Over a week ago, an article came out in the Killeen Daily Herald about damage being done to the 4th ID Memorial at Fort Hood. (You can read the article HERE and see a pic of the damage HERE)Hearing about this, reading about it and processing it has really stirred a lot of emotions. Not only for my friends who this directly affects, but many others for whom this wall means a lot.
You see, this wall has the names of our friends. Names of Soldiers that Kevin served with in Iraq. Men who left the same day as him and came home to a different Homecoming. The names on this wall, this wall that was destroyed by someone's actions, were people, real people to many.
I've been told by people not to let it get to me, not to let the person who did this win control of my emotions. But you see, it's personal. To many, the plaques on the wall are just that, plaques. But to many others, they are so much more.
I will never forget the first time I watched my husband run his fingers over the names of his friends. I'll never forget being there when my friend saw her husband's name for the first time on the wall, as she ran her fingers, tears running down her face. I won't forget another friend, who couldn't even bring himself to go to the names, it was still too real for him to see the name of his best friend immortalized forever. And while my relationship with the many that I knew who's names were on that wall were different then those mentioned above, they mean a lot to me.
So you see it's personal. While there is a lot of speculation as to what happened and how, it doesn't matter. What matters is that many are hurting because for many this wall offered a way of healing and now the wound has been opened up again.
So you see, it is personal.
5 comments:
You are so right..people need to realize those names are more than names to the dead and more to the living. The same thing happened in Philadephia to the Veterans Memorial there and knowing someone basically "spit" on my father really made me nuts. You can't help but take it personal because it IS. And all Americans should take it personal..these are the people that GAVE ALL for them.
That is so sick.
One of the few times I've ever seen my dad cry is at the Vietnam memorial - the meaning runs so deep.
Shame on the people who did it - I can't imagine how it makes you and your husband feel :(
It is personal...maybe not to the author of the news articles...but to me as an Army Brat it is personal 'cause the names on that wall and many more similar walls died protecting me and my freedoms. It is also personal because that name was someone's brother, sister, mom, dad, son, daughter, aunt, uncle, or best friend!!!
Well said. It IS personal.
We are a military family.
Watching your husband and dear friend visit that wall... You did a wonderful job explaining your emotions about this incident.
Thank you for sharing this.
Quite simply, your post made me cry. You brought to life the feelings and pain etc. Both my paternal and maternal uncles served and with pride. I grew up in the era of Vietnam War-when soldiers coming home from that war were treated so horribly. It made me sick. To this day, I stand behind the military -thankful for what they have done and sacrificed.
aunteegem@yahoo.com
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