052812 Memorial Day in Kabul, freedom isn't free

052812 Memorial Day in Kabul, freedom isn't free

 

Memorial Day is a little different on an active military base in a combat zone.  There are no mattress or car sales.  There isn't even a cookout.  It's a regular work day except for a brief ceremony.  Memorial day is about wars and those who have fallen but are not to be forgotten.  I recall Memorial Day celebrations in the states and refernces to those who had died in combat in far away places years, many many years ago.  Here the Memorial Day reference is to those who may have died last week in a province less than 100 miles away. 

General Allen was the keynote speaker at the celebration here.  His speech referenced a SGT Stacey who died in Afghanistan a few months back.  SGT Stacey was 23 years old and on his fourth tour here.  Anyway, SGT Stacey wrote a letter to his parents, to be read should he die in Afghanistan.  The jist of it is that his death will not be in vain, should it bring freedom to someone who has never had that gift. The last time I seriously thought I might die was when I was flying out of Baghdad airport on a Russian chartered 20+ year old AN-24 aircraft knowing that someone down there was (not maybe but 'was') shooting  at the aircraft with an AK-47.  I was only comforted by the fact that was 'sitting' on my balistic vest and not wearing it and knowing that small arms rarely brought down aircraft (but that didn't stop the bad guys from trying.) 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonov_An-24

Anyway, for SGT Stacey, to consider his death and document his thoughts in such a letter to his parents shows maturity beyond his years (he was only 23.) A copy of the article is in a pic above.  I've also attached some other pics from the ceremeony that I took. It's very disheartening to read about the daily deaths and injuries that happen here.  I'm not convinced yet that Afghanistan (nor Iraq for that matter) will eventually 'make it'.  But I am certain that if the US and other NATO countries were not here then things would be much, much worse.  Indeed, freedom isn't free.

R/Chris