It’s the Soldier

A lot of the problems in our own society spring from alienated youth.
Perhaps National Service could provide the ‘brotherhood’ lacking in
their lives?

@angelbabe wrote:

I got sent this today

It’s the Soldier, not the reporter
who has given us the freedom of the press.
It’s the Soldier, not the poet,
who has given us the freedom of speech.
It’s the Soldier, not the politicians
that ensures our right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.
It’s the Soldier who salutes the flag,
who serves beneath the flag,
and whose coffin is draped by the flag

well today I was looking at a job we had, to prepare a repair scheme for a vehicle back from Iraq. It had been subjected to an improvised mine attack, some boys buried a couple of artillery shells under the road and the vehicle went over and they blew it at the right time. Just another day in the lives of our troops, and their insurgents/freedom fighters/ terrorists. Pick whichever name you want.
The hole in the floor you could drop an armchair through without disturbing the cushions, the driver, who sat were th hole was took a couple of weeks to die, the rest of the crew lived in various states of shock and pain. Well thats why they get paid, or is it?
did those boys get a say in the ‘shall we shant we’ debate; and if they had would they have backed war or said ‘ not my fight’
well I was there at the beginning, and spoke to them, young and not so young, novice and veteran. And they had different views as you would expect. But not one ever said ‘ No’, and not for freedom or for Tony or George, nor Achmed either. They went and they fought, and yes died in some cases, for the men next to them in the line. They did what we told them to do, and did it well. Yes they have lost many good friends, and their will be more wheelchairs at the cenotaph over the next years, and more wet eyes.
But we can be proud, not that we sent them, but that they went. And whatever they get thrown at them, there will be no Lebanon run away for them, no ‘Blackhawk down; I’m off home’ they will stay till pulled out. Not for us, not for some overpaid and bloated bureaucrat at Brussels or London, or even Washington
but for the men who didnt come back in one piece, and who stood next to them in the line when the bullets flew
I am proud to have paid a very tiny part in their protection, and pray for them each night that they come home and are treated as the heroes they are

maybe you agree with me, maybe not, you have that right, as all of us do, because someone fought for it.

the email came from dad thought id share it with you

@angelbabe wrote:

why highlight the poem and say nowt ? i dont get it

perhaps in this world of doubt, unhappiness and yes self pity even sometimes, perhaps toy felt it was a poem and words worth bringing to the fore again……then again maybe matron hasnt been round wiv his pills yet!! :wink:

There was a lovely poem in our local paper this week, written by a local man who has now passed away. He was 90. The poem was about the telegram he got telling him his son was killed in action in WW2, and how cold and unfeeling the whole affair was.

When he died our local museum asked the family if they could have the poem as a piece of local history, but they declined.

I wish I could remember it, it was really moving. :?