We’ve been in Afghanistan for the last 12 years. Before that, Iraq.
Iraq is over. The sacrifices are no less important or worthy of remembrance.
Never lose sensitivity to our lost brothers and sisters. Never forget the families they leave behind. Never forget the brothers and sisters in arms they served with. Never forget the sacrifice.
I’m consistently faced with our battlefield losses in my current job. They come over as numbers or stats. Tick marks getting lost, mired in a spreadsheet, a bullet on a briefing slide, a mention during a morning huddle.
I realized, I was tabulating these losses. I was adding tick marks. I was saddened by their passing, but work was getting in the way.
Now I read the reports. I read about mothers, fathers, wives, girlfriends and children. I read about their schools, job designations and where they’re from. I read the wrap-up for the incident. I’m committed to remembering.
These Green on Blue incidents are breaking my heart. My soul grows heavier and heavier every time I read another report. I’m not going to rant, because it isn’t going to help, it isn’t going to comfort the families or bring back our brothers or sisters.
The fad of caring about our deployed military is on the downturn and has been for the last 8 years-ish. It popped back up a bit after the SEAL Team 6 adventure. But, ultimately it’s tanked. Society is tired of hearing about it.
We can’t get sucked into that mindset. We are already different than society, because we swore an oath and suited up in defense of this Nation. Band together friends and family, keep the faith and keep the memory alive.
Rest in Peace beautiful souls. Your deaths were honorable. Your memory lives on, even while your mortal bodies do not. May you be reunited with your loved ones in a future, afterlife. You are missed, you are loved, you are honored.
Block That! 