I am very blessed to get amazing e-mails from you guys. I wish I could share them all, as I learn more from them, I'm sure, than you guys do from me. I don't get much poetry, though, and this one was special and unique, so I wanted to share it. It was an e-mail in response to a Tucker appearance where I was on to discuss Iraq, Bush Poll numbers, racial profiling and JonBenet. Yeah, I know. Check it out.
I also wish this amazing American, Jim Hatch, would let me share more about him or more of his writing, as he is truly remarkable. But like many of our greatest leaders he prefers to take action and not let folks know about it. I can not share his rank or his tremendous accomplishments, nor what he has done his whole life for his country and fellow man. You know him as Evolvo evolo in the comment threads and I am proud to know him and call him my friend.
You will just have to trust me on this, and he will be mad at me for saying, but he is an American Hero, the real deal. He has served in the most dangerous places you can imagine and has been on the front lines of all of the major conflicts we have had to endure as of late.
He is a serious thinker and if he were on TV could add far better insight than virtually any commentator on our current conflicts. He finds time to read and think in the midst of a pretty tough job! He is a man of faith, an adoring husband, and a great friend.
We owe him a debt of gratitude and all our men and women in uniform one. We also owe a debt of gratitude to his wife and all the families who make the sacrifice in sharing their loved ones with the Nation. They don't get nearly the credit they deserve, nor do folks understand the importance of their service and what it means.
He will be leaving again shortly to do his job, so keep him in your prayers please. As will Sgt. Joe Duran, a Citizen Hunter regular.
I have always found it silly and sophomoric when the President has reduced the complex situation we find ourselves in to "getting the bad guys" - nor have I thought the price in lives, money, and international standing has been worth the sacrifice. In short, the execution on the part of the suits, and the reasons for going to war, have not made us safer and have been, in my view, a foreign policy debacle, the effects of which will be felt for far longer than I like to think about.
There are some folks, however, who really do get the bad guys, and one such man is Hatch. It is important for us to remember that regardless of how we feel about the policy coming out of DC, and by all means let your voice be heard in letters, calls, and at the ballot box, soldiers are simply doing their job. And doing it well in almost every case I might add. Folks who are currently serving make up a big part of the Citizen Hunter site family (you've probably noticed some of them in the comment threads) This fact was one of the reasons I created the Support and Defend Section, and they are a very special bunch. I am sure you have read the insightful guest blogs from both Sergeant Joe Duran (our number one poster and my greatest crutch on all things political before going on TV) and the now Lt. Colonel (big deal, by the way!) Michael Zacchea. I would also like to add that Lt. Colonel Zacchea has served in 3 combat zones: Iraq, Somalia, and Haiti. He speaks Arabic, a huge asset to us and is very learned on the middle east, he was the one that complied the list of recommended Iraq reading which is quite comprehensive - gives you a window into how lucky we are to have folks like him serving. He is also the recipient of two bronze stars, one purple heart. Point being, another American hero! He too will kill me for this, humility seems to run in these guys and gals veins. (You can see Lt. Colonel Zacchea looking snazzy on set with me and Tucker).
Know that when I am on TV or writing I read papers, to be sure, but these are the people I consult, my team of experts if you will, I am blessed indeed.
Back to one of my heroes and advisors, Jim Hatch
This is not reflective of most of his writing, as I am sure you will note, but I thought it showed the range of emotion one can feel toward a mission they do care about and fight for every day.
slipping into the darkness with a hand full of bombs
falling ever so gently into the abyss
our eyes flutter like wings of a bat
into the darkness we slip and slide
not really fighting, not really volunteering
our weakness guides us and we slip along comforted by the others by our side
feeling in company, good or bad, it's ok
who cares?
JonBenet is dead.
Thanks for writing this Flavia - great sentiments here that I share completely. I'm quite disgusted at the prospect of brave Americans like Hatch and Duran heading to Iraq to babysit a civil war, especially with bin laden still on the loose. 2 years ago the problem in Iraq was insurgents like zarqawi. Fine, we all understood that and have no problem supporting the fight against them, provided that Iraqis are interested in building a new democratic nation. Now it seems clear that getting along isn't on their agenda anymore, and the old sectarian hatreds have flourished. So maybe it's time to divide up this WW1 relic into 3 little countries. It worked in Yugoslavia, why not here?
Take care guys. You're in all our prayers.
