Last Letter.....

I am not one to drown people with my political views, what or how I feel about the war. We all have our own opinions mine are close to my heart as they are with most of my family members. For those reason I don't like talking about them with other people for fear I may not like what others have to say and I take it more personal than I should.

Most people who know me know I have 2 brothers and a sister. I love all 3 of them so much and they are a huge part of my life and sometimes I don't know what I would do without them. As some people know my older brother Bryan is a Navy Seal. This morning when I got to work I got an email from my sister-in-law, Fina. It is a letter she forwarded to me from a soldier Bryan was in Iraq with in 2006. In stead of forwarding it on I thought I would just post it in a blog. It brought tears to my eyes and made me think of a things I take for granted every day.

No matter what you think of feel please remember that our men and women are still there and need our thoughts and prayers every day!

It is a long email but worth the read.......

I just wanted to share this with my friends and family. August 2nd is the 2 yr. anniversary of this soldiers death. He was with Bryan in Iraq in 2006. he was killed by an enemy sniper. Please don't forget that our men are still there and need your thoughts and support. I know it seems like a lot to read.....it's worth your time.


Always,
Fina


Marc's last letter home Glory is something that some men chase and others find themselves stumbling upon, not expecting it to find them. Either way it is a noble gesture that one finds bestowed upon them. My question is, when does glory fade away and become a wrongful crusade, or an unjustified means which consumes one completely?
I have seen war. I have seen death, the sorrow that encompasses your entire being as a man breathes his last. I can only pray and hope that none of you will ever have to experience some of these things I have seen and felt here.
I have felt fear and have felt adrenaline pump through my veins making me seem invincible. I will be honest and say that some of the things I have seen here are unjustified and uncalled for. However for the most part we are helping this country. It will take more years than most expect, but we will get Iraq to stand on its own feet. Most of what I have seen here I will never really mention or speak of, only due to the nature of those involved. I have seen a man give his food to a hungry child and family. Today I saw a hospital that most of us would refuse to receive treatment from. The filth and smell would allow most of us to not be able to stand to enter, let alone get medicine from. However, you will be relieved to know that coalition forces have started to provide security for and supply medicine and equipment to help aid in the cause. I have seen amazing things happen here; however I have seen the sad part of war, too. I have seen the morals of a man who cares nothing of human life. . . . I have seen hate towards a nation's people who has never committed a wrong, except being born of a third world, ill-educated and ignorant to western civilization. It is not everybody who feels this way, only a select few, but it brings questions to mind. Is it ok for one to consider themselves superior to another race? Surprisingly, we are not a stranger to this sort of attitude. Meaning that in our own country, we discriminate against someone for what nationality they are, their education level, their social status. We distinguish our role models as multi-million-dollar sports heroes or talented actors and actresses who complain about not getting millions of dollars more then they are currently getting paid. Our country is a great country, don't get me wrong on this, otherwise none of us would be living there. My point of this is how can we come over here and help a less than fortunate country without holding contempt or hate towards them, if we can't do it in our country. I try to do my part over here, but the truth is over there, in the United States, I do nothing but take. Ask yourself, when was the last time you donated clothes that you hadn't worn out. When was the last time you paid for a random stranger's cup of coffee, meal or maybe even a tank of gas? When was the last time you helped a person with the groceries into or out of their car? Think to yourself and wonder what it would feel like if when the bill for the meal came and you were told it was already paid for. More random acts of kindness like this would change our country and our reputation as a country. It is not unknown to most of us that the rest of the world looks at us with doubt towards our humanity and morals. I am not here to preach or to say 'look at me,' because I am just as at fault as the next person. I find that being here makes me realize the great country we have and the obligation we have to keep it that way. The 4th has just come and gone and I received many e-mails thanking me for helping keep America great and free. I take no credit for the career path I have chosen; I can only give it to those of you who are reading this, because each one of you has contributed to me and who I am. However, what I do over here is only a small percent of what keeps our country great. I think the truth to our greatness is each other. Purity, morals and kindness, passed down to each generation through example. So to all my family and friends, do me a favor and pass on the kindness, the love, the precious gift of human life to each other so that when your children come into contact with a great conflict like that we are now faced with here in Iraq, that they are people of humanity, of pure motives, of compassion. This is our real part to keep America free! HAPPY 4th! Love Ya, Marc Lee P.S. Half-way through the deployment -- can't wait to see all of your faces.