Posted: 4/9/2006 3:23:09 PM EDT
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A buddy of mine who was over there with the Kentucky NG finally got back last month and he sent me some videos he made over there.His unit was tasked with convoy patrol for most of their tour but they did do a stint guarding at Abu for awhile.These are some of the things they dealt with day in and day out over there. Short video Longer video I was talking to my wife a minute ago and she said I should fill you all in on my buddies story. My buddy Mike (Lexfire) graduated from high school and went straight into the Marine Corps.He did 8 years active and then returned home to get married and raise a family,he joined up with the Lexington Ky fire dept (that's how I stuck him with the nickname Lexfire) one night they were called to a shopping center fire which had been burning for quite some time,Lex and his crew climbed the ladder to the roof to work on the fire from there,the roof caved in and Lex ended up in ICU for months with severe burns and many broken bones,at the time he was already 30 years old.He had to retire from the fire dept because of lung damage from the burns.When OIF started he tried for a year to get back into the Marines but they would not accept him because of the lung damage.Instead of giving up he went and joined the National Guard unit near him who he knew was going to be deployed very soon.He was deployed and left behind his wife and 3 kids. Right before he deployed I was talking to him and asked him why a 36 year old wanted to go fight a young mans war,his answer to me was (in a slow Kentucky drawl) "If we don't take care of this now my son will have to go take care of it in a few years and I would rather it would be me"I was knocked speechless and shook his hand,that was the last time I ever asked him why,he had given me the only answer I had no rebuttal for. My buddy Lexfire is a perfect example of the word Hero to me. |
