Military Man

I got this in my email today, and thought I'd share. If this has been posted before, I'm sorry to duplicate.



i know that some of you have seen this before, and perhaps even

forwarded

it before, but i ask you to read it again, send it out again. Thank

you

Tracy, for sending this to me.



The average age of the military man is 19 years. He is a short haired,

tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by

society

as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to

buy a

beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much

for

work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father's; but he

has

never collected unemployment either.

He's a recent High School graduate; he was probably an average

student,

pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy,

and

has a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, or

swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away. He listens

to

rock and roll or hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and 155mm howizzitor.

He

is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because he is

working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk.


He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he

can

field strip a rifle in 30 seconds and reassemble it in less time in the

dark. He can recite to you the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade

launcher and use either one effectively if he must. He digs foxholes

and

latrines and can apply first aid like a professional. He can march

until

he is told to stop or stop until he is told to march.

He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation, but he is not

without

spirit or individual dignity. He is self-sufficient. He has two sets

of

fatigues: he washes one and wears the other. He keeps his canteens full

and

his feet dry. He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never to

clean

his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes, and fix his

own

hurts. If you're thirsty, he'll share his water with you; if you are

hungry, his food. He'll even split his ammunition with you in the

midst of

battle when you run low.

He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they

were

his hands. He can save your life - or take it, because that is his job.

He

will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay and still

find ironic humor in it all. He has seen more suffering and death then

he

should have in his short lifetime.

He has stood atop mountains of dead bodies, and helped to create them.

He

has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in

combat

and is unashamed. He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate

through his body while at rigid attention, while tempering the burning

desire to 'square-away' those around him who haven't bothered to stand,

remove their hat, or even stop talking. In an odd twist, day in and day

out, far from home, he defends their right to be disrespectful.

Just as did his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is

paying

the price for our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy. He is

the

American Fighting Man that has kept this country free for over 200

years.

He has asked nothing in return, except our friendship and

understanding.

Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect and admiration with

his

blood. And now we even have woman over there in danger, doing their

part

in this tradition of going to War when our nation calls us to do so. As

you

go to bed tonight, remember this shot.. A short lull, a little shade

and a

picture of loved ones in their helmets.

Prayer wheel for our military... please don't break it. Please send

this

on after a short prayer.

Prayer Wheel

Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they

protect

us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform

for

us in our time of need. Amen."

Prayer : When you receive this, please stop for a moment and say a

prayer

for our ground troops in Afghanistan, sailors on ships, and airmen in

the

air, and for those in Iraq. There is nothing attached.... This can be

very

powerful....... Of all the gifts you could give a US Soldier, Sailor,

Coastguardsman, Marine

or Airman, prayer is the very best one.