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December 27, 2005
Just Another Average NCO
An inspiring email was sent to Austin Bay by an NCO who is directly involved in training the Iraqi Defense Force. (Actually, most of the Iraqi troops are now trained by Iraqis; we just train the trainers). This guy wrote this after spending Christmas away from home--and he volunteered to deploy even as he neared retirement age.
After conveying some informative details on how the training of the IDF really works, he concludes:
I’ve had family and friends ask me why I volunteered. While the money is good, that’s not the reason. What is it that makes a policeman continue to work a dangerous neighborhood for insufficient pay, while some criminals drive expensive cars and have lots of cash on hand? What makes a farmer continue to hold onto family land, even though he barely breaks even? What is it that makes a volunteer fireman go into a burning house, for no pay, to try to salvage the possessions of a total stranger? It’s faith. It’s faith in your purpose for being on this earth. It’s faith that things will work out the way they are supposed to. It’s faith that what you are doing is right. How can participating in the liberation of millions be wrong? I have faith in this mission and these soldiers. That’s why I’m here.
I’m sorry that this email is so long. I do get carried away sometimes. Christmas has just now passed into the night, and one poor Iraqi Policeman will never forget it, if he survives. An Iraqi Police convoy was ambushed by the bad guys in nearby Balad Ruz, and the poor fellow got shot up pretty bad. They brought him here, and we Medevaced him to Anaconda. He may be a Muslim, but I’ll still say a prayer for him. I’ve met more than one who prays for us.
Think about it: this man is close to retirement age, certainly not a gung-ho twenty-something; and he was on of 500 to volunteer to go to Iraq from his division.
Thank God for the internet, and guys like Austin Bay and Michael Yon and Bill Roggio. If not for their work we would never have known about guys like this NCO, and he is but one of thousands.
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