Every once in a while something just tugs at me... With this war going on and on and listening to the new list of deaths everyday from this war. Its easy to forget the guys who are caught up in this mess. My thanks to all of you guys! Chaplain Jim Higgins on 5/14/07. LSA Anaconda is at the Balad Airport in Iraq, north of Baghdad" From a Chaplain in Iraq. "I recently attended a showing of "Superman 3" here at LSA Anaconda. We have a large auditorium we use for movies as well as memorial services and other large gatherings. As is the custom back in the States, we stood and snapped to attention when the National Anthem began before the main feature. All was going as planned until about three-quarters of the way through the National Anthem the music stopped. Now, what would happen if this occurred with 1,000 18-22 year-olds back in the States? I imagine there would be hoots, catcalls, laughter, a few rude comments, and everyone would sit down and call for a movie. Of course, that is, if they had stood for the National Anthem in the first place. Here, the 1,000 Soldiers continued to stand at attention, eyes fixed forward. The music started again. The Soldiers continued to quietly stand at attention. And again, at the same point, the music stopped. What would you expect to happen? Even here I would imagine laughter as everyone sat down and expected the movie to start. Here, you could have heard a pin drop. Every Soldier stood at attention. Suddenly there was a lone voice, then a dozen, and quickly the room was filled with the voices of a thousand Soldiers 'And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave, o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?' It was the most inspiring moment I have had here in Iraq. I wanted you to know what kind of Soldiers are serving you here.
Sorry if this is O/T but it seems to kind of fit... I was at the Back to the 50's swap a few years ago, and "Wings" was starting his morning broadcast. He played the national anthem to start the show. Damn near every person stopped what they were doing and stood silently and listened with their hats off. Then let out a big cheer when it was over. It was very cool!
I went to a MLS meeting with Realtors this AM. I was surprised when they started off with the Pledge................................that just doesn't happen these days. These two events have restored my faith in my fellow Americans.
this is the kind of story that makes me miss the Army. I took two trips to Iraq and spent a year at that very base. Many people give soldiers credit and praise for what they do, but thats not why its done. They do it for the very feeling that they got by singing that song by themselves. I have been out of the military now for just over a year and college is the only thing that keeps me from going back. To all those serving or having served, i thank you , from one vet to another.
Great story, I was at Balad Air Base this time last year. I remember that theatre well. It was such an eerie feeling sitting in the same theatre that Saddam's soldiers had used not long ago. Unfortunately we were so busy the only movie I got to see was "Mean Girls" starring Lindsay Lohan. Why they were playing chick flicks at a military base I will never know, but it was still nice to sit in a comfy chair, eat some popcorn, and watch a movie! Oh yeah, and all the soldiers over there that I know wouldn't say that they got "caught up in this mess" they are volunteers and they are damned proud to be serving their country whatever the mission may be!
In Nam everybody used to say keep your head down and your feet dry. In a jungle thats impossible but we all had a small flag on our Uniforms that reminded us of home and freedom. That was enough to keep your spirits up. I love that flag and it means alot to me so don't disrespect it in front of me. You might get your *** whipped by an old man. Rags
Great story... sometimes we all forget that thing that really binds us together as Americans no matter what our race, religion or other beliefs. On a side note... does anyone else take offense when you go to say a major sporting event (here in KC at least) and they finish the last line of the song with home of the........Chiefs or Chargers or whatever... to me thats disrespectful as hell. Can't you stand for 2 minutes and at least be reverent to listen to a song that should remind you why its so great that you get to get up on a sunday morning and drive your SUV full of beer and brats to a parking lot and congregate with other fellow sports fans who are also allowed to love their own team of choice without any sort of persecution (well unless your a raiders fan in KC) or threat of interference? Carry on!
Balad is one of the major TDY adventure spots for my career field. Have friends there right now, infact someone I know from my previous squadrons has been at that base since we started using it. Very few people I know feel they were caught up in a mess, infact only one young airman ever voiced anything derogatory towards our mission there. He felt he joined for college, not to fight a war. Well I explained to him that you have to earn that college ***istance, and part of that is being over there. Apparently it made sense to him, because the grousing stopped. He was only in Kuwait City, sleeping in a 5 star hotel and not being shot at nor dodging motars the entire time he was there. Kids like that are a tiny minority in our armed forces. The rest I know feel honored to be part of something as special as the Air Force, Marines, Navy, and even most in the Army.. Those of us who have served wouldnt expect anything different before viewing a movie on base/post. Thanks for the story. Thank you other guys who know and have seen things average joe has only read in a book or possibly seen in a movie. It was an honor to serve with you.
One of the constants when I was in the military, was that everyone would go "Chisssssss" whenever the cymbals played during the anthem. It really pissed off the officers something fierce. One day the anthem ended. The base commander got up, got on the stage, and made a short speach: "Men, I know we are here in the states, and we get a little immature at times, but I want you to know that I attended two funerals the other day for a couple of young men who died in combat during the fighting in Quang Tri. It makes me mad when you make fun of our national anthem, and I will not tolerate it. As of this moment, this theater is closed for entertainment. Everyone in here is going to pay $5 to get out of the theater, and those that refuse to pay will be given an Article 15. I hope to never witness this again." Damned if he didn't get $5 from every swinging **** in the place. Now mind you, it cost 50 cents to get a ticket in, so this was brutal. He split it up, and gave it to the local VFW's in town.
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