Some day you'll say the words "Fort Hood."
You'll say the words and it'll be like saying "9/11".
It'll be like saying "Challenger".
It'll be like saying "Columbine".
It'll be one of those things you remember forever. You'll remember where you were when you heard it happened. The WORST EVER mass shooting at an American military post.
I'm coming to see a few things that make me feel proud. One of my fellow triathletes is stationed at Fort Hood. As soon as I heard about what happened there, I immediately thought of her. Thankfully, she was not on post at the time, she'd been in Michigan attending the funeral of one of her Soliders. Of course, though, everyone who knew she was stationed there went to her blog to see what she'd experienced, or if she'd seen any of the action. I was one of them. Though I did not comment immediately, I read what people had wrote. The most compelling statements were made by other current or past military personnel. It brought tears to my eyes to see how much caring was involved, how everyone got past the "military tough-guy/tough-girl" attitude and just emoted.
What struck me the hardest, though, was not the caring, not the emotion, not the anger or turmoil the event elicited from everyone, it was the pride in their country and their military service, even though it was so difficult, that they displayed. It made me wish I was part of it. The trip from which Brittany was returning was a difficult one. I can only imagine how awful it feels to attend the funeral of a Soldier she herself sent to war in the Middle East. I want to quote what she wrote because I think it is one of the most beautiful things I've ever read in my life.
"I cannot tell you how hard it was to see my Soldier in that casket, to see the anguish of his parents and his wife, and then to see his little girl scampering about not knowing she doesn't have a Daddy anymore. I sent him over there, and while the Army told me to, I still sent him off. I don't blame me, in fact, I'm somewhat surprised at how much this has truly impacted me as I didn't know Brandon as well as one would want to as he wasn't assigned to us very long before we had to deploy him. Before, I would've told you that part of the burden of command was all those middle of the night phone calls when Soldiers did stupid things, but now I know that is just the responsibility of the command. Offering condolences to grieving family members, presenting them with their Gold Star lapel pins, offering a final salute to my fallen hero, and eulogizing his short 23 years, that is the burden of command.
…It is nice to see that there are places in America who, as a community, still know how to honor her Patriots who give the ultimate sacrifice. It's not about the war, nor the reasons behind the war, it's that a Soldier left the comforts of his American life to pursue defending that American life, and in so doing, his life was cut far too short."
I came away from reading her post, not sad…but with a smile. Not a happy smile, but a proud smile. People like Brittany, and the Soldier she sent to war, love their country. They take pride in their service and enjoy what they do. This country has its issues. As a society on the whole, we are pretty intolerant. I deal with it on an every day basis, both directly and indirectly, and it makes me angry, sad, frustrated…and sometimes I feel as though it's hopeless to think I'll ever really be an equal citizen in this great country. THAT…makes me sad. It also makes me wish I was part of something bigger, fighting for the right things.
I hear way too many derogatory words about life here. Yes, it's hard sometimes. Yes, we have our issues. But, maybe someday, the American society will stop to look at what we all enjoy without even thinking about it…thanks to people like Brittany, and Haley, and Jennifer, and Hayley, and Dave, and Mike, and every single Soldier fighting for freedom and for bringing that freedom to the places in the world that do not have it…and maybe they'll all realize we have a pretty fucking awesome life here.