Posted by: JSM at August 23, 2006 05:13 PMBy the way Flavia, I could be wrong but I thought the moniker was evolo, not evolvo. I can't speak for Jim Hatch, but maybe he doesn't want to officially endorse Swedish cars on your site
Posted by: JSM at August 23, 2006 05:25 PMThis shows that being a soldier, being compasionate, being sensitive, and being perseptive are qualities that can go hand in hand with each other. It has been my experience that they often do. Getting to the poem was worth the wait. I found it endearing that you are so proud of them it took you so long to get to the point of the article.
Posted by: BIll III at August 23, 2006 06:14 PMThanks to all of ya'll for the heartfelt words.
well................
what do you say to all of that?
thanks Flav.
Posted by: evolo at August 23, 2006 08:04 PMI read the above article and comments posted. One thing seems to be lost in all the mix above. I noticed that JSM wrote the following... "I'm quite disgusted at the prospect of brave Americans like Hatch and Duran heading to Iraq to babysit a civil war, especially with bin laden still on the loose." People can make comments and be disgusted all they want to, but the bottom line is that each and every one of us that takes the oath, and signs on the dotted line- does it knowing that they will go to war if needed. As a Marine, and I speak for a lot of my fellow Marines... we train day in and day out to go into battle and it is almost disappointing not to get the honor of going. So the only thing that I find that is disgusting about sending a VOLUNTEER in the Armed Forces to put their training to use, is Americans that fail to see the mission at hand. The Armed Forces stand for Mission Accomplishment; and the mission isn't accomplished yet. "Getting the bad guys"... may have very well saved this country from getting attacked again. If the Administration would have failed to take some sort of action, then Americans would of had a lot to say about their failure to defend the United States. Now, we have an Administration that is unwaivoring, and loyal to the mission- everyone seems to be jumping ship on them. This is common in a time of war, America tends to take the easy road and point the finger if things can't be fixed over night. With that said, I admire Joe Duran (a personal friend and co-worker of mine) for going over there and "getting the bad guys." Joe and I have discussed many of the topics and articles on this site; and most of the time we agree to disagree. One thing that we can and will agree on is that America needs to support the troops. Not just the ADMINISTRATION. Additionally, that we all sign up knowing as Marines we are meant to go to combat. There is nothing disgusting about putting a volunteer's training to use.
Sacrafice is something that goes hand in hand with being in the Service. I have had the privledge of being attached to a Marine Infantry unit for the last year. In that time, I have met many of the most selfless forgotten heros. My Commanding Officer happens to be the recipient of a Silver Star and a Purple Heart... his guidance and leadership are highly inspirational. Sacrafice runs through his veins. Additonally, I have had the honor and privledge of honoring those who have made the ultimate sacrafice. Doing a funeral for a fallen Marine, and speaking to their fellow Marines (hearing all of the stories, facts)- it's unreal. I am pretty sure that I will never again see sacrafice in this form. All of us sacrafice to a certain extent, all of us are heros in our own right... but these men are the forgotten ones. Joe asked me to offer some comments on sacrafice, and to share some of the stories that I have had the honor of being a part of.... but honestly, the stories are too long to tell. I really want everyone to know and understand (and I feel it is difficult to do so unless you put the uniform on everyday)... that there is nothing "disgusting" about the mission right now, and that all of my fellow brothers and sisters that have made the ULTIMATE SACRAFICE would be truely offended and "disgusted" with that notion.
Posted by: Natalie Jones at August 24, 2006 10:46 AMMs. Jones, I am grateful for your service, but should be be in the middle of a civil war right now? What do you think of that?
Sincerely
Jack
(But they call me Mr. Tibbs)
Natalie - My apologies if you misconstrued my post. I think you and everyone who serves in the Marine Corps. are absolute nails and you have my utmost respect. My disgust has nothing to do with our troops, or even the Bush Administration, since I still support the idea that a democratic Iraq is badly needed for regional stability. It's mostly aimed at those Iraqis who would rather kill each other over their religious differences than rebuild the Cradle of Civilization.
MS. Jones,
What a beautiful comment, thank you. I would love for you to tell your stories. I don't care if they fill a book, those that don't have the time can skim, and the rest of us can enjoy and learn from them. I know you are busy though, so only as your time permits.
Did you get a chance to see the memorial service for the Fallen Native American Marine in the Support and Defend Section? It was sent in by one of our readers, one of the most moving things I have ever seen. You should check it out.
I too have had to go to far too many funerals, and listening to the stories and seeing the brother and sisterhood and the honor, courage, passion, humility and sacrifice of these brave men and women is in fact a source of tremendous inspiration for me, daily. It is also a major factor in why I started this site to begin with. The Support and Defend section was a labor of love. It took me weeks, which I took off from work and I asked all of my friends who served to tell me what they needed and how we could help and what is in there is a prodcut of those conversations.
