The scars I bear from battle didn’t come from explosives or being shot. They come from the pain of loss. My scars come from the aching loss my soldiers endured when their buddies were killed. Seeing them—feeling them—with the weight of that loss was—is—a burden for me. Some wanted a prayer; some did not. Some wanted a word of comfort; some wanted a hand on the shoulder, a caring presence. …
The death of an American soldier in combat is painful. The agony of loss is heart-wrenching. I’ve looked at the faces of the dead, those who were beside me talking only a few moments ago. I’ve looked in the faces of their friends; for some, friends for years: through basic training, AIT, and a first assignment together. These are friends who were in pain. Their grief was visible. Sometimes is …
A message from a friend today alerted me to a series of newspaper articles: “For Alex“. Alex was my friend. I can hardly think of him without tears. He was one of nine men who were killed in combat in Iraq with my unit. All of the Soldiers in that unit were like my family. Every loss was difficult, to say the least. Every time I remember their names and …
On this Memorial Day, I remember nine brave men who gave their all in Iraq in defense of our nation. Elias Elias Allen Jaynes Mike Balsley Alex Fuller Brian Botello Alex Funcheon Jay Martin Eric Snell Mike Miller Almighty God, our heavenly Father, in whose hands are the living and the dead; We give thee thanks for all those thy servants who have laid down their lives in the service …
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