We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:10:40 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:21 -0600
About the 'unsung heroes', they are an evil of War, accept the honor in their names. The more you speak/ write you're bringing honor to all of them. "Those drops form a powerful river"..., Fuzzy, you are *SO* right! I'm glad you're in the battle and you're on our side.

With Deepest Respects/ Grumpy
]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html#comment-95713 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html#comment-95713 Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:54:07 -0600
We all do our part.  As I said above, the drops come together to form a powerful river...
]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html#comment-95711 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html#comment-95711 Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:01:26 -0600
FbL you are so self effacing but you have respect for good reason.  I would rather see World Changes from people like you or the old man who sent packages (thanks for that Grumpy) than a grandiose show of Change from any esteemed Ruler. 

You show them someone gives a rat's arse which is more important than I can convey.  Mana from heaven is cheap by comparison.  If I can just be just a fraction as worthy.
]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html#comment-95706 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html#comment-95706 Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:50:55 -0600
"It doesn't change The World,  but  it *does* change Some Worlds..." by BillT. Again you hit it out of the ballpark. The concept of "Worlds" is one that is hard to get a grasp on, in this context. Some people make the transition  easily into Military life and some have a tough time with it. Even after they are in,  then you have deployments, meaning more transitions. Each one of these transitions is a "World". My time frame is 40+ years ago or Viet Nam, we had guys in our barracks, who would just give up. This is back in the US, they would commit suicide.  After a search of their areas, they would find the letter or note. After a careful examination of the document, they found some interesting patterns. 1. Was this event preventable? Answer- Yes!  2.How? Help my family to understand I have changed. Normal is gone! It is never coming back. This was a difficult issue even for Military Families.

Fuzzy, this last one shows just how important you are to our troops. The question is this, Does anybody out there, *care about us, without their political agenda?* This means more than words can ever express.

Be careful, the last question is and has been consistent with Department of Defense Policy on Politics in Uniform for the last 40+ years.

Fuzzy, THANK YOU, for your service, from a grateful Nation.
]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html#comment-95700 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html#comment-95700 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:45:22 -0600 ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html#comment-95696 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html#comment-95696 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:39:11 -0600 ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html#comment-95694 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html#comment-95694 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:33:35 -0600 I don't believe for a moment that my volunteering at the USO or doing the work I do changes the world.

It doesn't change The World, but it *does* change Some Worlds...
]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html#comment-95651 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html#comment-95651 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:31:52 -0600
I absolutely agree, Grumpy.  I don't believe for a moment that my volunteering at the USO or doing the work I do changes the world.  But it IS a few more drops in the river of all the other people filling a place in all this that changes the environment in which our active duty and veterans are operating.  We all have a role to play.  Fortunately many other people out there are better suited to fiercer and more kinetic roles than I am...  ;)

]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html#comment-95647 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html#comment-95647 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:56:35 -0600
And Grumpy, that IS a great story.  Thanks for telling it!
]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html#comment-95646 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html#comment-95646 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:46:00 -0600
Fuzzy, thank you again, too.  You've done a really fine job of putting us in the room, and yeah, I'm jealous too, but more for the opportunity to be there than the handshake...

You're a good egg, FbL, and it doesn't get any better than that.
]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html#comment-95643 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html#comment-95643 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:19:40 -0600
I don't believe everybody should be in the Military. But I do believe everybody should find their place and fill it. I remember a disabled old man from my Hometown who did exactly this. He sent packages to the troops in Viet Nam. The Troops told LBJ of this man's work. Well, word went out quietly to find this man. A local policeman, actually Special Operations Veteran from Viet Nam, heard the the story and confirmed the facts. The City Leaders knew and approved all of the plans. The Police Officer would be off duty and in uniform. He would stop by this local coffee shop everyday at a certain time. Sure enough, the man and his wife came in to "their" seats at their appointed time. The coffee shop and parking lot were packed full of Vets, we all knew and were "marching to the same drummer". Nothing needed to be said, the police car with the off duty officer, who went over to the couple and asked them both to come with him. Everybody stood up and either smiled or toasted them. The policeman and everybody in the coffee shop and parking lot are friends.  They are taken to a rather large nearby military base, the head o base security knew them and Secret Service knew head of base security. Again, everybody is marching to the same drummer. Air Force One lands, The couple alone are taken to speak with LBJ alone. He speaks of their service mindset as being a National asset. Fuzzy, in some ways, you remind me of that couple and their dedication.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html#comment-95641 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html#comment-95641 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:53:35 -0600 ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html#comment-95639 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/among_heroes_pa_1.html#comment-95639 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:39:33 -0600