A Soldier's Perspective

Where Soldiers Go When They Die

SGT Hook has a great story called Tears In Heaven that is a must read. Before you leave and head over there, take box of tissue or a roll of TP. You're going to need it.

Thanks to Papa Ray for the tip. Here's a teaser:

The four Soldiers sat around an olive drab painted footlocker playing cards. Actually, the group was comprised of three Soldiers and one Marine, all wearing desert camouflage uniforms, their blouses removed exposing brown t-shirts, not because they were hot, rather it was just more comfortable to have them off.

“Let’s go for six Top,� the Marine Captain said to his partner.

“Six it is then Sir,� First Sergeant McNeely agreed. Julian McNeely was from Newark, New Jersey and had served in this man’s army for just over 17 years. He took a lot of shit for his first name while coming up through the ranks, especially while at basic training, but only his brother got away with ribbing him about it in recent years.

Julian McNeely’s partner in this game of spades was Captain Mike Williams from Sarasota, Florida. Private First Class Williams attended the United States Marine Corps Officer Candidate School at Quantico, Virginia and graduated as Second Lieutenant Williams on September 9, 2001. He enjoyed playing cards with Top McNeely and the men, it kept his mind off of missing his wife and daughter.

Sergeant Booker B. Washington grew up in Montgomery, Alabama before enlisting in the Army the day after he graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in May of 2002, where his picture still hangs as the All-American quarterback who took the Generals to the state championship two years in a row. Booker B. Washington turned down several scholarship offers from colleges and universities like Notre Dame, Syracuse, Clemson, and the most tempting, the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide. In his 18 year old heart, young Booker knew he was to be a Soldier first, before anything else.

“I can go three myself sergeant,� Private First Class Brian Velleux of Newport, Maine told his partner, Sergeant Washington.

“OK, we’ll go five and set them ‘V’,� the sergeant said confidently.

Read the rest HERE. It only gets better.