Today upon the craziness of the downhill slope to the end of my first semester of my freshman year of college, I take this time to honor all of the men and women serving throughout the world for our country. To my father Guy Oshiro, who served in the Air Force Reserves before I was born, to my youth leader James "Jim" Kenney, who served in the Navy, to my pastor's youngest son Joseph Cardoza, who just got done serving in the Air Force, thank you for your time. To my other youth leader's youngest stepson Franko Da Re and to my first childhood best friend Cody Lemere, who are currently serving in the Army and to a young man who I once did Venturing with Greg Bringedahl, who is currently serving in the Air Force, my thoughts and prayers are with you as you serve and represent us as a country, I am extremely proud of you all.
As I sit here in the library of my school, really thinking about who the three that I just mentioned who are currently serving our country in the Army and Air Force, it brings me back to an entry that I did not even a year ago in "The High School Years" part of my blog entitled, "They Didn't Have To Do It" (It was actually what prompted me to write this entry after stumbling acrossed it.) I am going to repeat it here, but it'll be a little more updated, if you want my original entry, please visit my "The High School Years" part of my blog, it's the last entry in the December part of it:
I know a few people who are currently serving in an Armed Force serving for our beautiful country and it got me thinking about who they really really are. Half boy and half man. Yes they are between the ages of 18-20 years old, so they are legally considered an adult. The average age of the military man is between the ages of 18-20 years. Referring to them as one man:
He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He's a recent High School graduate; he was probably an average student, pursued some form of sport activities. He listens to rock and roll or hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and a 155mm howitzer. He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because well he just graduated from boot camp. This wasn't his first choice, but it is what he's doing now. Yes he's not on the frontlines of Iraq, but his job is still important to our country.
As we continue on through this beautiful Veterans day, why don't we take the time to think about, pray for, and maybe even thank a man or even a woman that we know or maybe even don't know for their service to fight for our freedom, to be that country that is the land of the free and the home of the brave, and to be proud to be an American.
So if you are reading this and you are currently serving or have already served for this country, whether I know you or not, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You guys amaze me in ways that words cannot ever describe. Thank you for leaving your loved ones, friends, and life back from wherever you're from to go to a whole new place and serve our country. Thank you for risking your life, thank you for all that you do, I am enternally greatful for you all!
A video that says it all:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTb6qdPu8JE
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