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Karagin
Imperial Karagin Army
Imperial General
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 4120
Location: United States
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 Posted: 01-Dec-2002 20:32 Post subject: A Soldier's Christmas |
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This may a little unusually for around here...
A Soldier's Christmas
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."
T'WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE,
MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.
I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY,
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO,
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.
I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.
NO STOCKING BY THE MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES,
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT,
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.
FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.
THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR,
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.
THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED,
A CANADIAN SOLDIER.
WAS THIS THE HERO,
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?,
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?
I REALIZED THE FAMILIES,
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS,
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.
SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE,
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.
THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM,
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.
I COULDN'T HELP WONDER,
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE,
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.
THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT,
A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES,
AND STARTED TO CRY.
THE SOLDIER AWAKENED,
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA, DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE.
I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."
THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.
I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL,
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED,
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.
I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE,
ON THAT COLD, DARK NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR,
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.
THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE, SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
ALL IS SECURE."
ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT,
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."
This poem was written by a soldier stationed overseas. One the AGR folks at my unit sent it to me. The idea was to pass it on...but seeing how many of us know folks who are serving and aren't home around family and friends again this year, I felt it would be put to use here so all can see.
_________________
Karagin
Only the dead have seen the end of war. - Plato
"Wasted trip Man. Nobody said nuthin' about lockin' horns with no tigers." Oddball
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Vagabond
Mercenary
Mr. Referee
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 5724
Location: United States
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| Posted: 01-Dec-2002 21:58 Post subject: RE: A Soldier's Christmas |
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--salutes--
_________________
one must work hard to cultivate the mind and body. and one must always cultivate the mind.
//^(^_^)^\\
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CO_17thRecon
Kell Hounds
Major
Joined: 10-Sep-2002 00:00
Posts: 1297
Location: United States
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| Posted: 01-Dec-2002 22:10 Post subject: RE: A Soldier's Christmas |
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I wonder if Alexander has seen this?
Happy Holidays to all the peace keepers in the world!
_________________
Jarylan Blackwell
"What the...?! Where did you get THAT?!"
"Creative aquisition."
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Sir Henry
Team Bansai
Senior Tech Specialist
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 4899
Location: United States
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| Posted: 02-Dec-2002 08:11 Post subject: RE: A Soldier's Christmas |
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Amen Joe, Amen....
_________________
Sir Henry
A Dragon in the disguise of a bunny, is still a Dragon.
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Gunslinger Patch
Royal Black Watch Regiment
Major
Joined: 04-Mar-2002 00:00
Posts: 1611
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| Posted: 08-Dec-2002 02:33 Post subject: RE: A Soldier's Christmas |
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I learned this last week that my best Friend's reserve battalion has been mobilized for overseas service location unknown. He won't miss out on Christmas, but they ship out not long after that. All this week I find myself thinking about what I can give the guy for Christmas that tells him I truly give a damn about him coming back in one piece.
_________________
"Those who beat their guns into plows will plow for those with guns..." -Thomas Jefferson
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Vagabond
Mercenary
Mr. Referee
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 5724
Location: United States
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| Posted: 08-Dec-2002 02:55 Post subject: RE: A Soldier's Christmas |
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give him something that says Thank You for defending the freedom we hold dear.
_________________
one must work hard to cultivate the mind and body. and one must always cultivate the mind.
//^(^_^)^\\
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Alexis
Free Worlds League
Master Sergeant
Joined: 02-Mar-2002 00:00
Posts: 178
Location: United States
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| Posted: 14-Dec-2002 21:59 Post subject: RE: A Soldier's Christmas |
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Hey guys, I thought I'd add something to this. My daugther had a Veteran's Day project shge had to do. She had to coose a family or close friend who was a veteran and make a poster. She chose my grandfather (her great-gradnfather). My grandfather was First Lieutenant Ivan Dodd. He was in the Army during WWII. He was in the 11th Airborn, mostly Infantry. I know most of you have heard about Pearl Harbor, but how clsoe did some of you come to not being born? Well, my grandfather shipped out of Pearl Harbor on Dec 6, the night before Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. I pray everytime I here about soldiers being shipped out and pray for their safe return. On an added note, my grandfather won a Purple Heart and Presidentila Citation during his term in the service.
My prayers go out to all of the service men and women from all around the world who do their part in protecting the freedom we all have come to know.
_________________
Alexis Wolfstein
Always tending to the boys who seem to always be in the B&G. #1 Rule: never call me wench. Just ask the old timers what happened to the last guy who did...
As Murphy always says: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
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Alexander
Heavy Horse Merc Brigade
Commanding Officer
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 828
Location: Canada
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| Posted: 15-Dec-2002 01:48 Post subject: RE: A Soldier's Christmas |
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Yeah I've seen it before... although I've only seen it where it was a Canadian soldier at the end... (Gotta be Patriotic ya know  )
Alexander
_________________
War is God's way of teaching geography.
*******
Commanding Officer, North West Armoured Cavalry
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Rarich
Federated Suns
Leftenant General
Joined: 05-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 991
Location: United States
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| Posted: 22-Dec-2002 11:18 Post subject: RE: A Soldier's Christmas |
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[quote]
On 2002-12-08 02:33, Gunslinger Patch wrote:
I learned this last week that my best Friend's reserve battalion has been mobilized for overseas service location unknown. He won't miss out on Christmas, but they ship out not long after that. All this week I find myself thinking about what I can give the guy for Christmas that tells him I truly give a damn about him coming back in one piece.
[/quote]
what does he do? MP, Tanker, Plane mechanic? I might be able to give some Ideas.
I saw this poem circulate the year after Desert Storm. We were sent tons of candy which we did not need. Nails, hammers, saws and clothesline were valuable items tho'. We had wood, but nothing to cut it with or fasten it. Many guys who were lucky enough to get some nails and line together were able to make rope beds, lightyears ahead of the #$%& cots we were issued. Those were bbetter than the ground or armored vehicle decks that the frontline troops used, but you do what you can to get more comfortable.
Cocoa during the winter to go with the MRE instant coffee was good too. Enough sugar and caffiene to wire you up for the early early watch so you could stay awake.
_________________
Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side & a dark side, and strings also lie under it all.
Life is a sexually transmitted terminal disease.
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