Freedom Isn't Free

Of course, I've heard that a million times in my life. But it has never meant the same to me before as it does now, spending Independence Day in a war torn country.  We have been having record numbers of casualties, as can be easily seen by reading the Air Force Times and seeing the pictures of the men there.  There used to be a few every week.  I always make it a point to read their names and how they died.  Now there are two rows of them every week.  And imagine that there are probably 10 injured for every one killed.  My surgeons were up all night last night and the night before taking care of guys who came in.  Yesterday, I was sitting in my office and someone said they needed me to go see patients in the ER. Now, I've gone down before to help out there and when there is an overhead page that we have traumas and there are 3 or more, I usually go.  I'm not always needed, but it's nice to have an extra hand if there is the need.  Well, yesterday, the entire ER was full- every bed- and they were piled down the hallway.  We sent a plane full of patients out yesterday and the hospital emptied out and a few hours later we were full again.  Then another plane load today. We used to do about 1-2 fallen Comrade ceremonies every week.  Now we do at least one every day.  And it will probably be like this all summer.

It's amazing what great attitudes these guys have.  They want to be out there killing bad guys.  I went through the hospital today delivering 4th of July goodies and went through the wards.  A couple of guys were going back to their units and all they wanted was to get the guys who hurt their buddies.  And I hope they do.  They know how important their job is and they know that they keep America safe.

I went and ate some BBQ and watched a video of fireworks tonight.  We can't have real fireworks because of airplanes and bad guys.  But the video was nice and it had the usual patriotic songs. " Proud to be an American" really got to me this year, for obvious reasons, I suppose.  For all of political faults that drive me crazy, I still think we are the greatest country on Earth.

I know that what we are doing here is important.  I hope we are successful in the long run.  I think it will take a long time, though.  And I have not met one single person who thinks that the draw down planned for next year means a dang thing.  They think we will be here for at least the next decade.  They are also pretty confident that if given the right tools and the right rules, we could root out the bad guys and make America safer.  But no one has much hope for the country itself.  They are pretty sure it will always be dirt poor and corrupt.  here they have traditions of blood feuds, killing, and corruption that goes back thousands of years.  The people I have talked to are pretty sure that is not going to be changed by us.  I tend to agree with them.

I hope our work makes America safer and helps to keep us free.  But it comes at a price.  A price that is unbearable for some families.  I hope in the end that the lost lives, the broken bodies, and the broken minds are worth it.