"Zach got an ARCOM. Army Commendation Medal for his service in Iraq. His commander was very impressed. Terry [dad, retired Army LtCol] said that award is usually only given to upper enlisted and officers and there aren't a lot of cross service awards like that [he's in Air National Guard]. Zach said the commander presented the award to him and told him he was proud to have him in the unit."

He was replaced in Iraq by an 14 year Air Force SSgt who was whining about having to go out twice a week with the roadside unit that cleared IEDs. Zach told him "you think those guys want to go out almost every day? You do it because it's you're job and you don't whine about it"

Last year he was chosen "Airman of the Year" for his unit. A great kid.


Meanwhile his sister's fiancé in Afghanistan for his second tour there was wounded by a grenade when he and his Lt (also wounded) tried to prevent the Taliban from breaching a fence line.

Both will return to duty.

I was working for the government already, so "missed out" on the draft. But I often wonder how I would have fared in 'Nam... From a courage standpoint.

I admire the guys/gals who put themselves in the line of fine.

A fellow to be proud of to be sure.

Hope his sister's fiance recovers well and quickly.

J

He expects to be walking in a few more days. He'll be there until November. I wish we'd get out of that place. IMO, if you fast forwarded 100 years they would still be living like they are today (in the 16th century).

I'm "technically" a Korean war vet. When I occasionally get asked this. I respond "I have a lot of trouble calling myself a Korean war vet, I had good friends in the Marine Corp fighting and freezing their butts off, a couple were wounded. I spent a good deal of that time three miles from Virginia Beach and had the best time of my life. Somehow it wouldn't seem right to say 'I'm a Korean War vet'"

My grandson wants to go to Afghanistan after spending six months in Iraq.

I hope he doesn't get to go.