More Important Memories

Sorry. My memories this weekend are not related to strip clubs. It's Memorial Day weekend in America and I'm remembering my time in uniform. 11 years, never in harms way. I served throughout the 80's in the midst of the Cold War.

And I served into the 90's, including Desert Shield and Desert Storm. I had a national security mission in support of aircraft that we're airborne 24 hours and capable of ordering nuclear launch. We also supported recon planes that could search for Scud missles in the desert. Our sqaudron deployed literally within hours of Sadaam's troops crossing the Kuwait border. Half of our squadron went. I supported our aircraft from a stateside location. I was ready to go, I wanted to go. It was maddening that I was on active duty and not deployed when Guard and Reserve were called up and sent. But my role was stateside and I performed my duty.

And I'm thinking this weekend of a Staff Sergeant (SSgt), a young man my age and married with children, who came home in a casket later that week. The first casualty of Operation Desert Shield that I know of. Such a sacrifice.

At the end of "60 Minutes" last night they ran an 11 minute photo tribute to the men and women who have been killed in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Men and women, all ages, all ranks, all races. America's best. Such a sacrifice. It was very moving.

I'll opine at length on my thoughts on the War on Terrorism on the political blog I write. I'll just say here that I think it is a necessary war, not of our choosing, that must be fought full tilt against the terrorists and the state sponsors that enable them, including Iraq. But the sacrifice must be acknowledged.

So props to our troops in uniform. Active duty, Guard, or Reserve. In harms way or not. I salute you. Stay safe.

And I'll honor my friend, the Staff Sergeant, this weekend by remembering him 12 years after his sacrifice.