8A. A small box in the middle of the page which held 4 names. Names of troops killed in Iraq. One name caught my eye. SSG Justin R. Whiting, 27, of Hancock, NY.
The reason his name caught my eye initially was his age. He was a year younger than Heath Ledger. I read the short description in the box for Justin Whiting.
"died Saturday in Mosul from wounds suffered when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device; 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne)."
That's it. That's all. Page 1D and 4D in the paper were all about Heath Ledger. Whiting got a sentence.
But that sentence said a lot about Justin Whiting. A 27 year old SSG, he was one sharp soldier. That's a fairly young age to make that rank. And, of course he was a paratrooper. In fact, I'd bet my bottom dollar he had served with either the 82nd Airborne Division or the 173rd Airborne Brigade - or both.
And he was Special Forces. He had earned and wore the coveted green beret. He was quite a young man and I know all of that from that one simple sentence, because I know what it took to be where he was, wearing the rank and beret he wore at his age.
I don't begrudge Heath Ledger his fame. I'm sure he was a fine actor. I certainly am sorry about his death. But I often think back to what Henry Fonda is credited with saying about being honored for his acting. He said he was surprised by all the hoopla because, in reality, all he did was pretend to be someone else who had actually done something. Perhaps if Ledger had lived he might have found his greatest role playing Jason Whiting in some future movie.
Order Arms
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