Clinton Romesha & morning coffee…

Clinton Romesha & morning coffee…

Warning: I am going to say some apparently wildly unpopular things in this post-so please be warned.

If you do not agree, I respect that. These views are my personal opinion and should be taken as that-but these are also an AMERICAN’S opinion. And I honor those who fight for our country no matter what.    

Trigger Warning: This post includes descriptions of violent situations and military combat. My intent is not to trigger certain PTSD’s, or hurt any of our brave men and women in our Armed Services.

Somewhere in the world right now, a soldier is taking fire.

Somewhere in the world right now, a comrade is trying to save his buddy.

Somewhere in the world right now, a service woman is wondering how her family is doing back home. Unable to hug her children. Unable to tell them she loves them.

Somewhere in the world right now, a man is dying. For you and I.

Somewhere in the world right now, they don’t know about our hallmark created Valentines Day. The men are just praying to make it through another day with honor.

And somewhere in the world right now, a man’s “Valentine”, is his M4 rifle. Close to his heart, there for him through the day and night, the thing he cares the most about at this moment.

I am sitting across the world right now.

Wrapped in safety and protection provided by my country, my family, my guns, and the Military personal that are not enjoying the same feeling of warm security I am.

I am relatively secure; confident that a mortar attack will not rain down on the old ranch house and no IED’s will explode when I drive down our bumpy dirt road. I am spoiled. I have a hot meal when I want it, a soft bed, clean clothes and a shower every night. I hug my dog, ride my horses, love my family and still do not appreciate these gift’s that we somehow see as simple.

My father brought home roses last night for his girls, kissed us and reminded how precious each one of us are to him. And today, without even realizing it-he taught me a lesson in a different kind of love.

This morning, after feeding horses with frost on their whiskers, writing my morning papers and posting the new Buckaroogirl Video-I headed into the main house to have my “Morning time.” Morning time in my family means that basically we can’t stay away from each other. We really and truly LOVE hanging out together. All four of us, drinking coffee and chatting about things that matter before heading out for our day and all that it holds. After a while, daddy asked us to watch something he and mama had saved on the TV.

It was a segment on the Late Night Show of Dave Letterman, interviewing Former Staff Sgt. Clinton Romesha.

Now, I know today is supposed to be about roses and diamonds and love for your significant other-but I don’t like to follow the rules. And today, for me at least-the love that matters in my heart right now is the love for those service men and women around the world protecting our freedoms and giving everything so that we can call ourselves Free Americans.

My heart swelled with pride and admiration for a man I don’t know personally when I watched his answering questions about a 12 hour long attack from the enemy. His humbleness and attitude towards his fallen brothers and fellow soldiers shocked me, this man was awarded our most prestigious medal for valor our country gives, The Congressional Medal of Honor.  Yet here he was talking about OTHER men who were fighting. Not himself. Romesha talked about his family, about the sacrifices his wife made and missing his children. He talked about the legacy that his grandfather and father passed onto him and his brothers-all of whom have served in some branch of the military. He spoke with respect and passion, and even though he looked nervous with so many eyes on him-he represented his country and his family with the utmost honor and character possible.

Romesha is only the fourth living person to be awarded the Medal of honor For his heroic actions on October 3^rd, 2009 at COP Keating-which is a outpost in the Nuristan province near the Pakistan border in Afghanistan. Before dawn, approximately 400 Taliban attacked the base of 53 American Soldiers, pinning them down in a difficult to defend valley. The enemy was equipped with rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns, heavy sniper fire and superior manpower. Romesha risked his life in running to the barracks and grabbing a machine gun, then taking out one of the enemy machine gun teams. When a rocket propelled grenade exploded nearby, Romesha was hit with shrapnel, covering his neck-hip and arm. Ignoring his wounds, Clinton continued to fight until it was announced that there was quote: “Enemy in the wire”. At this time, comrades of Sgt. Romesha’s were pinned down in a Humvee 100 meters away.  Taking heavy enemy fire, Romesha and his remaining team rushed the distance and brought back their fellow soldiers. They knew the cost, and they went anyway. Risking their own lives for their brothers. Bravery was not just a word at that point, it was an action.

Eight US soldiers were killed in the battle, and 22 wounded. 

The men who were lost that day were: 

Justin T. Gallegos, Christopher Griffin, Kevin C. Thomson , Michael P. Scusa, Vernon W. Martin, Stephan L. Mace, Joshua J. Kirk, and Joshua M. Hardt. 

Ladies and gentlemen, that is love. That is love of brothers, love of country, and love of honor above self.  

Today, I want to remember THAT kind of love. To celebrate it. To honor it. To respect it. To appreciate it. To remember it. To put it above our silly pink and red holiday, and to remember those who are fighting, dying and giving all for us to be able to even remember that there is a day set aside to shower love on one another.

So today, I’m showing love specially. For the men and women who matter.

You are my heroes, each and every one of you. You deserve respect, admiration, kindness, loyalty, and above all love from the American people.

Happy Valentines Day to all of our service men and women and their families, you have my utmost respect and love.

xoxo

~Adrian