Thought I should share this with you all

[rklenseth]

Monday, February 16, 2004 19:10 TIMES READ: 2650
I hope Joss reads this!!!!
STATIC
Well, my days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle.
I know that a couple of people who are not real thrilled that some of us soldier-type guys shout out firefly-isms during combat, and I can honestly understand that. However, I hope that Joss and Tim read this and find it inspiring, and I hope that everyone feels their guts knot up as much as I did. . .and maybe a tear or two will well up in your eyes, as they are streaming down my face just from the telling of this. . .

As you all know, I've been a soldier stationed in Afghanistan for quite some time now. Many of you know that I'm posting this from my own home tonight, as I have been permitted to come home for ten days on leave. It's been a very long time since I've been home. I flew from Afghanistan to Frankfurt via military cargo jet (C-17 for those 'in the know'), and the next morning, we got on a commercial flight to Chicago. I got off the plane, grabbed my big-assed duffel bags and prepared to wait in line for customs, and to my delight, the Customs officers were pulling any soldier-types out of line and passing them through, with a pat on the back and a 'welcome home'. I immediately had to re-check my bags for my final flight, and after doing so, I made a beeline outside. I crossed the street and walked into the snow, the first I'd seen since January 2003, and stood at the base of the American Flag for a second before I finally became overwhelmed and fell to my knees. I grabbed a double handful of snow and rubbed it all over my face. When I stood up, I realized there were almost 20 other soldiers with me, all who had the same idea. Most of us didn't know each other at all, but for that moment, we were brothers who had been best of friends all our lives.
We decided to head on inside, and one young man, his name was Mike, was still overwhelmed with emotion and could not stand. Another soldier, a friend of his, went to lift Mike, and I took Mike's other arm. Mike smiled weakly and thanked us. Here's where it gets tough to even tell the story, and I hope Joss and Tim read this. . .

Mike's friend said, "You know the saying, Mikey. . .when you can't run anymore you crawl. . ." and before he could say anymore, I finished it for him. "And when you can't do that anymore, you find someone to carry you."

Mike and his buddy, and about half the guys who were standing there with us all smiled. We looked up at the flag and Mike said, "They didn't take the sky from us." Turns out they were all Browncoats, and they were home from Iraq for good.

Joss, Tim and all the rest of you. . .I don't know if you had any idea that what you created would be so powerful, and provide such inspiration for those of us who serve, but it does. Thank you.

And to all of you whom I've come to call my friends on this site, thank YOU. Because of your love and support, the 'bad guys' are unable to take the sky from ME.

I'M HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

==================================================
"Wash. . .we got some local color happening. A grand entrance would not go amiss."

[Lone Wolf]

I thought that letter was very well worth posting. Although I'm not totaly for this war (in reality who is really for "war") but I'm not totaly against it either. My Uncle was a LT Commander in the USAF and worked in the Pentigon... he is retired. A Cousin of mine was a POW in a war (I can't remember which one) and he was released 10 years later. Unfortunatly his plane crashed in northern British Columbia and was never found. His poor wife, went crazy, she was admitted to a Psyc. hospital and died the following year of what my family calls "a broken heart"
I have great respect for both Canadian and American soldiers, even if I don't agree with the reasons for the war. Because I may not agree with this war..but what if there is one that I agree with, It's those men I'd be depending on.

I'm glad you are home sir, I hope you enjoy your time and you and all of the other soliders out there know that we are thinking of you

[nitefyre]

LT Commander in the USAF and worked in the Pentigon... he is retired

I'm glad you are home sir, I hope you enjoy your time and you and all of the other soliders out there know that we are thinking of you

The first part is a bid blurred, there is no standard rank of Lt. Commander in the Air force, never has had one, that rank is only in the Navy and the Coast Guard. Ensign. LtJG.. Lt I. LtCmdr. Cmdr. Capt. RAdm *. RAdm **. VAdm ***. Adm ****.

Air Force/Army/Marines Officers are of course LtII. LtI. Capt. Major. Lt. Col. Colonel. Brig Gen. Maj Gen. Lt Gen. Gen. Thar we go.

Amen to the second part.

[Bran-Muffin]

NiTeFyRe has done his/her research :p here is a link if your interested in the ranks of the military.

http://www2.sjsu.edu/depts/AFROTC/cadet/ranks.html

[David]

I can only imagine the culture shock and difficulty of living in an Afgahni province for a year or so, with random attacks always immenent.

Luckily for someone I know in the Coast Guard, he is just stationed in New Jersey. Seems like the Army would gravitate toward Cantr the most, Army green.

I was a bit confused by part of the post... was he saying that all of those guys played Cantr together or just met?

If my Parents are unable to help me with college expenses for the remainder of my years in College and I can't support myself day laboring every once in awhile, I will most likely join the Air Force.

[rklenseth]

He doesn't play Cantr. I took that off the www.fireflyfans.net. I thought it was a great story and that I should share it with my friends over here at Cantr.

The Joss that he speaks of is Joss Whedon, not Jos Elkink. Sorry for the confusion.

[David]

No, my fault for not reading carefully, now that I have read it again it makes more sense. The whole snow scene and stuff sort of clouded out the rest of the details at first for me.

[Chrissy]

I was confused also. It makes a lot more sense now.

Chrissy

[Lone Wolf]

LT Commander in the USAF and worked in the Pentigon... he is retired

I'm glad you are home sir, I hope you enjoy your time and you and all of the other soliders out there know that we are thinking of you

The first part is a bid blurred, there is no standard rank of Lt. Commander in the Air force, never has had one, that rank is only in the Navy and the Coast Guard. Ensign. LtJG.. Lt I. LtCmdr. Cmdr. Capt. RAdm *. RAdm **. VAdm ***. Adm ****.

Air Force/Army/Marines Officers are of course LtII. LtI. Capt. Major. Lt. Col. Colonel. Brig Gen. Maj Gen. Lt Gen. Gen. Thar we go.

Amen to the second part.

You are correct. That was my Mistake. My Uncle Jimmy was a Lt. Col. He flew in WWII and dropped some of the bombs. I had to go to my parents place to look at the pictures that my uncle gave my grandfather, These pics are of the moon and the earth from the moon from when the USA landed on the moon. These are very special pics to my family and someday I hope to get them copied on to a disk as there are no others like it that were taken from that time