... just a dream ...

JUST A DREAM

song by: Carrie Underwood
video by: Sonoka








i have listened to the song through the radio. it was a good song, but it could just be another song. till i saw the video. it brought me to different aspect of duty that i never wander in or dare myself to think about it.

watching the video plays, every picture speaks for itself, more than a thousand words essay. but, the interpretations of its pictures are different by everyone. to me, it brought me back to my thought of LOVE, DUTY, HONOR and COUNTRY.

i never been to real combat situation. never once was i tested under pressure of life or death. never once i feel the pain of those losing their comrades, someone who are still there talking to you a second ago ... never once ....

but i have seen it. i have seen what it could have been like. i have seen those losing their comrades, someone who they hold dear next to their hearts ... i have seen it ...

however, this song is not bringing me back to that feelings, but it raised a question for me .... and maybe for those of us out there ....

"CAN IT BE JUSTIFIED TO CHOOSE BETWEEN YOUR LOVE AND YOUR DUTY?"
"IS IT JUSTIFIED TO DISHONOR THE FALLEN JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN YOUR COUNTRY OR THE WAR?"

in this war, all soldiers are volunteers. no one is made to join. many felt the urge to join from the September 11th, 2001 attacked. others join because it is their dreams, to better themselves, to better their families' life, or it's in their blood. it's my dream to join.

... i still remembered ....

it was a rainy day. our drill sergeants were different. no one could reason why.
we were gathered into formation. under the rain, our first sergeant told us ...

"Privates, today is a sad day for all of us. Our former company commander Capt. [Captain] Norman has been killed in action."

he paused, turn around to whip his eyes. he continues ...

"All of you might not know who is he, but to all Drill Sergeants here, it is personal. He was our commander for 3 cycles. He has served 1 tour in Iraq before he was assigned to this company."

"He volunteered for another tour without hesitation, when the brigade is in short of officer for its deployment. "

"For that, he knows his family is safe at home. For that, he will never return home. He has served his country with honor and die for it without a regret."

the rain was still pouring, keeping everyone soaking wet.

yet, it was not bothering me standing in that cold, skin breaking raindrop. my mind was in a traffic of thinking.

to me, every rain drop was a tear from the sky for the fallen soldier.

for the first time, i faced myself with the reality of combat. joining the army, not many knows what is ahead for them, including myself.

for the first time, i had to accept a reality that not everyone will return from their combat tour. many will die so their comrades may come home.

for the first time, i faced my ethnic dilemma ... to die for my country or to come home to my family.

one day, i might only choose one ...

... to be continue ....

this is the end of my blog, but it is not the end for you. ask yourself those questions, so that you might hold your love one dearly, as one day, they might not be there with you again.





References:

from the picture: son, Christian, received the flag from Lt. Col. Ric Thompson at his father funeral. Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Marcus Golczynski killed in action on his second tour of duty.

in his last letter home before that day:

" I want all of you to be safe. And please don't feel bad for us. We are warriors. And as warriors have done before us, we joined this organization and are following orders because we believe that what we are doing is right. Many of us have volunteered to do this a second time due to our deep desire to finish the job we started. We fight and sometimes die so that our families don't have to. Stand beside us. Because we would do it for you. Because it is our unity that has enabled us to prosper as a nation."
Staff Sergeant Marcus Golczynski
B Company, 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment
United States Marine Corps
KIA March 27, 2007

Discussion from Hightech blogs:

[As one would expect, many of your readers were touched by this incredible picture. Staff Sergeant Golczynski had previously served one full tour in Iraq. Shortly before his death on March 27 he wrote to his family that he had volunteered to do this a second time due to our deep desire to finish the job we started. In his letter he said, “We fight and sometimes die so that our families don’t have to.” Tragically, Staff Sergeant Golczynski had only two weeks remaining on his second tour. We look at the photograph of Christian every day. It is displayed prominently in our home. Our hearts ache for Christian and for all those who have lost loved ones in this controversial conflict.]

[When looking at the face of Christian Golczynski I am reminded that doing what is right is not always easy and doing what is easy is not always right. Christian’s dad knew that too.]

[Our country is free right now due to the heroes who gave the ultimate sacrifices when their country called them to action. Many great wars ago or even the most recent ones, it never mattered to the men and women in uniform when the call was made. What mattered was the honor and devotion to our great country. We should never let our guard down to anyone who wishes to take from us our most prized possession; freedom. Many have fought and died for that one goal, to defend our country, one nation, under God and never allowing our freedom to cease to exists.]

James Drescher
Franklin, TN



"I am an American soldier
I am a warrior and a member of a team
I serve the people of United State and live the Army value
...
I am a guardian of freedom and the America way of life
I Am an American soldier."
the Soldier's Creed

It is the Soldier, not the minister
Who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the Soldier, not the reporter
Who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the Soldier, not the poet
Who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer
Who has given us freedom to protest.
It is the Soldier, not the lawyer
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the Soldier, not the politician
Who has given us the right to vote.

It is the Soldier who salutes the flag
Who serves beneath the flag
And whose coffin is draped by the flag
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.
- CHARLES M. PROVINCE

Duty: what one feels bound to do. Duty is what one performs, or avoids doing, in fulfillment of the permanent dictates of conscience, piety, right, or law
dictionary.com

Honor: probity, uprightness. Honor, honesty, integrity, sincerity refer to the highest moral principle.
dictionary.com

SOURCE:

from BLACKFIVE Forum

from Hightech blog

Conversation

Revise - writing from Observation

The Objective is clear. "Gathering all intelligence from the enemy main post."

My Commander has stated clearly. I repeated the order than off I went.

