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This
is a letter from a US Soldier
in Afghanistan. It is truly a
heartfelt message and I believe
it represents the heart and spirit
of many of our brave and noble
servicemen and women who not only
deserve our eternal gratitude,
but also who are themselves mindful
and thankful for all who have
gone on before them. |
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Friends and family,
It's Veteran's Day
tomorrow. Back in what seems like
another era, pre 9 -11, back when
I was teaching American Government
at Loveland High School, one of the
most special events of my school year
was taking a bus load of seniors to
Washington DC over Veteran's Day.
It seemed to me that November 11 provided
a special context for a special journey.
We of course went to many of the sites
in DC - the Archives and Capitol and
Supreme Court, monuments and memorials
to Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt,
and my favorite - Arlington Cemetery.
But for me the best
part of that entire trip was a talk
I gave as we were heading home out
of Washington after our final sightseeing
visit - to the Marine Corps Memorial.
It gave me a chance to try and pull
the many experiences of the trip together
for my kids. I talked about how the
many memorials and fancy buildings
are more than just monuments to what
was - they are a question to us as
to what will be. Will we squander
our freedom, or use it to illuminate?
How very precious our America is -
and how important it is for all of
us to do what we can to live up to
the demands of what has been bequeathed
to us by our forefathers, to accept
the challenges and the opportunity
of liberty and self government.

I never made it all
the way through that talk without
having to take a moment to get myself
together, thinking about the price
that so many have paid to give me
so much, and wondering if I would
be up to the task myself. The attacks
on 9 -11 thrust that task on all of
us. We are in difficult times today,
but then we have been so many times
in our past. There is a very real
war in our world today, and it's not
just in Iraq and Afghanistan - it
is rightly called the global war on
terror.
And on this November
11, the question I asked my kids on
the bus in past Novembers is still
there - to each of us in our world;
are we doing what we can to protect
the principles which define America
and which previous generations have
passed on to us? Every one of us is
called to stand up for what we believe
in and do what we can to preserve
or advance freedom here and around
our world. I know you can't see who
all gets this e-mail, or would even
know who half the people are, but
trust me when I tell you that there
are some American heroes on it. Many
never wore a uniform, but some did
- in World War II, Korea, Vietnam,
the Persian Gulf, or stood vigilant
and ready in the years between. "Not
for fame or reward , not for place
or rank, not lured by ambition or
goaded by necessity; but in simple
obedience to duty as they understood
it ... "
Today, this is for
you. If you are a Veteran, from me
to you - thank you for all you did
when it was your turn, and I want
you to know I'm doing the best I know
how while it's my turn. I owe that
to you and every other American who
ever wore the uniform to defend this
great and good country of ours. You
are my heroes who I take inspiration
from every day. And right up there
with you are your family members who
know too well what sacrifice must
be made for what you did. If you're
not a veteran, find the ones you know
and tell them thanks.

You have an incredible
thing in America called freedom, which
so many have done so much through
history to win, expand and protect.
Millions of Americans from all walks
of life can stake a claim to the hard
work that went into that, and that
continues today - and our veterans
certainly can stand up and be counted
for having done their part. Let's
all do ours.
All my best,
Dave
On November 11, 1918
World War One ended, at the Eleventh
Hour, the Eleventh Minute. This day
was called Armistice Day, changed
later to Veteran's Day in order to
HONOR ALL VETERANS. With this in mind,
if you know a Veteran, please express
your gratitude to him or her. And
if there are any Veteran's Day Events
in your area, please go out and show
your appreciation and support. And
above all, please take the time this
day and every day to remember in prayer
those who are serving our country
in Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere
throughout the world.
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