Merry Christmas, the little things aren't that little with some reflection

[sworcester]

On Christmas Eve, 2011, My wife, daughter and I went down to Fort Hood to welcome back the troops from Iraq. They were the last battalion out of Iraq into Kuwait.
My daughter had been going to school to get her masters while her husband was off fighting a war (his 3rd tour).

It was cold and drizzling, but we would have gone to Antartica to see them reunited.

Here is my unedited video of the homecoming, I tear up (as I am writing this) every time I see it. Because of sacrifices our armed forces make, we can sleep well and safe.

I don't post this for any accolades, etc., but to remind all of you that we are all blessed. Hug your spouses, significant others, children and pets. Put aside your indifference and shake hands and hug tightly.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2593085459741&set=vb.1032787018&type=2&theater

From myself, thank you all for your friendship and mostly warm and thoughtful advise this year. I do appreciate it.

[malcolm]

That provides a little perspective.
From an old marine thanks and semper fi

[sworcester]

That provides a little perspective.
From an old marine thanks and semper fi

Thank you for your service!

[sworcester]

And I think from them it should be Whoo Raaaah!
He is Army 1st Cav, Grey Wolf (at that time)

I had a friend, Confirmation sponsor and someone I looked up to in my early years, who was drafted into Vietnam as (ironically) an MP. When he came home he gave me his patch and I gifted it to Art (my SIL) in hopes of keeping him safe and he carried it throughout Iraq and Kuwait on his last mission. He was tasked with overseeing the deck of cards prisoners in Iraq.
He was the last convoy from Iraq into Kuwait and had an LA Times embedded journalist in their MVAP coming across the border. The photo ran in the LA Times and we got a reprint of it and gave it to him for Christmas that year.
But the reality is (was) he was the Christmas present to my darling daughter, and us.
They now have a child, who is one of two grandchildren who are the lights of our lives.

Merry Christmas sir.

[tiretrax]

Thanks for posting that, Steve. We took our children out to DFW on quite a few Sundays to greet returning troops. I'm glad he's back home for Christmas.

[LouDeeter]

The Army and the Nation have learned how to do this welcoming home so much better than they did forty years ago. I commanded a battalion back home during the first Gulf War. We had over sixty of our soldiers deployed in many different outfits so they came back in ones and twos. We welcomed everyone of them back with a ceremony, then when the last one returned, we had a big parade to recognize them all. It was magical. Thanks for sharing.