It is a very small contribution compared to your service, but it was all I knew to do. I would always welcome other suggestions to help.
I think by in large we would agree to disagree on some aspects of the current mission, but I would say that the portion of the mission carried out by the leaders and servicemen and women has never been a question for me whatsoever.
I also could not agree more with your sentiments on what you sign up for and what that means. When my step-dad was at the Pentagon for years, he was a 4 star General equivalent, I guess they call it, since he was in civilan capacity (sorry for bragging, but I am proud of him) I heard the pt. made often about the honor and sometimes dissapointment one feels to not do their job.
I also agree that we have to Support our Troops and all that means. I think for different people, even including those in the service, that means different things. And I do not judge the approach of others, those not elected that is (those folks work for me so I can:)). I can not walk in your shoes, and frankly from what i know of you, they would be far too large for me to fill.
On Sgt. Joe Duran for a moment, there is an example of a guy who wanted to do his job. He was not called up--he volunteered not just for the Marines at a later pt. in his life (sorry grandpa:)), but he volunteered to go to Iraq, as I mentioned. I was not happy about that and in fact was concerned and worried in my correspondence with him. He expressed to me how imp. it was for him to serve there and that I needed to support that, which I do. I hope that I can be a resource to both him and and his family while he is away. Admitedly, I am still worried sick, as I am when any of the Citizen HUnters and friends deploy, but I am happy for his resolve and courage and it will get me into church more often, so that is not a bad thing.
Still on Joe. Shows what a blessing this site has been for me. Over a year ago he e-mailed me, which he found on google, after watching me on TV. His words were humbling and inspirational and far too generous. He offered to help in any way he could to help me spread the word on the issues that touched my heart. Since then, a few days does not go by where we don't exchange an e-mail and news about world events or family or concerns, hopes, the works. HE was one of the helpers in getting this thing started, and jumps into write when I just can't get my fingers to move.
I finally got to meet him in person when he was out at Camp Penddleton to check equipment etc. for a unit that was deploying and it was so fun to put a face with an e-mail address, if you will. I could not walk for a week however, as we met up to do a Marine style 5 mile run on the beach at some absurd hr.! So the old guy can still cut it:) Joe I think you have a pic if you want to post.
We have shared much over the year, unfortunately including a funeral for an amazing man - I hope Joe posts something about him, he died too young. And we have shared the birth of his niece and tons of fun stories. Thank goodness for e-mail and thank goodness for folks who take the time out of their busy life to send a thoughtful e-mail to a person they see on TV, truly amazing.
I have learned a lot from him Hatch, Michael, and you through him. You may think you always disagree, but your pts. make it to my inbox quite often, and he thinks you are quite something. Well , enough on that, before i get myself in trouble:)
With Respect and Gratitude,
flavia
Hoorah! Semper Fi! Not supposed to play favorites I know, but I'm sorry, female Marines are badass!
Mr. Tibbs,
your post gives me the motivation to weigh in on these blogversations a bit.
who told you that Iraq was in the "middle of a civil war?"
was it one of the many great news sources we have access to?
i mean really, these are the same folks who inundate us with ceaseless conjecture and constant speculation.
having been to Iraq, i can say that in my opinion, there is ethnic/religious violence. something we are not immune to in our own country, but that is a different blogversation itself.
see, Mr. Tibbs, you personally assert your predisposed views, supported by your choice of information and then you just sit back and relax.
i see a lot of people like you, pointing the finger, but never really asking anyone who might have some insight, what they think.
to me this speaks to the major problem we have in our journalsitic walmart.
just relax, get stuffed with whatever news bites you want and then relax, while others extend themselves, like Ms. Jones.
relax my friend and pontificate away.
Posted by: evolo at August 25, 2006 07:30 AMWhat a great Marine and friend she is. "Show me who you walk with and I'll tell you who you are" rings true when I think of people like you and her and I am proud to walk with you both. The skies the limit for us all and like the poster "Ricky Bobby" said, "The best is yet to come." Can't wait to hear her voice on CH. -You are definitely a weaver of stories, a weaver of communities. Thanks...and remember to take your time when you stretch before you run.
Posted by: Joe at August 25, 2006 09:19 AMMr. Tibbs-
Evolo hit the nail on the head. He took the words right out of my mouth. It's obvious that you are basing your views right off of media reports. A well balanced individual does his research and investigates the situation before they make the decision to come out and say something. I think it would benefit you and many others that have the notion that Iraq is in the middle of a "civil war" to speak to men and women like myself, and Evolo. To break it down simply, it's easy to make comments from the outside looking in... but far more valuable and educated to ask the source who has been there or knows many who have came and gone. Mr. Tibbs- don't let the green grass fool you.
