I didn't plan on doing a Memorial Day post, but after what I've seen, I have to.

Flipping between TLC and Comedy Central tonight, I hit the National Geographic channel. It is not one of my normal channels. At all. But there were soldiers. They were in the Middle East, and they were talking to Middle Easterners. And I got sucked in.

I don't know that many of you know this, but Superman was in the Army Reserves. He signed up at the end of 1999, a few months before turning 18 and graduating from high school. (He actually signed up just a few weeks before our first date.) He went to BASIC during the fall of 2000, then left on his church mission to Taiwan in May of 2001. As you know, 9/11 was just a few months later.

Fortunately, he was able to stay in Taiwan. His detachment in Kansas was deployed, but since he was in the inactive reserve, he didn't have to go. When he came home in June of 2003, he transferred to the military police unit here in Utah. At the time, they were deployed to Kuwait. But since he wasn't with them when they deployed, he didn't have to go over there. It was pretty small for a while, but the unit came home just a few months after he joined. (Also, his original unit in Kansas was deployed again. He miraculously missed 3 possible deployments.)

Now, I have some issues with the US Army. They owe us several thousand dollars because of mistakes they made. Superman didn't want to do anything while he was in the Army because he was afraid they'd do something to him. And he thinks it will be an utter waste of time to pursue it now since he's out of the army. For the record, he was told that if he re-upped for another 2 years, he'd get everything promised. We decided it wasn't worth the risk.

Alright.............I really didn't mean to go into all that history. Just wanted to explain the connection I have to our soldiers. And that despite my issues, I still feel very deeply about the men and women who serve our country.

Anyway, the Nat Geo special. It was on the Green Berets. They were in Afghanistan, fighting the Taliban. When I flipped to the special, there were a bunch of Afghan elders who had come to the Green Berets, wanting to help get the Taliban out of their villages. Many of them had lost family and friends to the Taliban, or in firefights with the US soldiers.

They showed the men on patrols and on base, in their off-time. E-mailing or calling their families, watching TV. Working out to relieve stress. They showed a Taliban execution that had been recorded.

And I was just so..............mad. And heartbroken. There are so many who have lost loved ones in the violence there. To the Taliban executions, to the hostility between Taliban and American forces. To illness and disease. And then to think of the soldiers who've lost their lives. And the families they left behind..........................

Like I said: it breaks my heart. And it makes me mad. I can't believe we're still fighting over there. But none of the soldiers who are fighting are doing it against their will. They all believe in what they're fighting for. They want to preserve the lives of their countrymen, and their fellow soldiers.

They showed the unit going on a patrol through hostile territory. There was an IED that some locals had found and brought to them. (A $100 reward is offered for any brought in.) The unit was headed up to a hilltop to camp that night. As they were on the convoy, they were monitoring Taliban chatter over the radio. It became apparent that the Taliban knew exactly where they were. They were being watched.

On the way, they stopped and raided a known Taliban compound. Just a few weeks before, explosives and the makings of IEDs were found there. They went in and looked around, but found nothing. However, they lost valuable time getting to the hilltop where they planned to camp. They had less than an hour till the sun set.

As they approached the hilltop, they sent dogs out to sniff for IEDs. The dogs found one. They attached explosives to it, backed up several hundred yards, and blew it up. That explosion revealed yet another IED. So they blew it up. 7 IEDs were found in all. They took care of all of them, then proceeded to the top of the hill.

Some of the film crew were on the first truck that went up. They filmed the other trucks headed up. And then one hit an IED. There was a bright flash, then the camera fell and went black.


(I actually flipped the channel just then, anticipating what would happen. I started watching Jon & Kate + 8. But it just felt so wrong. Watching this normal{ish} American family, while others were dying. I didn't want to watch anymore, but I felt so compelled to know what had happened.)


2 soldiers died from the explosion. 5 others were seriously injured -- 2 of which were part of the Nat Geo film crew. The two who died were both naturalized US citizens. They were Americans by choice. One had been married just under 6 years, and had two children.

Just like Superman.

Like I said: I didn't plan on doing a Memorial Day post. My grandfathers fought in wars, but neither of them died there. I do not know anyone personally who has died fighting a war. I didn't want to trivialize the sacrifices so many have made by doing a cliche Memorial Day post. (Not that others I know have done that...........I'm just sayin'.)

But after watching that special, I just felt like I had to share my thoughts. I am so, so grateful Superman never had to be in combat. I don't even want to think about the men I know from his unit who still face the reality of being deployed at anytime. And their families.

I am so grateful to all the men and women who daily put their lives on the line so that I and my family are safe tonight. They do it knowing they may not make it home. And their families live and struggle with that reality every day. So many have lost husbands and fathers, wives and mothers. Sons and daughters. So many struggle with debilitating injuries and depression.

(I can barely see the screen right now for the tears pouring down my face.)

I struggle with looking at the big picture. I know the soldiers there are fighting for things they believe in, but I just can't see beyond the loved ones they leave behind.

I guess that today, I'm grateful to all those who look at the big picture. They make my life possible. Tonight I will pray for them. And the families waiting for them to return home. Or painfully moving on without them.

I will remember them today.

This is a link to the Nat Geo blog post written by one of the film makers. It's worth the click.