So, I imagined the White House sitting on five or 10 acres, not in the middle of buildings and a bustling city. I imagined it being on a busy street with lots of traffic, but it was on a closed street filled with Secret Service agents. I got to see their organic veggie garden too.
The White House was quiet and still. Outside, the fence, it was hard to get photos of it with all the vacationers taking photos.
Lady Victory is well known at Fort Riley, KS near where I'm from. Here's a terrific article on her. There in DC, I saw her again and it was a pleasant surprise.
We also visited the White House Gift Shop and got lots of souvenirs, including a coffee mug and Christmas ornament. I didn't know until after my purchase, but they charged $0.25 per shopping bag. With a minimum of a $25 purchase, you could get your photo taken at a replica White House Press Conference podium, White House Presidential Desk, and in the "Oval Office." It was neat to get my photo by the well-known areas.
I loved all the history and the opportunity to see places I'd only ever seen on TV!
When American Sniper came out last fall, I wanted to see it, but wasn't sure I could handle it's intensity. I have lots of friends in the military, live in a military community, and worked in a job where I was involved in the local base (Fort Riley, KS) and traveled to military bases across the United States. Those experiences changed the way I see the world forever. I'll share a few of the experiences that most changed me.
One of the posts I traveled to was Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, TX. It is home to the 2nd largest military hospital in the U.S., San Antonio Military Medical Center formerly Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC). I hadn't thought of what that would mean for my trip, but I sure did learn. Lots of companies were there for the career fair I was at representing my employer and among the masses of Soldiers attending were many Soldiers who were amputees missing one or two limbs or had disfiguring burns across their whole bodies. They were there shaking hands and looking for employment like everyone else. Seeing their injuries and children there with them tugged at my heart. They weren't at home wallowing in sorrow, like I knew I would be doing if I'd been in their shoes. They were resilient. I swelled with pride in the strength of our Soldiers and I grew more as a person that day as my gratitude for their sacrifice grew as well.
As a member of the community, my company was invited to attend all kinds of military ceremonies at Fort Riley: change of command, deployment, redeployment, casing of colors, and memorials to name a few. I attended dozens of ceremonies during my 5.5 years at that job. Of all the ceremonies I attended two types of ceremonies most changed me; redeployment and memorials.
I first attended a redeployment ceremony as a community member and observer. They often were at the craziest times like 4am, but I wanted to experience them. For me the experience was in a way indescribable. Entering the large, sterile gym anticipation was so thick in the air you could almost taste it, people were fidgety waiting for their loved ones to finally arrive after a long deployment and restless children cried, many of whom hadn't been born when their fathers had deployed. The wait for the Soldiers to finally arrived felt like forever. Though I didn't know a soul returning, I was filled with anticipation for them. The Soldiers file into formation, families frantically search the nearly identical rows of uniformed Soldiers for their loved ones. The commander speaks for a few minutes, which feels like hours to the restless crowd. Then he releases the Soldiers and the search begins. Fathers meet their babies for the first time, families laugh and cry, the experience and emotions are unforgettable.
Just two years ago, I attended another redeployment ceremony. This time, I knew someone coming back. One of my good friends was returning from a year in Afghanistan. Every parking lot within a 1/4 mile of the gym was packed along with all streets. Snow was on the ground. The gym was packed to the brim. I stood in a hoard of people near the entrance and couldn't see a thing. I again felt the anticipation and emotion of it all. Babies cried, people strained to see a glimpse of their loved one, and with the anticipation of it all I teared up. Once the Soldiers were dismissed, I worked through the crowd to try to find my friend and her parents. I made it just in time to see my friend's dad find her. The emotion on his face as he hugged her struck my heart.
