THIRTEEN PAIRS OF COMBAT BOOTS ACCOMPANIED BY RIFLES AND HELMETS STOOD OVER EACH OF THE 13 PORTRAITS OF THE VICTIMS LOST IN THE HORRIFIC MASSACRE AT FORT HOOD IN REMEMBRANCE TODAY. THIS SOLEMN OCCASION MARKED A DAY FOR FINAL SALUTES IN A MEMORIAL SERVICE DEDICATED TO PAYING DIGNIFIED RESPECTS TO THOSE LOST IN THE INVASIVE SHOOTINGS THAT TRAUMATIZED THIS MILITARY SANCTUARY. THE PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA ATTENDED THIS EVENT OFFERING COMFORT TO THOSE FAMILIES LEFT BEHIND AND TO THOSE WHO SURVIVED THIS UNFORGETTABLE NIGHTMARE.
FORT HOOD IS A DEPLOYMENT BASE IN TEXAS THAT HAS SO FAR ALREADY EXPERIENCED MUCH LOSS IN ITS DEDICATION TO SERVE THIS COUNTRY. TO DATE 545 OF ITS MILITARY MEMBERS HAVE BEEN LOST IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ. THIS INCIDENT HAS BECOME EVEN MORE HEARTBREAKING FOR ALL AT FORT HOOD SINCE THE LONE SHOOTER WAS ONE OF THEIR OWN, A SGT. MAJOR WHO LEFT FATALITIES AND SEVERAL WOUNDED BEHIND CLOSED MILITARY GATES. INVESTIGATORS ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO UNRAVEL THE CAUSES BEHIND THIS INCIDENT. HOWEVER, THE SHOCK AND AWE OF A 10-YEAR SOLDIER KILLING HIS OWN WILL LEAVE SOME LASTING SCARS IN THIS COUNTRY.
FOR THIS SIGNIFICANT TUESDAY, A SEA OF SOLDIERS IN UNIFORM AND THEIR FAMILIES GATHERED TO PAY TRIBUTE TO ALL OF THE VICTIMS, SOME STILL IN THE HOSPITAL RECOVERING FROM THEIR WOUNDS. THE PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY VISITED THE SURVIVING FAMILY MEMBERS PRIOR TO THE CEREMONY WHICH INCLUDED SPEAKERS ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF GEN. GEORGE CASEY AND FORT HOOD'S COMMANDING LT. GEN. ROBERT CONE. ARMY CHAPLAIN COL. MICHAEL LEMBKE PROVIDED PRAYER,ASKING GOD TO 'SUSTAIN' ALL THOSE IN GRIEF OVER THEIR LOST LOVED ONES.
WORDS NEVER SEEM TO BE ENOUGH FOR CEREMONIES SUCH AS THIS. THE PRESIDENT'S COMFORT WAS BADLY NEEDED HERE. AS HE AND THE FIRST LADY ENTERED THE GROUNDS, ONE COULD SEE THAT 'COMPASSION' WOULD BE MAKING ITS WAY TO THE PODIUM....AND IT DID. THE PRESIDENT REITERATED EACH NAME OF THE FALLEN AND PRESENTED THEIR AMAZING STORIES OF VOLUNTEERISM TO THOSE PRESENT. THIS IS THE KIND OF VOLUNTEERISM AT ITS HIGHEST STANDARD FROM THOSE WHO ARE WILLING TO LAY DOWN THEIR LIVES TO PROTECT THE FREEDOM OF THEIR COUNTRY.
IT WAS HERE ON THIS STAGE THAT THE PRESIDENT REMINDED ALL OF THE DIVERSITY IN OUR MILITARY SERVICE....MEN AND WOMEN FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE,ALL ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS WHO HAVE UNITED FOR ONE PURPOSE....DEMOCRACY. IT WAS HERE THAT THE PRESIDENT REMINDED ALL OF US OF THE DEDICATION AND SACRIFICE EACH OF THESE MEN AND WOMEN HAVE GIVEN IN ORDER TO KEEP US SAFE AND SECURE IN OUR HOMELAND. THE PRESIDENT ALSO STATED THAT WHATEVER 'TWISTED LOGIC' WAS BEHIND THIS RAMPAGE, JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL AND THERE IS ALWAYS ONE YOU HAVE TO ANSWER TO...THAT BEING GOD.
