Midnight Special Racing
Active Member
I'm here today sitting and pondering just exactly what a friend, a father, former man in uniform, both Military and Law enforcement can state in remembrance of former fallen men and women in uniform, because this year, it has special meaning, more so than it has ever in the past 10-15 years.
This year, it hits home, because of Scott.
Grief and sorrow this year is a pill hard to swallow. Emotion makes it awfully hard to swallow at times and I cant even begin to think how hard it would be to be at home and seeing a Military Chaplin and Staff Officer walk up my sidewalk, if we had a son or daughter in our military serving wherever or in harm's way.
I think every time I see a person in uniform, whether Man or Woman, Black, White or whatever the color of skin they might have, what have I done to thank them for the service that they have given to our country. The rederick the media puts onto it as its an out for their socioeconomic position, or a way to get out of the poor house or whatever, I wonder if that anchor person making the report or a reporter making the story has even ever been in a combat zone or zone of conflict, when they are having their butt protected by that man or woman in uniform.
As for me, I was growing up in the Cold War Era, Vietnam Era, Granada, on actual Active Duty during the Beirut crisis, as Carter went and Regan came into office.(1974-1984) I can recall sitting in the S-2 office, at the times we tried the marine rescue, where we lost 3, CH-53s(I flew CH-54s) on the failed attempts. I recall the bombing of the barracks, the various attacks on stations all over the world we serve, and like many I asked, why always us. Do so many other countries actually hate the US that bad? I was stationed in Frankfort Germany when the hostages were released and actually helped provide security protection when the injured hostages were brought to Landsthul AFB for debrief and medical attention.
It isnt as I agree that the US needs to be policing every place in the world, especially when we have problems here in our own homeland. We should be spending the money here at home first before we spend it somewhere else, yet having said that, having been in different assignments in the military, DAH ..doesnt make sense right.
My grandfather served in the Army, My father served in the army, I served in the army.
Heck, I came to active duty in the so called Peace Time Army. We played War once every Quarter by deploying into the boonies, camped for 4-5 days, slept in big tents, ate C-rations and flew support missions by supporting other units playing the same game on the other side of the same boonies. I learned how to fly, finished my degree, grew up quite a bit, discovered what I was providing protection for, even when no conflict was anywhere.
I didnt worry about driving home, wondering if someone was going to shoot at me, if there would be any check-points Id have to be sure I could get through ..[if you could have had an opportunity to ever be at Check-Point Charlie on the border of East-West Germany, before the wall came down, its a whole new enlighting experience as to freedom.]
Today we live in a slightly different world. People from all over the world, have access to the good US of A. They come from all 4 corners of the world and from each direction of the winds. Why? We have our own problems here in the US too, yet the come by the 10's of thousands.
Ask yourself, if I lived in a country where the food wasnt edible, water was taken from a river to drink and the water looked like ya just washed your car in it, sewer systems were the ditch flowing in front of your home. Wouldnt you want to escape that too and live better.
Think of the movies which have portrayed events like Red Dawn, Pan American Airlines bombing, Or similar TV that shows how we can be attacked that have been re-creations, ask why its a re-creation. Because it's previously happend to us? Im sure in my lifetime it wont happen, maybe not in my childrens. Ask yourself, are you ready to give up that guard we have in place in protecting our home ground. Certainly, not I and I hope the next generations wont be willing to give it up either.
I want to continue to enjoy being able to go on a road trip, stopping at the Arch in St.
Louis or driving to Colorado to stand and look down Pikes Peak. Maybe driving to my local Sonic because a bunch of Mopar Gas Guzzlers are coming by just to visit with other car nut guys and gals, even if they drive Ford and Chevys. I want to be able to buy 5.00 a gallon race gas and go down my local dragstrip and then Of course there is the possibility I want to go fishing when me and the wife get in a spat and I need to go think about life in general and what I have. I want to go grab a picnic basket and stop by my local KFC and drive into the country and sit by a lake shore. Just some of the freedoms we all share without having to ask anyone if its okay to do.
I dont want to start the draft over again, I dont want mandatory 2 year service for everyone able, to be called an American. In some form or fashion we all serve the good of this country.
