My visit to USMC Camp Lejeune

[IRGuy]

Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting part of USMC Camp Lejeune with my grandson's Boy Scout troop. My son in law (ex Navy F18 pilot) had set up a two day camping trip/tour of the base for the kids, through a Lt Colonel he knew when they both were in the Naval Academy.

The Lt Colonel commanded an Engineering unit that cleared IEDs, destroyed enemy fortifications and barricades, erected obstacles, and destroyed enemy buildings. Throughout the day I was able to speak with maybe two dozen or so Marines of all ranks. They all volunteered their time and were happy to talk with the kids in groups or one on one. The kids had a chance to see various construction equipment, tanks, personnel carriers, weapons (fromm 9mm to 50 cal) and lots of other stuff. They had a great time.

Almost all the Marines I spoke with were under 30, and most had done at least one tour in Afghanistan. All but a couple of the newest had seen combat.

If you have any doubt that our current fighting forces are the best of the best.. I can assure you these young men are the cream of the crop. Each and every one was well educated, extremely polite, and proud of the Corps and their country. You would be proud to call any of them your son.

As some of you might know, I volunteer with a local group (Step Up For Soldiers), that supports our troops through various activities ranging from a fishing tournament for servicemen's kids, supporting military families in need with financial and other problems, and providing wheelchair accesssible vans for injured vets, to a "Packages From Home" program in which we send several hundred boxes of donated "stuff" (everything from hard candy and toothbrushes to deodorant and beef jerky and magazines) 3 or 4 times a year to units overseas. Each man I spoke with told me that the morale boost they get from knowing people at home are thinking of them and concerned for them is more than we here can imagine.

I urge each of you to take a small amount of time and when the occasion arises, speak to someone in uniform and thank them for their service to our country. Pay for their meal if you see them in a restaurant.. simply walk up to them and introduce yourself and let them know that you appreciate the sacrifices they, and their families who stay at home and worry about them, make each day to keep us at home free. I can assure you it will make you feel good.. but even more it will reassure them that when they are in some godforsaken place with our enemies shooting at them the people they are protecting here at home are thankful they are doing what they do.

You might be surprised to know.. as I certainly was.. that today's military is the first all volunteer military the US has had since the Revolutionary War. Each person in uniform that you see volunteered to keep you and me, and our loved ones, free. Take a few seconds and thank them for it.

[Charlie J]

that's some place frank
don't think my son in law was on duty yesterday

[Harry Babb]

Good post Frank,

I am very happy that you are able to mentor these young men and the funny thing is that I gather from your post that the visit did as much good for you as it did for the Boy Scouts.

Thanks for sharing..........

A salute for the young men and women that defend us everyday! ! !


hb

[Navatech]

You would be proud to call any of them your son.

They're doing what they're doing for us so as far as I'm considered they ARE my sons in all but blood... Several years ago there was a US manned Patriot emplacement not too far from where I live... I baked 5 (Dutch) apple pies, loaded my kids in the Town&Country and went to deliver them... The perimeter was guarded by our boys... One of them went inside to call out one of the US officers... I gave 2 pies to the locals and 3 pies to the visitors... The US officer asked me to wait a couple of minutes and came back with a bunch of his guys and gals who wanted to thank us personally... Also got a bunch of nice emails...

We should all do one such thing every year... With some 300 million of us the boys and girls in uniform would be (at least) knee deep in goodies...

Freedom ain't free!...

I've already spoken with a local vets organization... As soon as "Lady S" is in Florida I'm going to do two full day off shore fishing trips with vets and their families every year... Fuel and liquid libations on me...

[bob lico]

Best topic and best post ever discussed on this site! Personally I am not a very good bass fisherman especially with live bait but I take the real heroe's in this country out in the spring and fall on my boat for bass.i can show them were they are but the rest in up to them.i feed them we'll and the best drinks .i was astounded to see how well those wounded warriors get around .a great day for all.