Freedom

Memorial Day always brings a lot of sorrow for us and many others. It is the nature of this holiday, one meant to honor our dead warriors, a time for sobering thoughts and reflections.


 Some people have asked what made Andy join the Marines. I think, initially, he had a great recruiter, but then it began to mean something very different.


Andy was at Camp Pendleton. For those who read this and do not know, Camp Pendleton is rather a God forsaken piece of real estate on the coast in California. California, historically, is rather notorious for it's liberal politics and protesters. One day, Andy and a group of his friends were either leaving the base or approaching it, when they spotted a group of protesters brandishing angry signs that were protesting the war and those who were fighting it. Natural instinct for the Marines was to confront and do battle with those carrying the signs. Andy, from what I was told, turned to his friends and said, "Hey, this is why we do what we do; so that they have freedom of speech". I paraphrase, since I was not there and only got this from another Marine. Andy got it. So many others will never get it.


I can write this because of men like Andy, Kevin, Paul, Noah, Dustin, Pete, Joel, Brian and so many more. They are our protectors, our defenders and I am very grateful for each and everyone of them.


"There is nothing to be unhappy about" ;-)  Ace