Whether it is a BDU inform, a firefighter, police officer, nurse, electric company worker, meat cutter or what ever you have to put on in order to do your part. We all do something good for this country, bar none.
Well today, our men and women in Uniform help in providing that for us.
Dont just celebrate your freedoms on November 11th every year. Celebrate it daily.
Put out your Nations Colors out daily, thank someone like your mail man, your UPS guy. When you stop to get your morning coffee at Q-T and ya see a Police Officer, say hello and thanks for what youre doing, even if its the guy that wrote ya a ticket some 6 months ago. The next time your driving past a fire station and the guys and gals are sitting out front or in the station house working on the trucks, drop off a couple dozen cookies just for the #### of it or drop off a pot of ham and beans. Its only a few bucks.....but the thought of thanks lasts for a long time.
So on November 11th, be sure to think of the freedom you have, how youve been able to have it afforded to you, who the men and women before you have paid for it, what the cost was to them, by having the honor to provide it, to you. When tomorrow, the President of the United States of America places a rief onto the Tomb of the Unknowns and the TV cameras pan across Arlington National Cemetery, remember those who have given their all, to protect and Serve, just see all the white stones from era to era, there are more than we'd all wish we wouldn't have to count.
If you ever get the chance, stop and see the travelling wall or actually see it in D.C., stop by out local fallen firefighters /lae enforcement memorial....drop a buck into the till....or what ever you think is right, memorial for anyone is worth remembering.
Currently, no one forces them to make the choice to sign on the dotted line, its a choice each man and woman in the Service of this country, has made on their own, for whatever reason. But they have made it, are standing in harms way because of it and doing so proudly. We may not like where they are serving or for what reason,but they are doing it, because they are required to do so, but support the choice that they have made and support them.
If nothing else, recall and remember just my story of my own sons, Derrick and Scott.
Simply because, Scott and many others, before them and after them
Wont be coming home, to sit at your dinner table ever again,
Wont ever again hand you a wrench, wont ever again
Play beach volleyball or go to an outing with you.
But what they have done, what they will be doing is helping protect
YOU and YOUR FAMILY being able to do so.
JUST REMEMBER.
In Memory
Scott Phillip Williams
Scottie
1982-2005
US Army
KIA, Iraq
This year, it hits home, because of Scott.
Grief and sorrow this year is a pill hard to swallow. Emotion makes it awfully hard to swallow at times and I cant even begin to think how hard it would be to be at home and seeing a Military Chaplin and Staff Officer walk up my sidewalk, if we had a son or daughter in our military serving wherever or in harm's way.
I think every time I see a person in uniform, whether Man or Woman, Black, White or whatever the color of skin they might have, what have I done to thank them for the service that they have given to our country. The rederick the media puts onto it as its an out for their socioeconomic position, or a way to get out of the poor house or whatever, I wonder if that anchor person making the report or a reporter making the story has even ever been in a combat zone or zone of conflict, when they are having their butt protected by that man or woman in uniform.
As for me, I was growing up in the Cold War Era, Vietnam Era, Granada, on actual Active Duty during the Beirut crisis, as Carter went and Regan came into office.(1974-1984) I can recall sitting in the S-2 office, at the times we tried the marine rescue, where we lost 3, CH-53s(I flew CH-54s) on the failed attempts. I recall the bombing of the barracks, the various attacks on stations all over the world we serve, and like many I asked, why always us. Do so many other countries actually hate the US that bad? I was stationed in Frankfort Germany when the hostages were released and actually helped provide security protection when the injured hostages were brought to Landsthul AFB for debrief and medical attention.
It isnt as I agree that the US needs to be policing every place in the world, especially when we have problems here in our own homeland. We should be spending the money here at home first before we spend it somewhere else, yet having said that, having been in different assignments in the military, DAH ..doesnt make sense right.
My grandfather served in the Army, My father served in the army, I served in the army.
Heck, I came to active duty in the so called Peace Time Army. We played War once every Quarter by deploying into the boonies, camped for 4-5 days, slept in big tents, ate C-rations and flew support missions by supporting other units playing the same game on the other side of the same boonies. I learned how to fly, finished my degree, grew up quite a bit, discovered what I was providing protection for, even when no conflict was anywhere.
