Veteran's Day

As a future member of the U.S. Marine Corps, this week of November has a doubly special meaning, with the Corps' birthday on Monday, and Veteran's Day today. Both occasions hold a mix of celebration and solemn remembrance. Celebration for the greatest fighting organization on the face of earth and for the service of thousands of veterans of all our armed forces. Solemn remembrance for the great sacrifices that men and women have made for over two centuries to preserve to preserve our country and freedom around the world. Appropriate for both days is the the birthday message of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, whose words evoke not only the tradition, fighting spirit, and mission of the Marine Corps, but also speak to the mission in which our armed forces are now engaged: the defense of our country against the threat of Islamic terrorism. And regardless of the specific threat, this mission of defending freedom is what the thousands of veterans of our armed services have fought and died for. For this, I say "thank you" to our country's veterans---may your sacrifices never be forgotten. Semper Fidelis.



Video source: Marines.mil

A Pearl Harbor Day Follow-Up

I wanted to post this story, from army.mil, as a reminder on Pearl Harbor Day that the fight against the enemies of America and freedom continues today, and that there are still hundreds of thousands of heroes, such as Lt. Col. Gadson, who continue in the courageous tradition of valor for which we honor the soldiers, sailors, and airmen who were attacked in Hawaii 66 years ago.

Dec 05, 2007

By Elizabeth M. Lorge

(From left) Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. George Casey Jr., Superintendent of West Point Lt. Gen. Buster Hagenbeck, Lt. Col. Greg Gadson and Secretary of the Army Pete Geren leave the playing field after the coin toss at the 108th Army-Navy football game in Baltimore Dec 1. Lt. Col. Gadson is a former West Point football player who lost both legs to a roadside bomb in Baghdad. Photo by U.S. Military Academy

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Dec. 5, 2007) - A former West Point football player who was wounded in action joined the Army's top brass for the coin toss at Saturday's Army-Navy Game in Baltimore.Still learning to walk after an improvised-explosive device in Baghdad claimed both of his legs in May, Lt. Col. Greg Gadson marched onto the playing field, and he said it reminded him of the three times Army beat Navy when he was a player."You could feel the specialness of the game, you could feel the energy in the crowd. It did bring back memories of being a player," he said. "I think especially for a senior, who knows this is his last game, and you're part of a tradition and it's pretty awesome."I really was honored to go out there with some of the senior leaders in the Army and accompany them. It was an honor and a privilege that they afforded me and I was so appreciative. At the end of the day, it's a game, but those guys who are out there are going to be leaders in the Army and the Navy and the Marines in a short year and there's going to be a different set of stakes that they're playing for," he added.A field artillery officer, Lt. Col. Gadson attended West Point so he could play football, but fell in love with the Army, so much so that he decided to remain a Soldier in spite of his injuries."I believe I still have something to offer the Soldiers. That's as simple as I can say it. I love being a Soldier and right now I think I still have something to offer. As long as that's the case, I'm up for still being a Soldier," he said.Deployed with the 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery, Lt. Col. Gadson remembers the blast and thinking he didn't have his rifle. He remembers his first sergeant resuscitating him as he almost bled to death - he needed 70 pints of blood that first night alone - and he remembers hearing the helicopter coming to evacuate him, but little else until weeks later in Walter Reed Army Medical Center.Doctors had to amputate his left leg after infection caused his arteries to collapse. They were able to save his right leg, but Lt. Col. Gadson and his wife decided his quality of life would be better without it. He said his healing sped up very quickly after it was gone and he was finally able to leave intensive care. His right arm was also badly damaged and he needs at least two more surgeries in the next year. He still goes to Walter Reed for therapy every day.Although his injuries and recovery have, of course, been tough on his family, Lt. Col. Gadson said that they have ultimately brought his family closer together. "It's changed their life," he said. "But I think it's also brought us together. In tough times, there's really two ways to go, you can come together or you can go apart and I think it's been something that has brought us together. I am so proud of my kids because they have really embraced what has happened to our family."Learning to walk without knees or ankles has been challenging, but Lt. Col. Gadson credits prosthetics and the excellent therapists at Walter Reed, and looks at it like training for anything else."It's tough, but so is basic training, so is going through West Point, so is war. If you understand that what you're going through is going to be tough, then you prepare yourself for it and you go through it. There's no shortcuts," he said.Committing to walk on the field at the Army-Navy Game was also a good goal for Lt. Col. Gadson to work towards. "Once I committed to it I said, 'Well, I have to make sure I can walk,'" he said.He pushes himself, but he warns wounded Soldiers against pushing themselves too hard and trying to do anything before their bodies are ready."Just be patient and realize that you have had a significant event that's happened to you and take your time," he said. "I've found that that's really one of the most challenging things, to really be patient, kind of listen to my body. I'm not the same guy I was and if I push too hard I can do something to hurt myself and that's what I mean about being patient."Lt. Col. Gadson also wants Soldiers to know that the Army will take care of them."One thing I'm really proud of is how the Army has responded to me," he said. "As a commander, you put so much into trying to take care of Soldiers. And I found myself on the other end of being taken care of and it's been absolutely phenomenal."I just have to say that (Army medical personnel) are performing phenomenally. The tremendous trauma that my body's been through, I have nothing but great things to say. In other wars, I wouldn't have survived. The fact that three to five months after this happened, I'm in prosthetic limbs and I'm starting to learn how to walk again, is even hard for me to appreciate. These guys have really, really been doing some super work."

Happy 232nd Birthday to the Army!

Congratulations to the United States Army on 232 years of defending freedom at home and abroad! The Revolutionary War, War of 1812, The Mexican War, the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Afghanistan, Iraq, and the continuing global War on Terror provide example after example of the courage and fortitude of the U.S. Army in protecting our nation from any and all who threaten our liberty. Every American owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to those who put their lives on the line to defend America. To every American Army veteran-- you have my sincere thanks and deep respect. Thank you for making the Army the strongest, most elite military force in the world today. Thank you for your willingness to defend America and freedom with your lives. To the families and friends of those who have died in the line of duty--- I have great respect for your loved one's willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.

I ask that every reader take a moment to remember that "freedom is not free" and to say a prayer for those men and women who are paying the price for all of us. May God bless and protect the Soldiers of the U.S. Army. (And every branch of the Armed Forces, all of whom also play a courageous and important role in the defence of freedom.)

Here is the link to the Army's official 232nd birthday website.