# keep it in mind



## hunt2grill (Dec 1, 2006)

The Military 
The average age of the military man is 19 years.& nbsp; He is a short haired, 
tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half 
man, half boy Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough 
to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his 
own car than wash his father's; but he has never collected unemployment either. 












​
*He's a recent High School graduate; *
*
he was probably an average student,** 
pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year **old jal opy, *
*
and has **a steady girlfriend *
*
that either broke up with** him when he left, *
*
or swears to **be waiting when he returns from half **a world away *
*
He listens to rock and **roll or hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and **155mm howitzer. **
**
He is 10 or **15 pounds lighter now **
**
than when he was at home **
**
because he** is working **or fighting **
**
from before dawn to well after dusk.**

He has trouble spelling, **
**
thus letter writing is a pain for him, **
but he can field **strip a rifle in 30 seconds **
**
and reassemble it in less time **in the dark. **
**
He can **recite to you the nomenclature **
**
of a machine gun or grenade** launcher **
**
and **use either one effectively if he must.* *

**He digs foxholes and latrines **
**
and can **apply first aid like a** professional. **
**
He can march until he is told to stop **
**
or **stop until he is told to** march.

*









*
He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation,

but he is not without **spirit or individual dignity. He is self-sufficient **
**
He has two sets of fatigues: **
**
he washes one and** wears the other. **
**
He keeps his canteens **full and his feet dry. *​
*
**he sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, **
**
but **never to clean his rifle.* ​
*He can cook his own meals, **
**
mend his own **clothes, and fix his own** hurts.* *
**
If you're thirsty, he'll share his water with** you; if you are **hungry, his food. **
**
He'll even split his ammunition **with you **
**
in the midst of battle when** you run low.

He has learned to use his hands like weapons **
**
and weapons like **they* *were his hands. **
**
He can save your life - or take it, **
**
because that **is* *his job. **
**
He will often do twice the work of a civilian , **
**
draw half the **pay **
**
a nd still find ironic humor in it all. **
**
He has seen more suffering
and** death then he should have **
**
in his short lifetime.** 







**

**
He has stood atop mountains of dead bodies,

and helped to create them.
He has wept in public and in private,

for friends who have fallen in combat** 
and is unashamed.* *
**
He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate **through his body* ​
*

*​
*while at rigid attention, **
**
while tempering the burning **desire to* ​
*

*​
*'square-away' those around him **
**
who haven't bothered to stand,** 
remove** their hat, or even stop talking. **
**
In an odd twist, day in and day out,** 
far from home, **
**
he defends their right to be disrespectful.** 
**
Just as did his Father, Grandfather, **
**
and Great-grandfather, **
**
he is paying **the price for our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy.* ​
*

*​
*He is the **American Fighting Man **
**
that has kept this country free **
**
for** over 200 years.**

**







*​
*
He has asked nothing in return,

except our friendship and understanding.
Remember him, always,

for he has earned our respect

and admiration with his blood.

And now we even have women over there in danger, **
doing their part in this tradition *​
*

*​
*of going to War **
**
when our nation calls **us to do so. **
**
As you go to bed tonight, **
**
remember this shot.. **
**
A short lull, a little shade **
**
and a picture of loved ones in their helmets *​
*
**









**Prayer wheel for our military... please don't break it. Please send this on after a short prayer.

Prayer Wheel** 
**
"Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. **
Bless them and their families **
**
for the selfless acts they perform for **us **
**
in our time of need. Amen." **

Prayer : **
**
When you receive this, **
**
please stop for a moment and say** a prayer* *
for our ground troops in Afghanistan, sailors on ships, and **airmen in the air,** 
and for those in Iraq . **
**
There is nothing** attached... **

This can be very powerful.......
**
Of all**the gifts you could give a US Soldier, Sailor, Coastguardsman, Marine
or Airman, prayer is the very best one.** 
**I can't break this one, sorry** 
This is a ribbon for soldiers fighting in **Iraq** . Pass it on to everyone and pray.* ​


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