My youngest Brother, Joe just shipped out with his US Army Reserve Unit, today, for Baghdad.
Joe’s new wife, of only five months, moved home to be with her Mom and Dad while Joe is away.
This is Joe’s second tour into combat, his first having been in Afghanistan with the US Marine Corps when he was still on Active Duty.
When His enlistment ran out in the Marines, he changed to an Army Reserve unit in our home town.
Joe is the youngest of four brothers, three of whom, including myself, have seen action and combat.
My other brothers sent me an e-mail this morning, this is what it said:
WEAR RED FRIDAYS
Last week, while traveling to Chicago on business, I noticed a Marine sergeant traveling with a folded flag, but did not put two and two together. After we boarded our flight, I turned to the sergeant, who’d been invited to sit in First Class (across from me), and inquired if he was heading home.
No, he responded.
Heading out I asked?
No. I’m escorting a soldier home.
Going to pick him up?
No. He is with me right now. He was killed in Iraq , I’m taking him home to his family.
The realization of what he had been asked to do hit me like a punch to the gut. It was an honor for him. He told me that, although he didn’t know the soldier, he had delivered the news of his passing to the soldier’s Family and felt as if he knew them after many conversations in so few days.
I turned back to him, extended my hand, and said, Thank you. Thank you for doing what you do so my family and I can do what we do.
Upon landing in Chicago the pilot stopped short of the gate and made the following announcement over the intercom.
‘Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to note that we have had the honor of having Sergeant Steeley of the United States Marine Corps join us on this flight. He is escorting a fallen comrade back home to his family. I ask that you please remain in your seats when we open the forward door to allow Sergeant Steeley to deplane and receive his fellow soldier. We will then turn off the seat belt sign.’
Without a sound, all went as requested. I noticed the sergeant saluting the casket as it was brought off the plane, and his action made me realize that I am proud to be an American.
So here’s a public Thank You to our military Men and Women for what you do so we can live the way we do.
_ Red Fridays._
Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing Red every Friday.
The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the ‘silent majority.’ We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers. We are not organized, boisterous or overbearing.
Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of America supports our troops. Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect Starts this Friday — and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that … Every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar, will wear something red.
By word of mouth, press, TV — let’s make the United States on every Friday a sea of red much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers.
If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, coworkers, friends, and family, it will not be long before the USA is covered in RED and it will let our troops know the once ‘silent’ majority is on their side more than ever, certainly more than the media lets on.
The first thing a soldier says when asked ‘What can we do to make things better for you?’ is. ‘We need your support and your prayers.’ Let’s get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example, and wear something red every Friday.
Now this may sound like an ‘American only’ thing at first, but I’d like it to be a world wide thing, and here are my reasons why;
- I also have 3 cousins from Great Britain, in the Royal Marines.
- I have 4 friends in the Canadian Army and Navy.
- I have 2 friends in the Australian Marines.
All of these men and women are people whom I’ve Lived with, Trained with, Fought with, Laughed with, Cried with, and all of whom I Love and Respect.
This Friday, and Every Friday, till they come home, please make your Blog a Red Blog.
Red does not signify any Nation, any political Agenda, or any Ideal or Belief. It does not support any Politician, or General or Commander. It’s symbolic only of those who have died, and those who may yet die, because they had the courage and spirit to do what no one should ever be asked to do.
We delight in taking photos of ourselves in various forms of undress for our Fetish Blogs and Sites, but here is a chance to do something, not just for ourselves, for politics or even for the planet, but for everyone of those Men and women, boys and girls, who have the Honor and Courage to hear the call and stand up and serve.
Since the photos are meant for fun, I ask only that for Friday, you use a Red Font on your Blog. That’s it. If you want to photograph yourself in a Red Shirt as well and post it, that would only show more, how grateful you are to those who serve, who fight, who die, not because they want to, but because Honor says that they have to.
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