THOUGHTS...

I hear and see much news that attracts my attention.  I usually do not
get to read the daily newspaper until bedtime in the evening.  During
this month I have been pounding this computer keyboard and staring at
the monitor screen almost continuously when I am awake except for my
personally enforced evening rest periods and time out of the office on
calls and patrol.  All of my days are long with many demands but I am
continually looking for news that concerns you... And also for news
that concerns my national history and my personal history.  I like to
know what has happened before so that If possible I may learn from it
and not make the mistakes that have been made by others who have
preceded me in this life.

My days are so eventful that I must keep a daily record of my
activities just to be able to recall the recent past... but all of you
are always occupying a special place in my mind and heart.  You are
always there when I am conscious... and you are often there in my
dreams while I'm sleeping.

I received a letter from a Marine Mom this past week.  She wrote in
response to last week's CC.  Her son, Joe, (plus 11 adopted Marine
sons) in Iraq, in Al-Anbar Province, wrote a letter that was published
in the Appalachicola and Carabelle Times, in Florida on
January 4th as follows:

=============================================================
A Marine’s View from Al Anbar Province

---

January 04, 2007 Editor’s Note: The following is an email correspondence received from
Marine Corporal Joe Garrity, a 2003 graduate of Apalachicola High
School. The son of Brian and Violet Garrity, of Apalachicola, Garrity
is a member of the Third Battalion, Second Marines, and wrote this
Friday night, before the hanging of Saddam Hussein. Note that I.E.D.
refers to “improvised explosive device.”  Violet Garrity said the
family is looking forward to their son’s
scheduled return to the states in early February, and then his visit
back home between Feb. 28 to March 28. “We’re going to get him for
whole month,” she said.

Personally I am doing well. I am currently patrol leader (acting squad
leader) of second squad, 1st platoon. I have been between Ramadi and
Fallujah since the second month of my seven-month deployment.  I am
currently engaged in Operation Rubicon, which has entailed some of
the most challenging assignments I have experienced thus far. My main
mission as a Marine rifleman, in a line company, is to locate, close
with, and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver. The enemy does not
make himself a target, so we have to adjust our mission as Marines,
since adapting and overcoming is our forte. We have taken patrol bases
in town and patrol on foot every day, at
least twice. We mostly just perform local security, but I have found
that by befriending the locals (who make no mistake, like us a lot…
well, at least my squad), we have gathered quite a bit of intelligence
on the insurgents operating in our vicinity. They are eager to help us
now, they have seen that we keep the terrorists away, and are gradually
transferring control over to the new Iraqi Army. The I.A. is new, but
they are motivated, and it is an Iraqi defense
force, so it shows promise for the area. When we go to other areas, the
people ask us if we are going to stay. They are eager to have us around
now that they see the results of our operations in theatre.
Unfortunately, recent attacks have claimed the lives of several men
from my battalion. I myself have lost a good friend in October, Sgt.
Luke Zimmerman. He was killed by an I.E.D. during a re-supply convoy. 

But now that it is time for me to leave, I look back on all that we
accomplished with pride. Children walk to the newly-opened school in
the mornings. Businesses that were closed down are now bustling. And
people smile and greet us - we are friends. But the mission isn’t
complete, and the people of Iraq and America will have to have faith in
us until it is. We only ask that they honor the dead, and support us in
our endeavor. We are Marines, we don’t know how to lose a fight. And
though things are better, we still have to keep a combat mindset.

I look at a sign that says “Complacency Kills” as I leave on
patrol...The sign is right. And though the war is raging in other
parts, there is at least one pocket of relative stability-thanks to the
Marines of 3/2.

I look forward to meeting you when I get home. Tell everybody I miss
‘em.
Cpl. Garrity
====================================================================
Today I also received
another letter from another Joe in Iraq who had some good things to
share and some difficult things to share.


Between these two letters, and others, I have received confirmation
through the eyes of our Peace Keepers on the field that our Peace
Keepers are making much good difference in the lives of the peaceful
Iraqi citizens and for our citizens here at home.  These messages are
just two of several that have come to me from individuals on the field
in Afghanistan and Iraq.  These individuals are Marines, Army, security
contractors and Police Instructors from the foreign fields... and all
manner of law enforcement and family members.  Each one tells me that
all of our Peace Keepers are making a difference for good results and
that they are seeing good results themselves.

Resisting terrorism has to occupy all our minds and our efforts. 
Episodes like the bravery of the passengers on Flight 93... Episodes 
like the ones I receive in letters from foreign fields... Episodes that
I read daily about the sacrifices being made here at home by our  law
enforcement and other public safety personnel...  All tell me that the
war between good and evil is  being fought moment by moment all over
the world... And these episodes tell me that good is holding the line
well in some places... Pushing evil back in some places... And
preserving the peace for many in all the places where our Peace Keepers
are putting forth the effort to preserve Life, Liberty and the Right to
Pursue Happiness... even in areas of our own homeland here in the
States.

One important piece of information is always uppermost in my
awareness... All of our Peace Keepers who are in the battle today
volunteered to be where they are.  Most of them are paid to do the job
that they do... but they do not do the job for pay... They do the job
to make a difference for good in our world... It is just nice that most
get paid something, and get some benefits, so that they are enabled to
continue doing the job of peace keeping.  Then there are some of us who
volunteered to do the job that we do in peace keeping for no pay.  We
do other things to make the dollars to support life and family and give
our services to the cause of peace and freedom.  Paid or unpaid... all
current Peace Keepers are volunteers.  They do it because it needs to
be done... like the passengers on Flight 93 who rushed the
highjackers... They do it so that others may have life and peace even
when the Peace Keepers are committing themselves to go into danger and
harm's way to see to the peace and welfare for other citizens and to
give freedom to those caught in tyranny.

