The Wilson Family

Today as I drove Rusty to work AFN radio played old news recordings of September 11th 2001.  I was annoyed, why do they have to remind us of that horrible day?  Why do we have to re-live that terror every year?  I was saying this to Rusty when he looked at me and said “We should NOT forget.”

I have been thinking about that ever since and he is right, we should be forced to re-live it every year if for nothing else than to remember those who cannot re-live it.

Living here overseas on a military installation for the first time since September 11th, I have had some realizations about the staus of our military.  When I was in the military it was a terrible experience, the Army treated us like just another piece of equipment.  Over the past few days I have been expressing some jealousy over the great things they have available to the soldiers now.  Where I lived in roach infested barracks that had been around since the Korean war, the single soldiers today have beautiful, brand new buildings where they live in suites; and young married soldiers have homes nicer than anything Rusty and I have been able to find.  The dining facility where I went in Korea was disgusting, I rarely ate there because it was so dirty.  The dining facility here is like eating at Picadilly, but nicer.  Rusty and I actually brought the girls there for supper yesterday.  I sat there yesterday thinking, “ya know its a shame that we had to go to war for the Army to start treating soldiers as they should be treated.”  But now, on this day, remembering what happened and knowing that most of the soldiers that are in the military now actually joined knowing that they would go to war; I cannot be jealous.  I am thankful, thankful that we have young Americans who are willing to sacrifice themselves for us.  Think about it, most of the people who joined the Army after September 11th knew no one who was hurt or killed, they only knew that our people were attacked and needed to be protected, they heard the call and they answered it. 

Today, September 11th 2008, seven years after; every soldier, sailor, airman, and marine joined or re-enlisted because of that day seven years ago.  So here from this different perspective I have, I want all of my family and friends to do something for me and for yourselves… If you love your freedom, Thank a soldier!