FIRST AND FOREMOST, THIS IS MY STORY.
AFTER 9/11, I WAS COMPELLED TO JOIN THE UNITED STATES ARMY NATIONAL GUARD TO STAND FOR THE VERY FREEDOM I TOOK FOR GRANTED EVERYDAY. IT WAS MY ONE CHANCE, MY ONE GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD. TO ALWAYS FIGHT FOR THOSE WHO COULDN’T PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM TYRANY, POVERTY, AND MISREPRESENTATION.
I SEALED MY FATE THE DAY I ENLISTED. AFTER BASIC TRAINING AND AIT, I IMMEDIATELY WAS PUT TO WORK, MEANING IN THE NEARLY 4 YEARS I HAVE BEEN IN THE NATIONAL GUARD, I HAVE ONLY BEEN TO A TOTAL OF THREE DRILLS. THE REST WAS FULL-TIME ACTIVE WORK.
ON OCTOBER 01, 2003 I WAS CALLED TO DUTY IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM. THE NEXT TWO YEARS OF MY LIFE WERE ALL BUT EASY. DAY IN AND DAY OUT, THE FATIGUES OF WAR WOULD SURELY CLAIM MY SANITY. THE ONLY THING THAT KEEPS US SERVICEMEN AND SERVICEWOMEN GOING ARE OUR LOVED ONES AND FELLOW AMERICANS. YOU WOULDN’T BELIEVE THE MAGNITUDE OF A RESPONSE YOU WOULD GET FROM A SOLDIER WHO JUST RECEIVED A SIMPLE LETTER FROM HOME, OR A CARD TELLING THEM THAT SOMEONE DOES CARE. IT’S UNBELIEVABLE HOW REWARDING THAT GESTURE CAN MEAN TO ANOTHER. WE’VE SACRIFICED AND ENDURED MORE THAN PEOPLE REALIZE. SOME, LIKE MYSELF WHO SUFFER FROM DREAMS AND VISIONS THAT WOULD HAUNT EVEN ONE WITH THE TOUGHEST STOMACH. THOSE WHO HAVE BECAME DISABLED VETERANS, AND THOSE WHO WILL NEVER BE SEEN AGAIN BY THEIR LOVED ONES. YOU DON’T HAVE TO SUPPORT THE CAUSE, BUT PLEASE SUPPORT THE TROOPS WHO ARE FIGHTING THAT CAUSE.
MY WIFE AND I SERVED OUR FIRST YEAR OVER THERE TOGETHER. IN FEBRUARY OF 2005, SHE RETURNED HOME. I, HOWEVER, INSISTED ON STAYING BEHIND WITH 24 OTHER INDIVIDUALS (6 FROM MY UNIT AND 18 FROM OTHERS) OUT OF A BRIGADE THAT CONSISTED OF NEARLY 6,000 TROOPS. WE WANTED TO SERVE OUR COUNTRY FURTHER BY REMAINING THERE AN ADDITIONAL 8 MONTHS. WE ALL RETURNED HOME SAFELY ON AUGUST 03, OF 2005. SO BEFORE ANYONE RIDICULES OR DEGRADES THE NATIONAL GUARD, I WANT YOU TO THINK BACK TO THIS LETTER, AND REMEMBER WHAT WE HAVE GIVEN IN THE PLACES OF OUR FREEDOMS. REMEMBER THOSE WHO ARE WITHOUT, AND THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED.
COMING HOME WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST, BUT SCARIEST ORDEALS OF MY LIFE. I WAS COMING HOME ALIVE, COMING HOME TO LOVED ONES, BUT YET FELT LOST AND EMPTY. FREQUENT QUESTIONS AROSE IN MY MIND: WHAT AM I TO DO FOR A LIVING? HOW WILL I SUPPORT MY WIFE? THOSE WERE THE LARGEST IMMEDIATE THREATS. I COULDN’T SIMPLY EASE BACK INTO THE CAREER I ONCE HELD AFTER WALKING AWAY SO LONG AGO. SO I’VE BEEN TRAVELING THE COUNTRY IN THIS VEHICLE SCRAPING TOGETHER WHATEVER JOBS I COULD FIND TO MAKE A QUICK DOLLAR. I TRAVEL AS FAR WEST AS LOS ANGELAS, AND FAR SOUTH AS FLORIDA MONTHLY TRYING TO MAINTAIN THE DREADED BILLS. WHY DO WE HAVE SO MANY BILLS UPON JUST COMING HOME? THE ANSWER IS EASY, WHEN WE MARRIED, NEITHER OF US HAD NOTHING AND I DO MEAN NOTHING. BUILDING A LIFE FROM SCRATCH IS STRENIOUS AND QUITE THE STRUGGLE. CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, SOLDIERS DO NOT MAKE THE KIND OF MONEY THAT YOU MAY THINK. WE LIVE ON A DECENT, BUT SMALL WAGE. THANKFULLY MY WIFE STILL HAS ANOTHER TWO MONTHS LEFT IN THE ACTIVE ARMY TO SUPPORT THE TWO OF US. MAKE THAT THREE OF US, BECAUSE JUST LAST MONTH WE FOUND OUT WE WERE HAVING A BABY! EXCITEMENT, BUT PRESSURE IS BUILDING ON ME.
OUR PROPOSAL:
WE’D LIKE TO OFFER SPACES ON THIS 2003 F-150 SUPERCREW TO COMPANIES, INDIVIDUALS, AND CORPORATIONS WHO ARE WILLING TO PARTICIPATE WITH THEIR LOGOS OF CHOICE. THERE IS PLENTY OF SPACE AVAILABLE. EVERYONE IS INVITED! I AM ALSO WILLING TO PROVIDE FREE SERVICES FOR ANY PROMOTIONAL ITEMS YOU MAY WANT TO DISTRIBUTE. I’LL HAND THEM OUT AT EVERY STOP. I VISIT LARGE CITIES WITH HUGE POPULATIONS. LOS ANGELAS, CA-TAMPA, FL- DENVER, CO-MRTYLE BEACH, SC-HOUSTON, TEXAS AND ATLANTA GEORGIA. I LIVE IN AUGUSTA, AND THERE ISN’T A BETTER TIME TO BE SHOWING OFF YOUR COMPANY AND YOUR COMPANY’S SUPPORT THEN AT THE MASTE
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