“You always know the right
thing to do.
The hard part is doing it.”
- General Norman Schwarzkopf
You regularly wear a black
t-shirt that boldly proclaims, “I’ve done things that make me lose sleep at
night, so that you can sleep at night.” It’s
true: While you were deployed, you saw
and experienced horrors that most civilians cannot imagine, and now you proudly
wear the t-shirt – and the tattoos - to prove it. You were a soldier, willing to sacrifice your
life and fight courageously for what you believe in. For the citizens who live in freedom, who are
able to sleep at night, you are a hero!
But then, when you returned
home after your tour of duty, scarred and forever changed, you faced the worst
possible scenario imaginable. A horror
far worse than war. Harsher, even, than
combat. In one tragic, unthinkable
moment, tragedy struck, and your child was left fighting for his life. It was almost more than you could possibly
bear! After hours of uncertainty, he survived
his near-fatal injuries, and his life was miraculously spared. Your nightmares, unfortunately, continue to
haunt.
And now, finally, your child
is coming home! It is the day you’ve been waiting for and praying about for six
long months. In your excitement,
however, be aware that this will be your most critical battle yet. That the lives and the future of your
children are at stake. You are the one they will need. The one who will be responsible for their
safety and protection and security. The
one who will lead them and set an example for them. Now, more than ever before, it is vital that
you be all you can be.
You now have an assignment that
is classified priority. You must be
willing to sacrifice your life and fight courageously, not for your country
this time, but for those you love most.
You have new mission going forward, one of utmost importance: Operation
Enduring Family.
