I received this today. Thought it might be of interest to the readers on the SAF.
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********Red *Shirt
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If *the red shirt thing is new to you, read below *how it went for a man...
Last *week, while traveling to Chicago on business, I *noticed a Marine sergeant traveling with a *folded flag, but did not put two and two *together..*
After we boarded our flight, I *turned to the sergeant, who'd been invited to *sit in First Class (across from me), and *inquired if he was heading home.
No, he *responded.
Heading out I asked?*
No. *I'm escorting a soldier home.
Going to *pick him up?
No. He is with me right now. *He was killed in Iraq , I'm taking him home to *his family.*
The realization of what he *had been asked to do hit me like a punch to the *gut. It was an honor for him. He told me that, *although he didn't know the soldier, he had *delivered the news of his passing to the *soldier's family and felt as if he knew them *after many conversations in so few days. *
I turned back to him, extended my hand, *and said, Thank you Thank you for doing what *you do so my family and I can do what we do. *
Upon landing in Chicago the pilot *stopped short of the gate and made the following *announcement over the intercom.*
"Ladies *and gentlemen, I would like to note that we have *had the honor of having Sergeant Steeley of the *United States Marine Corps join us on this *flight He is escorting a fallen comrade back *home to his family. I ask that you please remain *in your seats when we open the forward door to *allow Sergeant Steeley to deplane and receive *his fellow soldier. We will then turn off the *seat belt sign."
Without a sound, all *went as requested. I noticed the sergeant *saluting the casket as it was brought off the *plane, and his action made me realize that I am *proud to be an American.*
So here's a *public Thank You to our military Men and Women *for what you do so we can live the way we *do.
Red Fridays.
Very soon, you *will see a great many people wearing Red every *Friday. The reason? Americans who support our *troops used to be called the "silent majority.." *We are no longer silent, and are voicing our *love for God, country and home in record *breaking numbers. We are not organized, *boisterous or overbearing.*
Many *Americans, like you, me and all our friends, *simply want to recognize that the vast majority *of America supports our troops. Our idea of *showing solidarity and support for our troops *with dignity and respect starts this Friday -- *and continues each and every Friday until the *troops all come home, sending a deafening *message that ... Every red-blooded American who *supports our men and women a far, will wear *something red.*
By word of mouth, press, *TV -- let's make the United States on every *Friday a sea of red much like a homecoming *football game in the bleachers. If every one of *us who loves this country will share this with *acquaintances, coworkers, friends, and family, *it will not be long before the USA is covered in *RED and it will let our troops know the once *"silent" majority is on their side more than *ever, certainly more than the media lets *on.
The first thing a soldier says when *asked "What can we do to make things better for *you?" is. "We need your support and your *prayers." Let's get the word out and lead with *class and dignity, by example, and wear *something red every Friday.
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****
*******
********Red *Shirt
***
If *the red shirt thing is new to you, read below *how it went for a man...
Last *week, while traveling to Chicago on business, I *noticed a Marine sergeant traveling with a *folded flag, but did not put two and two *together..*
After we boarded our flight, I *turned to the sergeant, who'd been invited to *sit in First Class (across from me), and *inquired if he was heading home.
No, he *responded.
Heading out I asked?*
No. *I'm escorting a soldier home.
Going to *pick him up?
No. He is with me right now. *He was killed in Iraq , I'm taking him home to *his family.*
The realization of what he *had been asked to do hit me like a punch to the *gut. It was an honor for him. He told me that, *although he didn't know the soldier, he had *delivered the news of his passing to the *soldier's family and felt as if he knew them *after many conversations in so few days. *
I turned back to him, extended my hand, *and said, Thank you Thank you for doing what *you do so my family and I can do what we do. *
Upon landing in Chicago the pilot *stopped short of the gate and made the following *announcement over the intercom.*
"Ladies *and gentlemen, I would like to note that we have *had the honor of having Sergeant Steeley of the *United States Marine Corps join us on this *flight He is escorting a fallen comrade back *home to his family. I ask that you please remain *in your seats when we open the forward door to *allow Sergeant Steeley to deplane and receive *his fellow soldier. We will then turn off the *seat belt sign."
Without a sound, all *went as requested. I noticed the sergeant *saluting the casket as it was brought off the *plane, and his action made me realize that I am *proud to be an American.*
So here's a *public Thank You to our military Men and Women *for what you do so we can live the way we *do.
Red Fridays.
Very soon, you *will see a great many people wearing Red every *Friday. The reason? Americans who support our *troops used to be called the "silent majority.." *We are no longer silent, and are voicing our *love for God, country and home in record *breaking numbers. We are not organized, *boisterous or overbearing.*
Many *Americans, like you, me and all our friends, *simply want to recognize that the vast majority *of America supports our troops. Our idea of *showing solidarity and support for our troops *with dignity and respect starts this Friday -- *and continues each and every Friday until the *troops all come home, sending a deafening *message that ... Every red-blooded American who *supports our men and women a far, will wear *something red.*
By word of mouth, press, *TV -- let's make the United States on every *Friday a sea of red much like a homecoming *football game in the bleachers. If every one of *us who loves this country will share this with *acquaintances, coworkers, friends, and family, *it will not be long before the USA is covered in *RED and it will let our troops know the once *"silent" majority is on their side more than *ever, certainly more than the media lets *on.
The first thing a soldier says when *asked "What can we do to make things better for *you?" is. "We need your support and your *prayers." Let's get the word out and lead with *class and dignity, by example, and wear *something red every Friday.
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