The one ceremony to most effect me were the memorials. My coworker briefed me of some of the emotional parts of the ceremony, but no words could ever have properly prepared me. We stepped into a beautiful chapel on post and sat in a pew towards the back. Fellow Soldiers shared their memories of their departed friends. After that,things happened in an order I can't quite remember. A lone trumpet played the always emotional "Taps." Next was roll call, it was much more devastating then even I had been able to imagine. The First Sergeant begins roll call, calling the rank and last name of Soldiers in the company ex) "Sgt. Smith." Sgt. Smith answers back, "here, First Sergeant." Roll call continues with the First Sergeant calling out the the rank and last name of several Soldiers, they in turn answer back, "here First Sergeant." Then he comes to the deceased Soldier. He calls their rank and last name. The silence is deafening. All you want is for that Soldier to be able to answer back. The First Sergeant then continues calling the deceased Soldier's rank, first name, and last name. The silence continues on for what feels like forever as your heart breaks. A final time the First Sergeant calls out the rank, first name, middle name, and last name of the the deceased Soldier into silence that makes me cry to even think about it. Into the silence, outside the chapel you hear the 21-gun salute. It feels like it comes out of nowhere and literally jolts you. The room is full of unbearable sorrow. The following video captures in a small way what the memorial was like. I will say, it's not for the faint of heart and brought back all the emotions I felt that day over 8 years ago. I hope even in a small way that it helps you and I realize the depth of sacrifice of our outstanding military. I feel that every American should attend a military memorial to better understand the sacrifice and the gift of our freedom, which is far from free.
Seeing American Sniper brought back some of my memories back. I thought the movie would feature lots of fight scenes, but it really focused on Chris Kyles' relationships with his family and friends. His skill as a sniper was unbelievable and saved so many lives. In the end, it reminded me of the strength and sacrifice of our military. In addition, it made me proud to be an American. The movie ended so sadly, but it made me thankful for people like Chris Kyle and it brought the important issue of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) back into people's minds. It's real and it's crippling even for the strongest of people. I've had friends who've battled it. We definitely need to address the hard issues and help our Soldiers heal. God bless America!
I've grown up near a military town (Fort Riley, Kansas) my whole life. I've had family members that have served in the military, as well as friends. I have a great respect for our military members, their families, and our veterans.
In my first job, I was able to see a snapshot of the highs and lows that our military members face. I went to redeployment ceremonies and despite not knowing anyone coming back, I felt the surge of emotion and anticipation. What an experience! You see people trying to find their family members amongst a sea of fatigues in formation. Parents are seeing their newborn babies for the first time, it's beautiful. To share the joys, you should also share the sorrows. Nothing could have prepared me for the first memorial service I went to on post. As community members, I went with coworkers to show our support. What I experienced has shaped my view that every American should attend a military memorial service and a redeployment ceremony. It changed my life. I cried for the sacrifice of someone I'd never known who paid the price for my freedom with their life. I heard of the character, family, and life of the Soldier. I heard the pain of the loss of those who knew him. I was touched by the military traditions. It was everything I could do to hold myself together through role call and I can't think of anything else more painful to hear. I could describe it, but to experience it literally shook my world. The 21 gun salute outside the chapel, made me and others jump. Lastly, as you file out of the chapel by the boots, rifle, and dogtags of the deceased; each Soldier stops and salutes. It's a very solemn, respectful moment. I stopped said a prayer for their family and left changed. The experience gave me more empathy and a snapshot into the realities of war and what sacrifice really means. I give money to causes I believe in, but some give their lives. As the saying goes, freedom isn't free. I'm thankful to live near a military base; it's changed me as a person and I'm grateful for it. I'm grateful for the numerous friends I've made during their time at Fort Riley; they've all enriched my life. I've made some friends that I know I'll always have.
I finally watched Act of Valor with the fam, tonight. What a great movie! It made me reflect on the incredible sacrifice and training of our military. It's about Navy Seals. Obviously, there was lots of violence, but I still recommend the movie. At the end of the movie, they quoted a beautiful passage by Tecumseh that I'd never heard. Well, you all know I love quotes, so here it goes:
Yes, the movie and Tecumseh's words made me cry. It made me think of the sacrifice of our military and their family; grateful.
So, thinking of sacrifice I'd can't help but think of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross for my sins. Dying for people who don't deserve it and who hated him; that's love.
