In awe of courage

As a man who has never served in the Armed forces, it is difficult at best to relate to the magnitude of the sacrifices that have allowed me to sit in front of this keyboard and type my screeds; and at the same time I cannot find the words that adequately allow me to express my deep appreciation and gratitude to those who have in the past and those who continue to make those sacrifices on our behalf. This appreciation is magnified exponentially for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice; to give their very lives to the cause of freedom.

Since you, dear soldiers, have pledged your very lives and fortunes for us, I hereby pledge that:

• I will continue to fight tooth-and-nail here at home; and confront those who would unfairly sully your mission and your honor.
  
• To the best of my ability, I pledge to fight the fight with our elected officials, from local politicians to the President himself, to strive that you are adequately supplied and that you are allowed to perform your missions in as safe a manner as is possible.
  
• To the best of my ability, I will strive to remind our officials of the true gruesome nature of the enemy you are confronting, and the nature of this war, lest the mindset of giving aid and comfort to a desperate enemy seize the day.

And most of all,

• I pledge never to forget your sacrifices; never to forget to honor your memory, and to never let myself forget that you, the American soldier, are the true embodiment of what it means to be an American.
  

I will forever stand in awe of your courage.

(Filed under Iraq, Heroes)