The Future is Bright

Every time when I look in the mirror

All these lines on my face getting clearer
The past is gone
It went by, like dusk to dawn
Isn't that the way
Everybody's got the dues in life to pay
- Aerosmith

The lines in my face are getting clearer, my past is gone. I live with the regret of idly watching a war pass me by, I guess those are my dues to pay.

But regardless of my shortcomings the future remains bright.  There are warriors who take the fight to the enemy everyday and they are starting to get the recognition they deserve.

I would encourage you to read all citations within the link.  I leave you with one. Not putting it any higher than the others but to be wounded AND have your own dog chomping down on you..  That's a day one will never forget.

When I go to do my meaningless job I can't help but think how better men than I stare into the abyss each and every day, face evil and come out on the other side.

Truly amazing stories when you read them, Truly Amazing American's.  I'm humbled...

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2012/03/army-12-rangers-silver-stars-afghanistan-heroics-032512w/

Staff Sgt. Ethan P. Killeen


During a raid on a known enemy village in Paktika province on June 13, 2011, a joint task force whose mission was to kill or capture terrorists was engaged on three separate occasions within an hour of arriving on the ground. Staff Sgt. Jeremy A. Katzenberger was killed, and the task force called for a quick-reaction force to be brought in to clear the primary target compounds.

Staff Sgt. Ethan P. Killeen’s team was tasked with clearing the compounds. After successfully clearing the first compound, Killeen prepared his squad to move on to the second compound. After the escalation of force elicited no response, the Rangers moved to assault and clear the southern buildings and then the eastern portion of the compound.

As the soldiers entered the final building on the southeastern side of the compound, Killeen, his Bravo team and the mortar section leader found themselves in a small room that led down a narrow hallway that seemed to be a dead end. When Killeen reached the elbow in the hallway, he discovered an opening to the north. He immediately came under heavy machine gun and small arms fire from the back of an adjoining room.

“Probably on my second step into the room, I received AK47 and [machine gun] fire,” he said. He was shot in the upper left leg.

“I was able to turn and engage the individual who shot me,” Killeen said. “Then he shot me in the left hand, I shot him, he shot me. But I was able to keep engaging him.”

Killeen sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his left hand and arm and his left leg. As the shooting intensified, the room began to fill with smoke and dust. When he realized that the rest of his squad and the rest of the QRF in the adjacent compound were at risk of being ambushed from behind, Killeen rolled onto his back and engaged the machine gun position while simultaneously warning his squad about the threat they faced.

In the chaos, a military working dog entered the building and became disoriented by the dust and smoke.

“Our canine came in the room, noticed me and mistakenly latched on to me, thinking I was an enemy combatant,” Killeen said. The dog bit down on Killeen’s right — and uninjured — forearm.

“They’re good biters,” he said with a laugh. “I can attest to that.”

Killeen found himself firing at a heavily fortified machine gun position that was less than three meters away while severely wounded and with a dog latched to his shooting arm. Despite the odds, Killeen knew that his squad faced imminent danger, and if given the chance, the enemy machine gunner could shift his fire to the squad.

Killeen fought off the dog so he could keep firing at the enemy. He also continued to call out to his squad through the dense smoke, dust and enemy fire, alerting them to the enemy’s location and the makeup of their position.

Killeen refused to give up his ground, remaining where he was until his squad reached him and tried to move him to safety. Even then, Killeen refused to go, gesturing toward the barricaded enemy fighters with his fractured arm and mangled left hand.

“The thing I was thinking most was to stay in the fight,” Killeen said. “I just wanted to keep engaging the enemy and keep swinging. Luckily, I was able to fight through it.”

Killeen, who has been deployed seven times, said he is humbled to receive the Silver Star.

“You’re not sure whether you feel comfortable receiving the same award as so many other outstanding soldiers,” he said. “You hope you’re worthy.”

Killeen said he has mostly recovered from his wounds but still has work to do on his left hand. The gunshot to his hand almost severed his thumb and damaged the bone, tendon and nerves around the thumb.

“It shouldn’t be too long until I’m back to full strength,” he said. “For the most part, I’ll be running and gunning soon.”

Never have so many, owed so much to so few.  Jurena..out