So this sound like I'm in somewhere of a war zone, ready for a dangerous mission. It's almost like this, except this is a war game. My company has been ordered to attack an enemy base. composed by another company in our battalion.

The order is still popping up in my mind while I'm laying in the bush, on the opposite site of main gate. Between us is a small, dusty supply route for supply and troop transfer. The gate is the main way to lead to the enemy FOB (Forward Operating Base). It's guarded heavily as we [my battle buddy lay next to me, and of course "moi"] expect. Here is what I record into my little note.

1/27/2008
20:30. The sun is coming down, putting the end to another day in this cold, loosely wood. There is still a little sun shine left, not enough for the enemy to see us through the bush, or our movement. It's enough for us to observe them. We're in our position: approximate 15m from the main gate, across the main supply route. Binocular is also ready for closer, up closed look.

20:35. Looking through the leaves. There are 5 guards at the gate in this moment.
They all wear a red banner on the left arm, dictate that they're our opposing force [enemy].
2 guards are on the overhead tower. One is guarding the M249[a medium machine gun], while the other equipped with a standard American issued M16a4. They are talking to each other.
The main gates is instilled with a barricade of bared wire. It has 3 layer of bared wired that are nailed to the ground, zic zac it ways on the main entrance to the check point.
2 soldiers are standing in the check point, each on one side of the bared wire that constituted the gate. They have their M16a4 on the hand, on guard, finger near the trigger.
1 soldier on the fortified tower behind, on the right side of the entrance. The tower is filled with sand bags, and camouflaged leaves. The soldier is guarding with a SAW [Squad Automatic Weapon, small machine gun].


20:38. A truck is approaching from the main supply routes. It has about 10 troops on the back.
Their clothes are wet, dirty. Their eyes are closed. Their rifles are filled with mud and snow. As the truck aprroaching, the overhead tower guard soldier looks at the truck, with their eyes focus. The truck zic zac its way through the bar wired, then stop at the front gate. The fortified tower soldier point his gun at the truck. The two soldiers at the check point are approach the truck. One stay behind, shift his rifle to a low ready[a position of rifle holding that you can fire at moment notice]. One approaches the truck. He talks to the truck driver. The truck driver hands him a small item, look like an ID. He walks around the truck, look at its corners. Then check the back for the soldiers, counting. He hand signals the standing soldier. The soldier moves the bar wire barricade. The truck disappear into the base. All soldiers are back to their normal routine.

20:43. A squad of enemy soldiers emerge from the main route, walking toward the entrance. The soldiers in the tower shift their attention to the squad. One soldier give a hand signal to tower. The soldiers in the tower shift their attention back to the route.
The squad of 8 approach the check point.
A soldier from the squad talks to the guards. The guards open the barricade as one by one soldier from the squad clear their weapon in a barrel. They walk in, the barricade closes again.


bravo company picture

writing from Observation - a mission

The Objective is clear. "Gathering all intelligence from the enemy main post."

The order is still popping up in my mind while I'm laying in the bush, on the opposite site of main gate. Between us is a small, dusty supply route for supply and troop transfer. The gate is the main way to lead to the enemy FOB (Forward Operating Base). It's guarded heavily as we [my battle buddy lay next to me, and of course "moi"] expect. Here is what I record into my little note.

1/27/2008
20:30. The sun is coming down, putting the end to another day in this cold, loosely wood. There is still a little sun shine left, not enough for the enemy to see us through the bush, or our movement. It's enough for us to observe them. We're in our position: approximate 15m from the main gate, across the main supply route. Binocular is also ready for closer, up closed look.

20:35. Looking through the leaves. There are 5 guards at the gate in this moment.
They all wear a red banner on the left arm, dictate that they're our opposing force [enemy].
2 guards are on the overhead tower. One is guarding the M249[a medium machine gun], while the other equipped with a standard American issued M16a4. They are relaxed, talking to each other. Their faces don't expess an intense look of a soldier in the battlefield.
The main gates is instilled with a barricade of bared wire. It has 3 layer of bared wired that are nailed to the ground, zic zac it ways on the main entrance to the check point.
2 soldiers are standing in the check point, each on one side of the bared wire that constituted the gate. They have their M16a4 on the hand, on guard, finger near the trigger.
1 soldier on the fortified tower behind, on the right side of the entrance. The tower is filled with sand bags, and camouflaged leaves. The soldier is guarding with a SAW [Squad Automatic Weapon, small machine gun].


20:38. A truck is approaching from the main supply routes. It has about 10 troops on the back.
Their clothes are wet, dirty. Their eyes are closed. Their rifles are filled with mud and snow. As the truck aprroaching, the overhead tower guard soldier looks at the truck, with their eyes focus. The truck zic zac its way through the bar wired, then stop at the front gate. The fortified tower soldier point his gun at the truck. The two soldiers at the check point are approach the truck. One stay behind, shift his rifle to a low ready[a position of rifle holding that you can fire at moment notice]. One approaches the truck. He talks to the truck driver. The truck driver hands him something, looks like an ID. He walks around the truck, look at its corners. Then check the back for the soldiers, counting. He hand signals the standing soldier. The soldier moves the bar wire barricade. The truck disappear into the base. All soldiers are back to their normal routine.

20:43. A squad of enemy soldiers emerge from the main route, walking toward the entrance. The soldiers in the tower shift their attention to the squad. One soldier give a hand signal to tower. The soldiers in the tower shift their attention back to the route.
The squad of 8 approach the check point.
A soldier from the squad talks to the guards. The guards open the barricade as one by one soldier from the squad clear their weapon in a barrel. They walk in, the barricade closes again.