1,343,812+

In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Memorial Day Weekend has arrived again.  Those of us overseas won't be sharing in the festivities back home but we do hope everyone has a safe and relaxing day on Monday.  I am not sure if anyone knows what the true meaning of the day is anymore.  But it means more than back yard bar-b-ques, a long weekend, or a day to get great bargains at the mall.  Memorial Day, is about honoring the men and women who have lost their lives fighting the countries wars.   That number is over 1, 343, 812.  I say over because the country is still at war, and so that number changes almost daily.  The tradition of remembering the war dead goes back centuries -- but in the United States--the modern tradition dates to the Civil War.  That war was responsible for nearly half of the war deaths in our history.  Those killed in battle during the Civil War made up nearly 2% of the population of the country at that time.  If 2% of the country today died in a war there would be over 3 million dead.  Wow.  Over the years, the meaning of the day has gradually changed from a day to honor the war dead to just another three day weekend, a reason to party, a day to shop, or a day to celebate the "beginning of summer."  It has also become a day to remember all deaths...whether in war or not.  I have to admit, I was often under the belief that Memorial Day was a day to remember all loved one--not just military--mainly because I remember visiting graves of family members on that weekend--many who never served.  And it doesn't bother me at all if people choose Memorial Day to do that.  It is important to remember all those who have died--because everyone who is born and who walks on the earth--deserves to be remembered when they are gone.  What kills me is that so many people know nothing about the origin or history of the day.  It is just another long weekend on the calendar every May.  The start of summer.  Woo Hoo.  When Congress decided in 1967 to make Memorial Day fall on a Monday instead of on the traditional May 30th date, it had unintended consequences.  Over the years, the true meaning has been largely lost on the American people.  That is too bad.  But it is not too late for us to move back to that original meaning.  On Monday, light a candle, say a prayer, go to a parade or to a Memorial Day service, serve a meal to a homeless veteran.  You don't have to do everything on this list, but do something.  Then help yourself to some fried chicken, a burger, a dog or two and some a few cool beverages.  Enjoy yourself but be safe my friends.

Rest in Peace Friend Elvis Sebastian 2000-2012

Nearly ten years ago I lost my dog Honey who I had for 13 years. That was tough.  I was in the room when the vet put her down and I cried uncontrollably for days.  I had just moved into my present house and was suppose to have a birthday party/house warming party on the day before my actual birthday which fell on Sunday.  But with Honey's death, I just was not in a party mood and decided to postpone it until a few weeks later.  On Sunday, my actual birthday, I was feeling very down and sad.  My good friend Jason called me up to wish me a happy birthday and asked me what I wanted to do.  I told him I needed to get out of the house and we decided to go out to the Guilderland Animal Shelter.  Here is how I told the story back in 2006:

I told Jason that he had to be the voice of reason....and not to let me adopt 3 dogs. So he agreed to go and we got to the shelter and went in. There were only of few dogs there...one of them was this big goofy yellow lab with an enormous head. He was barking and carrying on, so I just passed him by and saw this small female dog that I asked to see. Well myself and Jason and this dog went out to walk...but after a few minutes I realized that there was no love connection there. So one of the volunteers asked me if I wanted to walk the lab. I said hell no. "That dog is crazy and goofy and too big for me to take." She then said to me that I should just walk him because he needed a walk and there was noone else to do it. So I did. Well needless to say, I was suckered and I ended up leaving that shelter with a big goofy dog with an enormous head. Our first stop was at the Petco on the way home where I paid about $100 dollars for this state of the art doggie bed. So we got home and we played a little and I felt happy that I had a dog again even if he was a little goofy. Well that night we went to the bedroom and I laid out the doggie bed and then looked up and noticed that he was laying in my bed! Well I rationalized that I would let him sleep there that night because it was our first night and he was a little nervous and needed to be near me. He will sleep in his own bed the next night. YEAH. RIGHT. For almost 4 years that dog slept next to me every night. He never slept in that doggie bed. Not even once. We bonded from the very beginning. And it was so hard to say good bye when I dropped him off 2 weeks ago. Tonight the Tarantelli's (his adoptive family) sent me some pictures of him. I saw the pics and remembered how much I love him. How much I miss him. What hurts so much, is the feeling I have when I think about what is going through his mind. Does he think I abandoned him? That this guy he has lived with for almost four years just disappeared? I know it sounds stupid but I really feel sad about this right now. I wish he understood what I was doing and where I was. And that I would be back. But dogs...who knows what they know or understand. I just know that my best friend hasn't slept with me these past 2 weeks, hasn't been there when I wake up, and hasn't layed on my chest and fallen sleep like he use to. I love you buddy. I'll be back.

