It doesn't
take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one
of those men who goes into battle.
General Norman Schwarskopf (Ret.)
Note: The purpose of this page is to pay tribute to the
men and women of the US Armed Forces who serve and sacrifice with courage and honor. I'll leave the analysis of world events
up to you, the reader.
For the last ten years, the blood of American soldiers has soaked
foreign soil in the name of freedom. Every day the men and women of the US military show courage, discipline, unwavering dedication
and the willingness to sacrifice.
The drawdown in Iraq marked the formal completion of the combat mission, but as many as 50,000 non-combat US troops remained in that country until the end of 2011. Operation Iraqi Freedom changed its name to Operation New Dawn. American sacrifice was not over, however: There were 66 American deaths and 301 wounded in Operation New Dawn from September 1, 2010 to December 18, 2011. The last US troops left Iraq on December 18, 2011, officially ending the war. Despite the final battalions' departure, the United States will continue to
build and strengthen a mutually beneficial partnership with Iraq and will face challenges in the region. The offensive is now in Afghanistan. Freedom isn't free and here are the grim statistics to prove it as of early February, 2012: 1878 Americans have died in Operation Enduring Freedom worldwide since the start of the war on October 7, 2001. The final American death count for Operation Iraqi Freedom is 4421.
(March 20, 2003 - August 31, 2010.) This death toll represents a profound loss of youth and human potential. To date, the American injury count in Afghanistan stands at 15,310. At least 31,922 US troops and personnel were
wounded during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Many of the wounded soldiers are permanently maimed. I cannot express in writing the magnitude of loss and the personal
pain of war. Source: Requires free PDF Adobe® Reader®
US Fatalities as of February 1, 2012: Department of Defense Casualty Update (DoD site is updated daily) Totals
include DoD Civilian Casualties.
Wounded Americans: Same source as above. Totals
equal those returned and not returned to duty. View the Roster of Fallen Soldiers
My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the brave young
men and women in uniform who have given the last full measure of devotion in service to their country. May the God of your understanding wrap loving arms around you and give you exactly what you
need when you need it. I wish you unexpected comfort and peace.
To those who continue to serve in the US
Armed Forces:
Thank you for your courage, sacrifice and honorable service. Stay safe and return home soon to
the warm embrace of family, friends and a grateful nation.
Freedom Is Not Free By Kelly Strong I watched the flag pass by one day,
It fluttered in the
breeze;
A young Marine saluted it,
And then he stood at ease. I looked at him in uniform,
So young, so tall, so proud;
With hair cut square and eyes alert,
He'd
stand out in any crowd. I thought... how many men like him
Had fallen through the years?
How many died on foreign soil?
How many mothers' tears? How many pilots' planes shot down
How many died at sea
How many foxholes were soldiers' graves
No,
Freedom is not Free. I heard the sound of Taps one night,
When everything was still;
I listened to the bugler play,
And felt a sudden chill; I wondered just how many times
That Taps had meant "Amen"
When
a flag had draped a coffin
Of a brother or a friend; I
thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands.
With interrupted
lives. I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea,
Of unmarked graves in Arlington. No. Freedom is not Free! Back to your place in the article
Of
all the gifts you can give a US soldier, prayer is the very best one. Operation Worship: Providing Bibles for the Troops Military Chaplains Association SM USA Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA
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