I've been at the Pentagon for meetings all week. Nothing terribly exciting, but fairly important. Today I had a meeting first thing in the morning.
When you visit the Pentagon, you have to get your visitor badge if you don't have a normal Pentagon badge. It's a fairly simple process, show them your ID card, they scan it, make sure you are you and that you're in the system, and
they issue you a badge for the day.
Today was no different. But while getting in line I noticed several Marines. I remember thinking back to working with Marines in Iraq and how much I admired their intelligence, grit, and hard work. Some people joke about Marines as "jar-heads" etc..., not me, I've worked with them side-by-side and you really have no idea how exceptional they are from the youngest private through their General officers.
One Marine in particular was in front of me. He was a captain. I remember the Combat Outpost Commander I worked with in Iraq was a Captain. We are talking about a guy in his early 30's responsible for the lives and operation of an installation with 400 combat Marines. The Marines are the ones who tamed Al-Anbar Province. Many fought, were injured and died in battles like the battle in Fallujah.
The captain in front of me was in his Service "C" uniform. In the Air Force, officers generally don't
wear ribbons on their short sleeve shirts, but in the Marine Corp, they often do. This young Captain had his on. His uniform was pressed perfectly, so crisp you could cut your finger on the sharp creases on his sleeves. But than it hit me.
First, I saw his Bronze Star, and not just any Bronze Star, but one with a "V" device. The Bronze Star is "For heroic or meritorious achievement of service, not involving aerial flight in connection with operations against an opposing armed force." It doesn't automatically mean the member awarded the medal saw combat
action. However, the "V" device is different. The bronze "V" identifies the award as resulting from an act of combat heroism or "VALOR", thus distinguishing it from meritorious achievement awards. It really made me pause, I immediately knew this young Marine had been involved in combat, someone who really served this nation.
As my eye scanned his rack of ribbons, I saw it, right there on top, all alone amidst the 10 or so ribbons and medals this young leader had earned. A Purple Heart. "For wounds or death sustained in action against an enemy of the United States" is the first of several criteria for being awarded the Purple Heart. This medal was originated by George Washington, in fact it is the first medal ever authorized for the military, though the Marine Corps did not have authorization to be awarded it until after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Do you understand what this means? This young leader of other young Marines, acted with heroic valor, and was wounded. Wounded for our nation.
I stood there staring at it for what seemed like minutes, but probably only for a second or two. I put my hand out, and while choked up said "Thank you." Nothing more, I couldn't do it. I would have been in tears. I literally could not utter another syllable. "Thank you, Sir." And then silence, we both sort of looked down. I lost 3 Airmen and 1 Soldier in an earlier deployment, men I trained with and served with. It hurt. It still hurts to think about their young lives taken from them. I know this Captain more than likely was thinking the same thing. There were 95 US service members killed and 560 wounded at Fallujah. Was he one of them? I have no idea. I couldn't manage to say anything more than "Thank You."
Often people thank me for my service, and I'm learning to say "thank you" back. I consider it an honor and privilege. I've been to Iraq, more than once, sometimes facing some danger. But, I was never shot at and never injured. I think it was a special moment to thank this young leader and warrior, not just for his service, but for his sacrifice. It builds on why I love serving: it's the people I serve with who renew my personal sense of purpose and satisfaction in serving this great nation.
For more on American Heroes consider watching HBO's "Taking Chance" click here. to find out more.