As I read the bulletins of peace keeping news daily I note the cost...
and I note the loss and who it is that suffers the brunt of the
loss.... and I weep and I pray for the Peace Keepers, their families
and their loved ones.  The Peace Keeper on the field of endeavor must
entrust the safety and welfare of their loved ones to Providence and to
others as they go forth to secure and protect our freedoms.  I note the
cost to those who go... and to those who wait for their return from the
field.  I am a student of history and it has always been this way
throughout the history of man. 

I shall never forget the night, and the pain of my mother, when my
father was called by his draft board to report for examination for
induction into the armed forces in WW2.  He and another man from the
neighborhood went together... The other man returned... My father was
inducted and did not come back home.  He was shipped out to basic
training immediately and I did not see him again for two years.  First
she took her rage and pain out on the neighbor who failed the
examination... then she wept bitterly... and life changed very
drastically.  Unlike today's time when there is no draft... He did not
volunteer.  All of our Peace keepers of today in the United States at
home and in the military are people who have chosen to be where they
are by their own choice.

Whether we be military, medics, chaplains or contractors... all are
volunteers for the peace, safety and welfare of those that we care for
and those we care about... for the peace and welfare of our own
nation... and for the peace and welfare of oppressed people whenever we
get the opportunity to make a difference for them.

My week is filled with telephone calls, e-mail messages, pager calls
and knocks on the door.  Each message is usually some manner of call
for help or assistance.  I am but one of millions of Peace Keepers who
are daily engaged in some way for the peace, safety and welfare of
fellow human beings.  Some patrol by vehicle and on foot... some
instruct... some supervise... some tend to health care... some answer
the initial calls and forward them to the field units to respond to the
scene while the call taker stays on the line for more info... some tend
to administrative matters... some work in the courts... some work in
the places of confinement... some are in the field ops at home and in
Afghanistan, Iraq and other places doing all within their power to do
the best job possible and to gain results for good... some are in ships
that patrol, or deliver supplies, personnel and equipment... some are
in trucks... some are in armored vehicles making the roads as safe as
possible for the trucks and other vehicles... some are in aircraft
delivering supplies, personnel and airstrikes... some are seeing to the
security and welfare of individuals as they go about their assigned
tasks... some are standing guard to thwart sneak attacks... The list
goes on and on... and on... and on...

The average citizen takes no thought for any of this information unless
they are directly connected to someone who has suffered loss.  The
general public, we are told by many reports, does not want us to be
fighting some war in some place like Afghanistan and Iraq.  Others are
asking where is the hue and cry of the general public... the everyday
citizen of the USA?  Why do we not hear any great cry from them either
way?... And why have we not learned as a nation of people that there
are some things worth making sacrifices for... other things that are
not worth the cost... and the ability to evaluate and tell the
difference?

Have we forgotten from whence we have risen and how we made the
journey?... or did the current adult generation never learn these
things?... If not... why not?  If they did learn... why is the
knowledge not manifest in the daily life of this nation to put a stop
to all of the things that are destroying the country from within?

Complacency is a disease that blinds and pacifies... then it cooks the
victim until there is no life left.  Have we, as a nation, become
complacent here at home?  Where is the silent majority and what would
they say if they spoke out?

It appears that most are willing to let a few make decisions... Then
occasionally complain about those decisions... but not push for any
great change of any kind.  It appears that most want their own peace
but are not willing to do what it takes to pay for the ones who make
and enforce that peace.  It appears that most would rather be left
alone to do as they please until they have a personal need...  then
they want assistance immediately...  then they want you to secure their
peace, safety and justice immediately... then they want you to go away
from their presence until they summon you again.  Foreign nations do
this to our military...  citizens do this at home...  This nation did
not achieve greatness in this manner.  We need to learn again the who,
what , where, when and why that brought us to where we are today... and
we need to learn, as a nation and a people, how to continue
to live and prosper within those principles.

Thank you, Peace Keepers, for giving us the chance to survive and have
the opportunity to learn.  Thank you... families and loved ones of
Peace Keepers for what it has cost you while you let your loved ones
protect, defend and preserve our way of life. 
My Commander-in-Chief and I are ETERNALLY GRATEFUL!!!

Today I spent a half day in re-certification training with numerous of
the chaplains for whom I am responsible... then handled a death call to
assist and console a widow whose husband of 63 years had just died. 
Then I came to my office to a computer full of e-mail... processed the
immediate messages... took a rest and meal break and returned to the
keyboard to talk with you again.  My day started many hours ago and if
I do well it will end in a few hours.  Then rest and start all over
again... unless the pager sounds or the phone rings.

I identify with you because I am part of you.  I experience the same
demands in one way or another.  I have experienced the losses in
several most costly ways.  I have received the body of my youngest
son... killed and shipped home in a box.  I have received the knock on
the door and the devastating news.  I have experienced both the giving
side and the receiving side of the lives and duties of Peace Keepers.

No one is more valuable than you because of who you are and because of
what you do with your lives.  THANK YOU!!!  There would be no life as
we know it without you.

"BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!"
Be alert... watchful... suspicious... and wary.  Take the best of care
of you as you care for the welfare of others.  Be sure to see to the
strength and welfare of your spiritual part of your life.  It must be
strong for you to survive and be successful.

As it has always been... So it still is...