BATTLE SCARRED AND PROUD …. JUST ONE BRIT SOLDIER. ONE OF VERY MANY.

 

1. Fusilier James is a hero in my book, as was his lost comrade and all the others who are serving in this war.

   Peiper, I know what you meant, and I am certain that the others who come here regularly do, but you probably want to add the second ‘r’ to your title, as obviously, this young man is not scared of anything.

   Posted by Siddhartha Vicious       09/25/2009  at  12:35 PM  



2. Just as you cannot control what others find offensive, you cannot control what others will get enjoyment out of. All you can do is post and talk about what you find important and do what you think is right.

   Posted by Nicole       09/25/2009  at  12:37 PM  



3. As a parent of both military children and an injured (burn survivor) son - I have to only give a bad to the pathetic, pity him attitude. Yes, people in recovery look horrendous to those of us used to American Idol and Cosmo magazine - but it is the attitude that they approach what happened to them and how to move onto the next stage. Obviously Fusilier Tom James is made of sterner stuff than most of us.

   My daughter sent me pictures of one of the Marines her hubby served with in Afghanistan - big difference from the pictures of him receiving his Purple Heart from President Bush and just a few weeks later roping from his favorite cow horse - without either of his legs.

   In a way - if these stories were done with the dignity these men & women deserve - the reconstruction of their bodies and their lives can bring hope and inspiration to those who read their stories. Such as these:

   Capt. Scott Smiley - who was blinded in 2006 returned to active duty to teach other soldiers how to avoid the car bombing that blinded him.

   Capt. David Rozelle who returned to combat (the first US Amputee to do it) after losing a foot in Iraq.

   SFC (Ret.) Dana Bowman who was a member of the U.S. Army’s elite parachute team, the Golden Knights, who ran headlong into another soldier mid jump at a combined speed of 300 mph - he lost both legs and yet returned to active duty to re-enlist, yes you guessed it - in the air.

   JR Martinez who went from a 40% burn from an IED attack to staring on a soap opera, as you guessed it, a wounded soldier return home again.

   I mean heck the one most people know - Master Chief Petty Officer Carl Brasher - who I am sure (since the movie Men of Honor didn’t portray it correctly) chose to have his leg amputated rather than risk his military career to 3 years of surgeries and recovery.

   These are just a few of young men (and of course Tammy Duckworth, who is still in the IL National Guard after losing both legs - so women too) who the ‘normal’ person would think their lives are over - yet it isn’t - just off in whole different direction. The only difference - is that these men and women knew it could happen to them - and they took the risk anyway. I know too - I live it every day - and so can Fusilier Tom James.

   Posted by wardmama4       09/25/2009  at  04:39 PM  



4. Takes a while to make a comment here but I’m sure it was worth it.

   I wouldn’t worry about the enemy reading blogs etc about the war, they know exactly what’s happening out in Afghanistan.

   It’s very important we do continue to show pictures etc of our injured and killed, just to show the enemy we support the work these heroes are doing (whether we approve of the war or not).

   Also, I post quite a bit on military matters because I want the UK government to know how badly the armed forces are treated.

   Hope that makes sense, I’m tired tonight and off to bed.

   Posted by subrosa       09/25/2009  at  06:39 PM  



5. OUCH ... I MISSED THAT SID ... THANKS. WILL FIX NOW.

   Posted by peiper       09/26/2009  at  09:24 AM  

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