You stay up for 16 hours
He stays up for days on end.

He still fights for your right to wear that shirt.

You make sure you’re mobile phone is in your pocket.
He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags.

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He knows he may not see some of his buddies again.

You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls.
He patrols the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists.

He’s told he will be held over an extra 2 months.

You call your girlfriend and set a date for tonight.
He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home.

You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday.
He holds his letter close and smells his love’s perfume.

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You roll your eyes as a baby cries.
He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they’ll ever meet.

You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything.
He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own people and remembers why he is fighting.

You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of men like him.
He hears the gunfire, bombs and screams of the wounded.

You see only what the media wants you to see.
He sees the broken bodies lying around him.

You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don’t.
He does exactly what he is told even if it puts his life in danger.

You stay at home and watch TV.
He takes whatever time he is given to call, write home, sleep, and eat.

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You crawl into your soft bed, with down pillows, and get comfortable.
He tries to sleep but gets woken by mortars and helicopters all night long.

If you support your troops, share this with 7 people.

If you don’t support your troops well, then don’t share this. You won’t die in 7 days, your love life won’t be affected, and you won’t have the worst day ever.

You don’t have to do anything with this. It’s not like you know the men and women that are dying to preserve your rights.

REMEMBER our Troops, and do not forget them LATER

[I came across the above text months and months ago and saved it for today.  Unfortunately, I forgot to note where I got it came from- if anyone knows, please tell me so that I can properly attribute them]

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Retired Navy Lt John W Finn passed away last Thursday.  Lt Finn at 100 yrs old was the oldest surviving Medal of Honor Recipient- you can read the citation describing his actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor here.  With his passing, there are only 96 living Medal of Honor recipients left.

Rest in Peace Lt Finn.