American soldiers have fought and died to preserve the rights of people like Wanke to freely express themselves. He chooses to spew hatred. He just doesn't get it.

Terry, I am so sorry about your brother. My prayers are with you and your family.

God bless,
Debbie

I saw something very similar to this while leaving Vietnam in 1966,we sat waiting to takeoff next to at least 50 coffins waiting to be loaded for transport home,ater 40 years I can still picture that as my last memory of that war. I also was in an Airborne Infantry outfit, I think jeff would know of the 503 airborne infantry, of the 173rd Airborne brigade. I wish Jeff the best of luck in Afganistan and the best of all Infantyman's advice,-- Keep your eyes open and your butt down, and come home to the peace you so richly deserve.

Hey Don, thank you for your service to our country. I was born to late for Vietnam but have always felt like I should have done my part, I know it was impossible but it still nags at me. I just retired from 20 years in the Air Force Security Forces and never really had to experience true violence or life threatening situtaions. I have been to Soutwest Asia and had shots fired while on duty but have never returned fire or felt truly unsafe. That's all starting to change for our boys in blue. The security forces are starting to take on convoy security, prison security and patrolling as Army and Marine retention rates have dropped. Not to mention the constant rotation they endure, how do we ever expect them to keep their families. I'm not against the war. In fact, I think the non-players should leave the methods of mayhem to the active players who need to get the job done. They talk about safety of the troops but we are getting in our own way with the limitations we put on our soldiers. They don't eat a hamburger and protest the method used to extract the meat! All is fair in love and war and we seem to be the only ones playing by any sort of rules. You really can't win that way. Then again, some of these patriots will come home so messed up they may not be able to fit back into our society and they will be placed out of the way after giving everything. I guess that's why we call it the spoils of war and not the fruits of war.

I have the utmost respect for the Army, marine Corp and those who served in Vietnam. Any service really but you guys REALLY get the hard work done. Our country dropped the ball big time when you returned home. I see a large support for the troops now but....I read the article Sheep, Wolves and Sheepdogs from Ed's thread and it really says it all. Anyway, I really wanted to thank you for your sacrifice for us all.

TSgt Dziedzic, USAF retired.

 Quote: Ed Frawley

When they go into the mountains of Afghanistan for a year this coming February

Ed,
How long will Jeff be in Afghanistan?

My brother is also serving in Afghanistan - February to September. (He's with the Canadian army though).

It's a proud time for the families but also a scary time. I keep hoping that one morning, all the extremist radicals will wake up and feel peace, not hate; and the war would be over. Either that, or we blast them into the sky.

in my humble opinion Ed posted these photos to remind us that these men died for our country, what have you done lately?

please have some respect.

my apologies Woody, I didn't mean to direct my reply towards you when I hit reply.

so sorry.

I think this country since the Vietnam era has realized that war right or wrong or whatever feelings one may have about it is not up to the soldier.Whatever the circunstances that put him there he still has the same dirty, hard, low paying job, that is extemely dangerous and he deserves a hell of a lot of respect for doing it. Look.to be very blunt, Combat is a meatgrinder that stress the mind and the body to it's limits, and sometimes past those limits.It's very hard to be a young person with a long life ahead of you, if they can just get through this, and know by night fall or daybreak, it might be gone,ended, history.