Thoughts on being back
Now that I’ve been home for awhile and you’ve spent the last half of the year reading about my life, I’d like to get a little more personal and tell you some of the specifics about myself and my beliefs that I didn’t want to post here while I was away. My name is Blair and I’m 22 years old. I grew up in a small town in Minnesota and have always been shy and quiet but smart. I joined the Army when I turned 18 to prove something to myself and everybody who knew me as the last person who could ever make it. Graduating basic training is still the moment in my life that I’m most proud of. I didn’t join the military for patriotic reasons and I didn’t join for college money, I just wanted to see if I could do it. Not very far sighted, I guess, but I’ve never regretted my decision, not even now after a year in Iraq. Before we left for Iraq and at the beginning of the war, I was very supportive of the decision to invade Iraq. I believed that Saddam Hussein was a bad man and that taking him out of power would be good for us, WMD or not. I still believe that we had good intentions going into Iraq. I think that the idea of setting up a democracy in a country like Iraq would have a profound influence on the rest of the Muslim world. But, after having seen the country and the attitude of the people, my hopes for a democracy that will last are not as high as when I came. Not because of the work that the US and Coalition forces are doing there, but because of the will, or lack thereof, of the Iraqi people. I will always be supportive of our mission there and our government’s quest to bring freedom to the world. In a global world like we live in, I think the idea that something that happens in another part of the world will not eventually affect us is ignorance at its best. We cannot ignore the problems of the rest of the world and expect to go on living as we do here. However, I do not believe that it is solely the job of the US to be the world’s peacekeepers. Every modernized country has a responsibility to contribute to the long-term peace of the world. Those that think they can hide from this responsibility are selfish and cowards. I know that not everyone supports the war. My parents have never supported my decision to join the military and have not supported anything that I’ve done involving it. But the very fact that there are people here who can be unsupportive shows the great strength of our democracy and the reason countries all over the world strive to be like us.
Enough of my soapbox. I’m home now, in Minnesota, for a couple of days at least. I’ll be moving to Florida to get married and I’m getting kinda of nostalgic as I drive through my hometown. My fiance doesn’t understand, but I need to make peace with my past before I leave it behind. I’ve moved away from this place before, but it’s always been sort of sudden and it’s never been as final as this. I’ve never liked this place, and I’ve always known that my life lies somewhere beyond this.
I’ve been trying to avoid the news, because I still worry constantly about my friends who are still over there, but I was in my car the other day when I heard on the news about the Marines who died in the helicopter crash. I had to pull over for a minute to let the information sink in. When my fiance was in Fallujah a few months ago, that news would have almost killed me. It still send shivers down my bones. We both flew in helicopters all the time. It’s actually one of my greatest fears, everytime I was in one, I was waiting for it to crash. There’s a selfish part of me that feels immensely relieved every time I hear this kind of news now because I know that my Marine is safe and sound. That moment of relief is always followed by a prayer, because I know there are families who are not as fortunate as I am. There are still Soldiers dying every day in Iraq and I’m here, safe and sound. God has granted me a great gift, an extention on life, and I plan to use it to the fullest.
12 Comments:
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Great post. I admit, i got choked up.
You've become quite a woman for one so young. Good luck and thanks for everything.
God bless both you and your future husband and thank you for your service. Glad you made it back home safe and sound!
Ed
As I have said in the past, PLEASE do not wait so long to post. I am so glad to hear you, Even if you do not have real fond memories of your home town, it is still a part of you. Take your time. Good luck and keep writing!! Are you out for good now? Thanks for the inside of the inside look.
"I joined the Army when I turned 18 to prove something to myself and everybody who knew me as the last person who could ever make it. Graduating basic training is still the moment in my life that I’m most proud of. I didn’t join the military for patriotic reasons and I didn’t join for college money, I just wanted to see if I could do it. Not very far sighted, I guess, but I’ve never regretted my decision . . . "
Blair, I joined the Army when I was 20 (obviously, I arrived at the same life decisions a little slower than you) and I start-ended my active duty in the peace-time Army. Otherwise - you and me both, sister.
On the issue of, will democracy and globalisation make it in Iraq? I don't know and no one else around here (I'm sitting in a computer lab at Columbia University, NYC, right now) knows either. I do know three things. One, your work, and the work of all our soldiers (with some notable famous exceptions) in Iraq, are first steps, and they're in the right direction. Two, my family background is Taiwanese, one place where many 'experts' for a very long time doubted democracy could take root. Three, most of my active duty was in the Republic of Korea, a place in US military history that was viewed by many as a failure, a mistake and even a disaster - before the ROK became a success. If you can get some free time, research the history of Korea from WW2->present, especially the perspective of our troops who served there. I've read angry and cynical accounts of soldiers going home from the Korean War, and I've watched 80 year old veterans cry upon witnessing the modern Korea of 50 years later. Korea isn't Iraq, but Korea-today isn't Korea-yesterday either. Hopefully, with your investment, Iraq-tomorrow will be much different from Iraq-today.
Blair,
I hope after the successful elections in Iraq yesterday that you're feeling more encouraged about the Iraqi people stepping up to the plate to take hold of their own destiny. Alot of them risked their lives in order to vote, and I think that says alot about all of you who worked so hard the past year. Congratulations on a job well done!!! You helped make this happen.......and you can be proud of that. I wish only the best for you now and pray for nothing but happiness for you and your Marine. Thanks......and God bless you........
kerry (a friend of Fred's in Dallas)
Welcome home. I'm very proud of your service and like all the others, wish you the best.
question: Will you continue blogging here after the wedding? Hope so, I enjoy reading your postings.
Hey Blair --
Just wanted to say THANKS for all you've done!!!
I thought your story was so remarkable that I've included it on my site here: In Their Own Words.
Good luck with your wedding!
Glad you are home. I would like to fuck your tight little pussy bitch.
I have an antique flag from the civil war. It started my whole hobby related to collecting and selling flags. Just looking for more information on my favorate topic.
All the best,
--custom flags
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