When the liberals are all tucked in, nice and warm with their families in the safety of their own homes this Christmas, they need to read this poem aloud....

I must admit, this one did get me a little choked up.

A DIFFERENT CHRISTMAS POEM

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,

I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.

My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,

My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,

transforming the yard to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,

completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,

Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.

In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,

So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,

But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.

Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,

Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,

And I crept to the door just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,

a lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,

Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.

Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,

standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,

"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!

Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,

You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,

Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..

To the window that danced with a warm fire's light.

Then he sighed and he said "It's really all right,

I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."

"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,

That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,

I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.

My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"

Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."

My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam',

And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,

But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,

The red, white, and blue... an American flag.

"I can live through the cold and the being alone,

Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,

I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.

I can carry the weight of killing another,

Or lay down my life with my sister and brother...

Who stand at the front against any and all,

To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,

Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."

"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,

"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?"

It seems all too little for all that you've done,

For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,

"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.

To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,

To stand your own watch, no matter how long.

For when we come home, either standing or dead,

To know you remember we fought and we bled.

Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,

That we mattered to you as you mattered to us.

WE ALL NEED TO PRAY FOR OUR MILITARY PERSONNEL EVERY NIGHT!

GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS

That's good stuff . . .

My wife and I recently moved here from Central Texas.  She is an administrator at UMC here in Las Vegas.  She was also in administration at Fort Hood, Texas at Darnall Army Community Hospital.  She was also a first respondeer and worked for the Chief of Trauma Surgery.  When 1st Cav was deployed, they averaged about 25 badly wounded Marines and Soldiers being flown in from Landstuhl.  With 4th ID there, that number will probably remain the same.

It was heart wrenching listening to stories about the troops being boarded out with serious permanent physical and mental injuries.  

On one of her missions, a young soldier came in from Gray Army Airfield in very bad shape.  Something happened on the flight from Iraq via Landstuhl and he was bleeding out.  While the surgeon did everything that he could in the short ambulance ride.  She comforted him like a mom and held his hands.  His last words were "You have Angel Eyes."  This something that she will neverr forget.

The lesson for all of use is to love and support those men and women like our own kids.  This is a tough time for an old Army Combat Vet.  

In case anyone asks, Darnall Army Community Hospital is one of the lead orthopedic hospitals for wounded and does treat all services with doc's from all services present on duty or on fellowships.

Awesome. Thanks Joe.