Time for Some Good News

As our young warriors continue to train for their next engagement some good things are happening. You won't catch this on the major networks. It doesn't involve mayhem, gore (not Al), or an anti-American spin. It is up to your humble blogger to bring it to you. I heard on the radio our brother Marines are giving up security in Anbar Province effective the end of this week. The Iraqi Security Forces will take over and protect their homeland. If you remember, the major networks made nightly news of Anbar as it was an AQI stronghold. Gee, where are the major nets now that the surge has turned the tide and the ISF are up to speed. This post is not about that. I just threw it in for free, which means no extra charge to read it. (Smile, I am) You do have to wonder though, why are the major networks not reporting GOOD happenings in Iraq?

Posts can go on and on but I just wanted to take us, you and me, away from the boring programing that has been on EVERY TV channel this week. Thank goodness for The History and The Discovery Channel. Not to be one sided, I am certain it will be the same way next week but, I still have two channels worth watching and I have to mow the grass.

For some good news clik on this link. http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=50939

See what IS happening in Iraq. This is just a small part of what our brave warriors have accomplished since they have been there. I must put in a plug for Specialist Jacob who was home last weekend. During his deployment in Baghdad he told me part of the 15 months his unit was there they rebuilt and re-furbished 3 schools for girls.They also were with the Corp of Engineers when they built a water pumping station for irrigation of farmland so the Iraqis could begin farming in the region. For some good news from Iraq, like I said clik on the link. Kids are kids the world around.

Have a wonderful Labor Day and don't forget the young men and women who protect our FREEDOM.

God Bless America, America, Bless God

FINALLY A TIME TO JUST TALK

It happened this weekend, not the way it was planned but it happened, FINALLY. As most of you know Jacob returned from Iraq in March. Due to the passing of his uncle that same day, our reunion was cut short. When his leave FINALLY rolled around in June, it was vacation to Atlanic City, compliments of the in-laws, thank them very much, then back to Ft Bragg because the boys started summer basketball.

During the July we managed to corral one of the grandsons and held him for ransome. We knew dad would come and get him sometime before school started. We were right! Got him!!

He rolled into the homestead about 2120 hrs, (9:20PM for you civilians) Friday evening. A two hour parking lot (accident) on the West Virginia Turnpike (?) caused the delay of a normally 8 hour trip. But he's home. Sit down eat some pizza from his favorite pizza joint and just talk and listen. Oh, what a wonderful experience. Just Mom, Dad, and child, (man). Conversation ran the gamut (sp?) from re-enlistment, buying his first home, little sister who is with child, was Michael, the grandson good?, (grandchildren are always good for grandparents!). It was just fantastic!

Saturday morning I went to work for a couple of hours and then.....the tradition breakfast at Bob Evans. We went there on a regular basis and just talked about everything and nothing. Dad's know about this type of talk. The first thing that happened was so emotional I had a hard time telling it to his mother when we got home.

I gotta set this up. We go to BE and are dressed in shorts, t-shirts and tennis shoes. No military stuff at all. We are shown our table and before the waitress give us our menus a guy from our church walks over. He puts his arm around Jacob and declares to the tables near and some far, "Welcome home soldier, we are so proud of you and what you are doing for us." Let me tell you a very humble rough tough soldier was visibility moved. Thank you's came from various other tables around us then. Of course dad was bustin' the buttons off his t-shirt but my soldier just sat there quite and humble and replied thank you sir and nodded thanks to the other people. It was a very moving moment in his life and mine. I believe it meant more to him than anything that he has ever had happen in his life. He understood the path he had chosen was the right one not only for him but for his county and the people who live here. He knew what he and all of our young men and women were and have been doing was well worth it.

Saturday we had a little surprise cook out with just family and friends. He and his little sister were talking and she asked him about PTSD. Do you have it, she asked, yes, he answered a mild case. What are you doing about it? Dealing with he says. This struck me as I began to think while they talked about it. Every soldier must have some PTSD coming back home. How do they deal with it? It was good to see little sister and big brother talking it out. Just for the record little sister is 2 years older but about 8 inches shorter than her big brother.

Later in the evening we just talked about everything and nothing. He told me the day went "good pops, good". That coming from a person who does not like the spotlight. Now just more talk and listen until midnight and our soldier racks out on couch, a place we found him on many a morning. Then just mom....and dad...and child asleep. In Jacob's bedroom his son was sleeping. The cycle begins again, another child and perhaps someday another parents worry but, for now, for this one night, this one moment, parents just breath a sigh of relief, thank their God, their child is home safe.

I just wish all of you could have been here. For Airborne Dad and Infantry Dad and the rest of you with sons and daughters "in harms way" I know you know the feeling.

He's off again back to Fayville and ready to do what all of our brave sons and daughters do. Protect us and give us the best county in the world to live in. They are so very special. That's why they are "The One Percenters"!

Please note the addition of two more of America's One Percenters on my Prayer List

Greg Funk, Army
Nathan Petty, Army

Have a great week and God Bless America!

Good Morning All,

I have yet to ask for donations for this blog as I personally wouldn’t pay for most of the information that is printed here but……OH BOY, here is comes. Nah, not for me. If you haven’t figured it out yet I write on two blogs, Mark 1:11 http://markoneeleven.blogspot.com/ and Conservative Outrage http://conservativeoutrage.blogspot.com/ .

Mark 1:11 was started when my son Jacob went to Iraq to follow him and his unit. Conservative Outrage was started a couple of months ago to stand up for Conservative causes. I didn’t want the two blogs to mix as I support my son and the military and I support the Conservative base of America. Sort of “my son”, “my country”. That being said I read a number of blogs on a regular basis. One of them http://www.restart.typepad.com by Pastor John Slider has a post on July 30,2007 that not only affects our military but is an Conservative Outrage!

I invite you to clik on http://www.restart.typepad.com , scroll down to the July 30 post and read it. If you feel strongly about our military and the Conservative base that founded the greatest county on earth clik the “Contribute Now” and make a donation. This good Marine, an Iraq veteran of 3 tours in combat is being persecuted not prosecuted! He deserves our support!

Thanks,

ABNPOPPA

Proud father of an 82^nd AIRBORNE Paratrooper