This post has nothing to do with chickens, grammar, superheroes, or any of my usual topics. I won’t even talk about my dissertation proposal defense right now. All that stuff pales in comparison to this:
Searching an empty house Feb. 18 in Marja, Afghanistan
The Marine on the right is my nephew, Lt. Mark Greenlief (my husband’s brother’s daughter’s husband, if you can follow the dancing apostrophes). He is executive officer of Bravo Company, part of the 1st Battalion of the 6th Marine Regiment.
Mark and his troops are dealing with a new edict in the war in Afghanistan: no airstrikes unless troops are about to be overrun, or they can prove that there are no civilians around. The reason for the edict is that the Afghan people were starting to withdraw support for the fight against the Taliban because of the civilian casualties. For more information, read this article.
Fine. But that is scary shit (if I can be so crass) for the Marines who are on the front lines.
I don’t care who you voted for or what your political leanings are; there are good people laying their lives on the line because some elected officials told them they had to. No, they didn’t have to join in the first place, but they did because they thought it was the right thing for them to do. And we should be thankful for what they are doing, regardless if we think they should be there in the first place.
Thank you, Mark, and everyone in the armed forces.
Thanks also to the families they left behind. How would you like to have one toddler and be seven months pregnant with the second son, and your husband is off in a sandbox being shot at for who knows how long for people who don’t even seem to know or care about the war? That’s my niece’s life in Camp Lejeune — far away from all her family and his. She’s got her act together enough to manage this Facebook group, which is pretty impressive.
Thank you, Nina, and all the families of the troops.
If all that doesn’t give you a knot in your stomach, then I don’t know what will.
Semper Fi.
Photo credit: http://www.fotoglif.com/f/3ec1v4zmvtfh
Observe and report 
If you ever need me to do anything, I am only a short distance from Camp Lejeune (and you are right)
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I have had a knot in my stomach all month as my son is serving there also. Thanks for thinking of them. They are a long way from home, in a god forsaken land, fighting for their very lives and the lives of the people of Marjah.
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So true. I wish I could do more than write a blog post and send packages!
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You know I have to comment on this on. Good post.
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Beth – The fact that you have blogged about it is huge. We must keep these young Americans in the public eye no matter what. You are doing a great service for our military. Sending packages and letters is also a wonderful moral builder. My son is always surprised when he gets care packages from people he does not even know. It means a lot to them and to us as their family. Thank you.
Terri
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Thank YOU! I posted a request for info. on the Facebook site because I want to be more proactive. In the next post, I want to give concrete info. on how to help.
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Here are some links that may help those who want to help the Marines:
http://www.thecarepackageproject.com/
http://www.operationpal.com/
http://www.usmcfamilysupport.org/Home.asp
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Excellent — thanks!
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