And I did come back.  And I was priviledged to get nearly five more years with that big lug.  He was my best friend but was loved by many.  He had a little brother (Eddie) and a little sister (Willow) and lots of aunts and uncles.  He really loved Eric and Wanda who use to give him full body massages. And he had another dad, who hated all the hair he shedded everyday but loved him as much as I did.  Yesterday, Todd had to go through the same grief I went through when I took Honey to be put down.  With help with his parents, he took him to vet and and was there when  he breathed his last breath.  I am sorry I was not there, but was glad he was there.  Elvis deserved to see a loving face before he died. 

Today I am heartbroken.  But I have T and two healthy dogs and two sugar gliders at home.  Elvis is not suffering anymore and somewhere, in doggie heaven, he is having a grand time chasing squirrels and humping legs. (ha ha).  Thank you Elvis, my loyal companion.  You were a good dog but a better friend.  Rest in Peace.

One Month in the (clears throat)..."combat zone"

Things are going pretty well here at Camp Cupcake.  Yesterday markes one month in the "zone".  The job is going well and the quality of life (compared to Iraq and even Camp Shelby) is pretty good.  I get a whole day and a half off per week and there is a lot to do to keep ourselves entertained.  I really can't complain about the situation.  I am grateful for the opportunity to be hear but I still would trade it all for Afghanistan.  But that was not in the cards, so here I sit.  When I was in Iraq I went outside the "wire" a few times by Black Hawk, but never on four wheels.  It was dangerous business traveling in convoys back then.  Lots of IEDs, snipers, etc.  Well I have been on several trips off the post since I got here.  Mostly to pick up and drop off military judges at various locations across the country.  These trips have been interesting and a little scary at times.  Not that anyone is shooting at us or anything, but rather because Kuwaitees drive worse than NYC cab drivers.  They speed like crazy and do not believe in signaling.  And they stop---well where ever they want to.  Sometimes right in the middle of the road.  The road signs are in Arabic mostly and you never know what direction you are going in.  The other day myself and one of my soldiers were coming back from dropping off the judge and we got lost.  We ended up in downtown Kuwait City with bumper to bumper traffic.  We were in the middle lane when we watched a local speed past us in the breakdown lane...must have been doing 70.  When we finally did get on the highway again we ended up driving past Arifjan and ended up at the Saudia Arabia border.  Not wanting to cause a international incident, we simply turned around and headed back the other way.  Thanks to some directions from the Kuwaitee Army we found our way back to Camp Arifjan.  Yesterday I went out again--without much drama.  I will be doing this often I think.  The judge has even told me he will bring me to Afghanistan for a short trip with him.  I said that it was my dream to get there, one way or the other, so I intend to take him up on his offer.  AFGHANISTAN OR BUST!!., even if it's just for a day or so.  I hope everyone sends their mom flowers on Sunday.  Happy Mothers Day for all u muthers out there!!

Saturday and a Day Off

Well believe it or not...on occasion we get a day off here in the war zone (ok..so it's only marginally a war zone...but I came where I was told...ha ha).  The pace of the days are starting to pick up a bit here but the work is managable.  This last week I was busy with various military justice issues and adjusting to my life as the NCOIC of ASG-KU.  The person I replaced was not the most ambitious individual, so my boss is impressed when I take even a little initiative.  I have some young soldiers to mentor and they need a little work but they are good kids and I enjoy that part of the job.  Yesterday I had to go off post (outside the wire) to pick up a military judge up at Ali As salem...which is the major in/out center for soldiers and civilians coming and out of the war zone.  It was a little scary...but mostly because the effin Kuwaitees drive worse than NYC cab drivers.  If I die in Kuwait it will because some jackass cuts me off on some lonely desert road and leaves me in a sand pit to rot.  But it is weird to be driving in a strange place like Kuwait.  I have to pitch myself to make sure I am not dreaming.  If you break down here there is no triple AAA.  All along the road to Ali yesterday I saw broken down and wreaked cars.  Just sitting there.  In the wreaked cars I tried to see if there were any bodies in them but they appeared to be empty.  But really it wouldn't surprise me if there were some found.  Well it is officially May, so happy May everyone.  I know it is almost Tulip Festival time and that the Tulips were almost in full bloom in Albany, but I hope a few survived for next weekend.  It is like summer here...hitting 100 everyday now.  I miss the Spring in NY.  Hopefully next year this time.  Enjoy your weekend peeps.