Today the news reports a shooting that took place in an Army Recruiting Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. A soldier, aged 23, fresh out of basic training, lost his life during this shooting. Two years ago, I would have read this news article with chagrin and disgust, and then moved on to the next headline story. But that was two years ago. These days, as a Military Mom of two soldiers, stories such as these stand out on a news page with shocking clarity. Here are the thoughts that come to mind as I read between the lines of the news article.
The young soldier had just completed basic training within the last two weeks. That means he had just completed twelve weeks of rigorous training in which his mind and body was expanded far beyond what it was when he first uttered the Soldier’s Creed. He had given up all concepts of privacy and lived as a brother to a whole barrack full of similar minded young men. He didn’t phone home except maybe on the rarest of occasions. He eagerly awaited mail call, and cherished each little memento of home as a means to hang on to his sanity. This soldier was 23 years old, which no doubt means he wearied of the “kids” in his company that were so “immature”.
And then, there was the long awaited Family Day! Every family member that could possibly make the trip was there to see their soldier and to try to grasp who this new man in their life was. Graduation Day follows, and the new soldier is free at last from the rigors of the Drill Sergeant. Heck, he can now even laugh as he, in his spiffy Class A’s, pose for a photograph with the “Sarge”. The luckier soldiers are honored by being allowed to return to their hometown for two weeks of Hometown Recruiting duty. Undoubtedly, this young man was home for this duty. He was in uniform, and standing with another young soldier that was also wounded in the shooting.
My new perspective allows me to see behind the scenes of this tragic event. There was a mother and a family that were so grateful that their soldier was safely at home with them for two more weeks. No doubt, at the end of the Hometown Recruiting duty, he would have left for his assigned post and most likely deploy somewhere in the very near future. But, for these precious two weeks, he was at home for dinner every evening.
How would a family member, who is already dreading the years of uncertainty that being a relative of a soldier brings, process such shattering news that their soldier has just been killed in action – in his hometown? This young man died in uniform, and he was serving his country. He, though very early in his career, died an American Hero.
I can not imagine the shock and grief this young man’s family feels. After I had processed all of the grief, anger, denial, and shock of this needless loss, I think I would try to comfort myself by assuming that God, in His all-knowing, all-seeing wisdom, perhaps spared this young man and his family from a horrific experience at the hands of a deranged enemy extremist. It is little comfort at a time like this, but it is all we have.
Rest in peace, American Hero, your country thanks you and your family for your sacrifice.
Copyright June 2009
Barbara K. Stansky
Silver Lining Inspirations
All Rights Reserved
Loving Her Soldier Dad
