8 years ago today...

[mark42202]

8 years ago today my life changed for the rest of eternity. As a SSG in the Airborne Infantry, I led my squad of 9 Soldiers aged 19 to 30 into combat for the first time in any of our lives. None of us knew what to expect that night as our C17 dove from 30,000ft to barely over 500, and the side doors were opened up to the darkness. For the next several weeks, my Soldiers exceeded all of my expectations in taking the fight to the enemy in true Airborne fashion. We all were exposed to things "normal" human beings are raised to despise, performed tasks that we were raised to believe were sins. To a man, we all bare scars from that time, some physical, all emotional. This is a particularly bad time of year for me, as my career was cut short and my life as I knew it became something unfamiliar, different, frightening... because of that fateful deployment. There are several days throughout the year, anniversaries if you will, where I quietly remember the days I lost a Brother, or the days when several were wounded, but this day, THIS day, March 26, is the day we all jumped into Hell together, determined to bring everyone home, politics be damned. Thanks for letting me speak my piece, and please enjoy a little video made about that night...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSe_99z_Jv0




And a painting commemorating the jump:

 

[68sportsatelliteragtop]

Mark, Although I don't know you personally,please know that I am deeply appreciative of all the sacrifices you and all the other brave Americans of the Armed Forces have made to protect our country and our freedom.Thank you for your service.Repectfully,Ken

 

[74Satellite]

Mark, All I can say is thank you for everything. I served 10 Years in the United States Air Force from February of 1998 till February of 2008. I could never hold a candle to you or any of your fellow soldiers doing what you did. I was just a communications airmen (Secure Comm-2E3). After 9/11 I had an overwhelming urge to do something and I told my flight superintendant that if we deployed I wanted to go. I was stationed at Barksdale, AFB in Shreveport, LA at the time and we had B-52 bombers and I was pretty darn certain that if we went to war, our base would mobilize. About a week and a half later I got a call saying I was getting deployed and to be ready. They could say when we would leave or where we were going or how long we would be there....just be ready. Two days later at 0300 I got the call to show up at the unit with my gear. They didnt tell us where we were going until we left a refueling stop in hawaii. We were to be the first chalk to land at a British Naval base in Diego Garcia (Little island about 1000 miles south of India in the Indian Ocean). We landed dropped out bags and started setting up Communications. It was a bare base with a empty building and we had to run allthe cabling to get all the comms up to include, cable, telephone, satellite, PA, etc. We all worked tirelessly until it was all complete.

But the moment that I will remember for the rest of my life. Is the moment I watched all the B52's and B1B's take off fully loaded...headed for afghanistan. The amount of PRIDE I felt on that day is unlike any other feeling I have ever experienced. And then when they returned 1 by 1 completely empty of all armament again make me realize what as a Military were capable of.

Thank you for your service. May this war end soon.

 

[68 Roadrunner]

You are not alone brother, Semper Fi, been there as well. it is never easy at those times. Remember the good ones. Your buddies would tell you that if they could.

 

[greenmonsta79]

Thank you for your service and all your injured and fallen brothers in arms. Thank you

 

[Joe Mopar]

Not much to say here but Thank You for your service.

 

[Donny]

Hang tough dude, at least you didn't have to go back and back and back again to that **** hole!

 

[alleyoopmgv]

Thank You for your service.

 

[detmatt1]

You have my appreciation and admiration for your bravery, all that served and still serve. Thanks.

 

[WileE]

This may mean next to nothing to you, but YOU are a hero to me. In my day, Vietnam vets were not regarded in the same light.

 

[Cranky]

I was 'in' during Nam and am very grateful that I didn't end up over there and did my duty in Germany.....and it's only the freakin liberals that didn't and don't regard vets in the same light!

 

[64BEL]

Thnak you, Mark.

 

[Finallygotmine]

Bless You my airborne brother and all who have served. May God help you heal your scars over time. Those C-17s are awfully large aircraft. Hell, I thought a 141 was big.

Semper Fi
Daryn

 

[Darius]

Having been a Loadmaster for 25 years and flying airdrop missions, you have my undying respect, admiration, and most of all "THANKS and APPRECIATION"!
My job was the easy one!

 

[mrkinger]

Hey Mark ,just wanted to say hi and you are truly a hero .May God bless you and your family ,and all the men and women that serve ,no one should take their freedom for granted
Paul

 

[Ron 73]

Because of men like you and many more including women we have freedom.. prayerfully soon may all come home where you all should be. Thank you and Godbless you all!!! Ron and Family..

 

[iraqivet01]

You must have been in the 173rd.

While the 3rd ID was racing from the South, I was with a Special Op's unit that were busy the weeks prior (up north) with a bunch of FIF (friendly Iraqi forces and Kurdish forces) deverting attention away from the airport.

 

[Endangered Species]

All of you who served your country especially in times of war or conflict are heros and I thank you! This country can not repay you enough.

 

[Cajun Ace]

A deep and heart felt THANK YOU!!!!!

 

[mark42202]

You must have been in the 173rd.

While the 3rd ID was racing from the South, I was with a Special Op's unit that were busy the weeks prior (up north) with a bunch of FIF (friendly Iraqi forces and Kurdish forces) deverting attention away from the airport.

Yup that was us. Linked up with 10th Group and the Peshmerga when we hit the ground.