I didnt worry about driving home, wondering if someone was going to shoot at me, if there would be any check-points Id have to be sure I could get through ..[if you could have had an opportunity to ever be at Check-Point Charlie on the border of East-West Germany, before the wall came down, its a whole new enlighting experience as to freedom.]
Today we live in a slightly different world. People from all over the world, have access to the good US of A. They come from all 4 corners of the world and from each direction of the winds. Why? We have our own problems here in the US too, yet the come by the 10's of thousands.
Ask yourself, if I lived in a country where the food wasnt edible, water was taken from a river to drink and the water looked like ya just washed your car in it, sewer systems were the ditch flowing in front of your home. Wouldnt you want to escape that too and live better.
Think of the movies which have portrayed events like Red Dawn, Pan American Airlines bombing, Or similar TV that shows how we can be attacked that have been re-creations, ask why its a re-creation. Because it's previously happend to us? Im sure in my lifetime it wont happen, maybe not in my childrens. Ask yourself, are you ready to give up that guard we have in place in protecting our home ground. Certainly, not I and I hope the next generations wont be willing to give it up either.
I want to continue to enjoy being able to go on a road trip, stopping at the Arch in St.
Louis or driving to Colorado to stand and look down Pikes Peak. Maybe driving to my local Sonic because a bunch of Mopar Gas Guzzlers are coming by just to visit with other car nut guys and gals, even if they drive Ford and Chevys. I want to be able to buy 5.00 a gallon race gas and go down my local dragstrip and then Of course there is the possibility I want to go fishing when me and the wife get in a spat and I need to go think about life in general and what I have. I want to go grab a picnic basket and stop by my local KFC and drive into the country and sit by a lake shore. Just some of the freedoms we all share without having to ask anyone if its okay to do.
I dont want to start the draft over again, I dont want mandatory 2 year service for everyone able, to be called an American. In some form or fashion we all serve the good of this country.
Whether it is a BDU inform, a firefighter, police officer, nurse, electric company worker, meat cutter or what ever you have to put on in order to do your part. We all do something good for this country, bar none.
Well today, our men and women in Uniform help in providing that for us.
Dont just celebrate your freedoms on November 11th every year. Celebrate it daily.
Put out your Nations Colors out daily, thank someone like your mail man, your UPS guy. When you stop to get your morning coffee at Q-T and ya see a Police Officer, say hello and thanks for what youre doing, even if its the guy that wrote ya a ticket some 6 months ago. The next time your driving past a fire station and the guys and gals are sitting out front or in the station house working on the trucks, drop off a couple dozen cookies just for the #### of it or drop off a pot of ham and beans. Its only a few bucks.....but the thought of thanks lasts for a long time.
So on November 11th, be sure to think of the freedom you have, how youve been able to have it afforded to you, who the men and women before you have paid for it, what the cost was to them, by having the honor to provide it, to you. When tomorrow, the President of the United States of America places a rief onto the Tomb of the Unknowns and the TV cameras pan across Arlington National Cemetery, remember those who have given their all, to protect and Serve, just see all the white stones from era to era, there are more than we'd all wish we wouldn't have to count.
If you ever get the chance, stop and see the travelling wall or actually see it in D.C., stop by out local fallen firefighters /lae enforcement memorial....drop a buck into the till....or what ever you think is right, memorial for anyone is worth remembering.
Currently, no one forces them to make the choice to sign on the dotted line, its a choice each man and woman in the Service of this country, has made on their own, for whatever reason. But they have made it, are standing in harms way because of it and doing so proudly. We may not like where they are serving or for what reason,but they are doing it, because they are required to do so, but support the choice that they have made and support them.
If nothing else, recall and remember just my story of my own sons, Derrick and Scott.
Simply because, Scott and many others, before them and after them
Wont be coming home, to sit at your dinner table ever again,
Wont ever again hand you a wrench, wont ever again
Play beach volleyball or go to an outing with you.
But what they have done, what they will be doing is helping protect
YOU and YOUR FAMILY being able to do so.
JUST REMEMBER.
In Memory
Scott Phillip Williams
Scottie
1982-2005
US Army
KIA, Iraq
