Memorial Day 2011

Today is Memorial Day, for some this is just another day off or the start of the camping season for others a time of sadness or reflection. I went on Saturday and visited my Grandfathers gave in Willamette National Cemetery, a place I go from time to time when feeling a feed to be close to the only father I ever really knew.

I started thinking as I looked at the row upon row of American flags lined up and blowing in the breeze, my family is patriotic. My Great-Grandfather Clyde Warrington served in WWI, my Grandfather Ed Dobbie , served as an Army officer in WWII, my father served in Germany, Korea and Vietnam and retired from the Army. My mother served over 25 years in the Army, my Aunt was a Warrant Officer in the Army. I served in the Marines, my brother Nick is serving in the Navy, and my son Jordan is newly jump qualified in the Army, stationed @ Ft. Bragg, NC with the 82nd Airborne and getting ready to deploy to Iraq.

I enjoyed traveling the world while serving and hope Jordan gets to travel to many places and see different cultures and peoples as Nick and I both have. I worry about him going to Iraq, war it seems was different before; it was something you thought about for others or worried about when on alert, now its my son who will shouldering a pack and walking into harms way. Its hard to believe now but when I went into the Marines most of the officers and staff NCO's had never heard a shot fired in anger. Now they have multiple deployments and are fighting on several fronts.

I miss the Marines, I miss the order, the travel, and the discipline. Mostly I miss the guys I served with, some of whom are gone, most of the others I lost contact with years ago. I wish I had stayed in, my life would have been VERY different, I could have retired after 20 years service in 2001.

Memorial day is something different for our family, its a day to think of the friends we knew and places we served good and bad. A day to raise a glass and say Thank You and remember Freedom is not free its price is paid in blood...........