 An American Hero
One of the fundamental principles of a truly sustainable society is to have the freedom to make decisions that are in the best interest of the community. One of the realities of today’s world is that freedom is something that we too often take for granted. We are fortunate, however, that we have young men and women who have always heeded the call of our nation to take on any foe to preserve that freedom.
On October 31, 2006 Major Doug Sloan, Commander of Company B, 1-32 Infantry Battalion, of the 3rd Brigade 10th Mountain Division paid the ultimate price for our freedom. Doug was one of my son Pete’s best friends. He was killed by a road side bomb planted by theTaliban in the Nuristan Province of Afghanistan. Doug was well known in the 10th Mountain Division as one great guy who looked after his men like a father. He had a lot of practice at that with his own 3 kids.
 With two sons in the Army there is not a day that goes by that my wife and I don’t pray for the safety of every military person who has been placed in harms way. Within that prayer I also thank God that we have young men and women who are willing to do what so many others dare not do. Freedom is a fickle thing. The people who our soldiers are fighting for have never really known freedom. They have always had to strictly obey the dictates of fanatical rulers and even if they did everything they were told to do there was still a chance that they might be executed at the whim of a despot.
Major Sloan knew danger lurked around every corner but he put his life on the line so that some Afghani citizens might get to taste the type of freedom we take for granted in the US. I remember Doug as the fun loving guy, the dedicated father, a great friend of my son, and as a true American Hero. I must admit that I have shed some serious tears over this tragic death. My Daughter-in-law, my wife, and I are heading to Fort Drum New York for the Memorial Service on November 8. What a coincidence that it is happening as we approach Veterans Day.
 If we are to create a more sustainable St. Joseph County, perhaps our first act should be to truly thank every service man and woman, past and present for the sacrifices they have made for our Nation. The death of our Friend, Major Sloan, has made us think about what we should be doing for the families of those serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and every other duty station. Barb and I have been seriously considering trying to put together some kind of gathering for all of the families of St. Joseph County Service Men and Women. During these difficult and frightening times, it can be helpful to meet and talk to people who are dealing with similar issues. To be sustainable, we all need to connect. Here is my thank you to everyone who is serving or has served to preserve our freedom. And last but definitely not least,
THANK YOU Major Douglas E. Sloan.
Before you go...
The elderly parking lot attendant wasn't in a good mood!
Neither was Sam Bierstock. It was around 1 a.m., and Bierstock, a Delray Beach , Fla. , eye doctor, business consultant, corporate speaker and musician, was bone tired after appearing at an event.
He pulled up in his car, and the parking attendant began to speak. 'I took two bullets for this country and look what I'm doing,' he said bitterly.
At first, Bierstock didn't know what to say to the World War II veteran. But he rolled down his window and told the man, 'Really, from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you.'
Then the old soldier began to cry.
'That really got to me,' Bierstock says.
Cut to today.
Bierstock, 58, and John Melnick, 54, of Pompano Beach - a member of Bierstock's band, Dr. Sam and the Managed Care Band - have written a song inspired by that old soldier in the airport parking lot. The mournful 'Before You Go' does more than salute those who fought in WWII. It encourages people to go out of their way to thank the aging warriors before they die.
'If we had lost that particular war, our whole way of life would have been shot,' says Bierstock, who plays harmonica. 'The WW II soldiers are now dying at the rate of about 2,000 every day. I thought we needed to thank them.'
The song is striking a chord. Within four days of Bierstock placing it on the Web, the song and accompanying photo essay have bounced around nine countries, producing tears and heartfelt than ks from veterans, their sons and daughters and grandchildren.
'It made me cry,' wrote one veteran's son. Another sent an e-mail saying that only after hi s father consumed several glasses of wine would he discuss ' the unspeakable horrors' he and other soldiers had witnessed in places such as Anzio , Iwo Jima, Bataan and Omaha Beach . 'I can never thank them enough,' the son wrote. 'Thank you for thinking about them.'
Bierstock and Melnick thought about shipping it off to a professional singer, maybe a Lee Greenwood type, but because time was running out for so many veterans, they decided it was best to release it quickly, for free, on the Web. They've sent the song to Senator John McCain and others in Washington . Already they have been invited to perform it in Houston for a Veterans Day tribute - this after just a few days on the Web. They hope every veteran inAmerica gets a chance to hear it.
GOD BLESS every EVERY veteran...and THANK you to those of you veterans who may receive this !
Click the link below to hear the song and see the pictures:
Before You Go
If you should happen to see a soldier, or soldiers, as you go about you daily business, say thank you. Watch this short movie to learn how easy, but meaningful, your simple gesture can be...
Click Here
Click to open each Link below:
The Story of a Soldier and his Dad
Blue Angels
Bubba Rock
Marine Hummer
An Array of Military Heroes in Photographs
A Story of Soldiers Honored |