JSM,
having served in the former Yugoslavia and I gotta tell you,
you have the right idea on the possibility of splitting up a "relic."
Sen. Shumer talked about it a while back on one of the morning news programs and was laughed out of the building (after he departed of course).
During the time I was there I thought it was not going to work, but it sure has.
Anybody remember the "Velevet Revolution?"
Good idea Sir.
Posted by: evolo at August 25, 2006 10:52 AMWe should all be grateful to all the soldiers like Jim Hatch who do the job most of us would not.
Posted by: Kevin at August 25, 2006 10:58 AMFlavia- thanks for the warm response, I am going to touch base briefly here, so bear with me. A year ago, Joe put a lot of effort into trying to get me to warm up to posting my comments on here. Instead, I chose to sporadically spat off on him and see what he would come back at me with. In the last year, I have grown tremendously as a Marine, and as a person. My experience and knowledge has increased... and I feel comfortable with coming on here now and putting in my two cents.
With that said, I plan on coming back on here per your request and sharing many of the stories that have touched me and my fellow Marines. It will take me some time to sit down and type the ones that I want to tell, some of which are my own... some of which are those of parents and loved ones that I have had the honor of providing funeral honors for. Regardless, I have some inspirational stories that most of the public knows nothing about. The media covers the high profile stories, but it's the untold ones that are far more enlightening and inspirational. Some people will question if they are true, or if these are just random tales. I am here to tell you, they are true... and hopefully with my words I can convey to others their bravery and pay all of these men and women some justice that is past due. Over time, I will try to post one a week (or I will email it to Joe and have him post it).
Speaking of the devil- he is getting old isn't he (sorry Joe!). What a great guy...one of the most intelligent Marines that I have had the distinguished honor of serving with. He leads by example and he genuinely cares about his Marines. I'm a prime example of that. I was stationed with him over 3 years ago in 29 Palms, CA. He was my Non-Commissioned Officer in charge (a young Sergeant)... I was just a Private First Class. I had no clue what was going on, and at times I liked to question his beliefs and viewpoints... I tried to pick apart his theories and he did the same with mine. We enjoyed having guided discussions, and I think to this day that both of us have remained close friends because we learn so much from each other. He is a melting pot of knowledge, a great Marine and role model. He's just a stand up guy; anyone that has worked with him or got to know him on a personal level knows this. I am honestly so excited for him to go to Iraq and correspond with me on what he experiences over there. We have tangled many times about his viewpoints, because I claim they are unjust due to his lack of combat experience in Iraq and the fact that he hasn't been attached to an Infantry unit. I think he will learn a lot, and I am sure he will come back with more knowledge than I will ever have the privilege of obtaining. I respect him for raising his hand and going over... and I will be praying for him as well. When he called me telling me his plans for the upcoming year- I was thrilled. It's a HUGE opportunity for him. A stepping stone that will open up many doors for him. At the same time, this is going to be one of the roughest experiences that he will face. In my opinion, leaving everything you know and love to fight for freedom, being selfless and giving up your comfort and time with you family to protect the United States is heroic. It doesn't take a Marine in a firefight that keeps charging on in the face of persistent danger, it doesn't take a sniper that knocks out 20 insurgents on a roof top... it's anyone and everyone that makes the sacrifice and wears the uniform. There is great pride, in being in any branch of the service... and it means a lot to me to ensure that Americans never forget how important our jobs are.
Thanks again for your comments Flavia. I will try to share some of my stories to enlighten you and others on what really occurs. I am sure you have heard and experienced several of your own, but I always like sharing what I have seen or been through.
Posted by: Natalie Jones at August 25, 2006 12:25 PMFlav:
Great stuff here. I hope Natalie, evolo and the others continue to tell their stories. The Internet breaks down the fence between the soldiers and the citizens they serve. The dialogue can only make us a better nation.
I also hope that the citizens don't assume the views of the civilian leadership are always shared by those who serve. And I hope those who serve don't equate criticism of the civilian leadership with criticism of them.
Posted by: clout at August 25, 2006 02:50 PMwhen i read the different blogs and listen to the different talking points on various news channels, i get sad.
i get sad because everyone is so vicious.
why do we need to be so damn acidic in our communications.
seriously, is there any civil discourse?
if so, please help direct me to it.
i am not pointing my mouse arrow at anyone in particular, but to our whole culture.
chill out and actually SOLVE something!
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