THE PRESIDENT RECALLED THE IMMEDIATE AND UNSELFISH LIFE SAVING REACTIONS OF THOSE INVOLVED, RIPPING THEIR OWN UNIFORMS APART TO PROVIDE MAKESHIFT BANDAGES.ACTIONS THAT INDEED COME FROM HEROES WHO ARE CALLED UPON DURING THE UNEXPECTED CRISIS IN LIFE. THERE WERE SOLDIERS SAVING SOLDIERS WITHOUT REALIZING THAT THEY THEMSELVES HAD BEEN WOUNDED. THESE ARE THE ANGELS OF THE BATTLEFIELD NO MATTER WHERE IT HAPPENS TO BE. NOW WE ARE FACED WITH THE FRIGHTENING FACT THAT INDEED THIS WAS.....AT HOME WHERE A SOLDIER IS SUPPOSED TO FIND SOLACE.
PRESIDENT OBAMA ALSO COMMENDED THE VALOR OF THIS GENERATION OF SOLDIERS "IN A WORLD OF THREATS THAT KNOW NO BORDERS," HE SAID AS HE REITERATED THE CONSTANT THREATS FACED FROM EXTREMISTS AND TERRORISM. THIS WAS HIS MOMENT TO LIST AFGHANISTAN,IRAQ AND PAKISTAN AS OUR COMMITTMENT TO STOPPING THE SPREAD OF THREATS TO DEMOCRACY IN OUR COUNTRY.
AS THE PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY EXITED THE MEMORIAL SERVICE TODAY THEY MADE A POIGNANT STOP IN SILENT CONTEMPLATION IN FRONT OF EACH VICTIM'S PHOTOGRAPH ON DISPLAY. IT WAS HERE THAT THE PRESIDENT LEFT BEHIND A 'COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF COIN' FOR EACH OF THE FALLEN. THE DAY WOULD NOT END HERE FOR THEM. THEY WOULD HEAD TO THE HOSPITAL LOCATIONS TO MEET WITH THE WOUNDED WHO COULD NOT ATTEND THE MEMORIAL SERVICE.
PEERING INTO THE CROWD OF MILITARY CAMOFLAUGE DURING THIS SERVICE, ONE WITNESSED GRIEF STRICKEN SOLDIERS WIPING TEARS FROM THEIR EYES. OTHERS APPEARED TO HAVE THEIR HANDS CUPPED AROUND STARES GAZING AND LISTENING IN WONDER....STILL QUESTIONING HOW AND WHY THIS HAPPENED. THESE ARE BATTLE SCARS RECEIVED WITHOUT LEAVING HOME. THESE ARE BATTLE SCARS RECEIVED WITHIN EARSHOT OF THEIR OWN HOMES AND NEIGHBORS AND WAR BUDDIES DOWN THE STREET. THERE ARE STORES AND SCHOOLS FOR THEIR CHILDREN. WITHOUT THE HEROIC ACTIONS OF THOSE PRESENT...THINGS COULD HAVE INDEED BEEN EVEN WORSE.
ON THIS 'TO REMEMBER' DAY...MASTER SGT. NATASHA HARLEY BEAUTIFULLY SANG 'AMAZING GRACE' WHILE SOLDIERS IN UNISON ANSWERED TO AN OFFICIAL ROLL CALL...THE FINAL ROLL CALL FOR THE 13 BRAVE ONES...............NOT PRESENT!
MAY GOD DEEPLY BLESS OUR MILITARY WHEREVER THEY MAY BE. THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH WORDS IN THE HUMAN DICTIONARY TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR SELFLESS SACRIFICE. MAY GOD DEEPLY BLESS THE PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY FOR BEING THERE TO PROVIDE HANDS AND WORDS OF COMFORT TO THOSE WHO HAVE LOST...A HUSBAND,A WIFE,A SON,A DAUGHTER...PIECES OF THEIR LIVES THAT CANNOT BE REPLACED. EACH OF THEIR MEMORIES AND WHAT THEY STOOD FOR ARE FOREVER STITCHED INTO THE FLAG THAT RISES ABOVE AMERICA IN UNFURLED PROMISE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH HOPE AND JUSTICE FOR ALL HUMANITY! MAY GOD BLESS THESE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!
