AlwaysVigilant
Marksman
This was posted on Warrior Talk, by Gabe. I found it to be very true and sad. I put it in politics, because it has some principled comments about that in it, though its much more to do with rewarding sacrifice. Anyway, it was a good read.
Donation info for the families is at the end.
"I was on Maui when they died. A week earlier, they fought to save my house. And fought they did. I know...I was there. I saw. I like to think of myself as a brave man. I have done many crazy things. But all I did was against other men. I don't do fire. I recall back in the day, stories of guys running into burning buildings and such. Not me. Hostage Rescues, Barricaded Killers, Armed Robberies, Gangs, Drugs, Contract Killers, all of that....no problem. I run in...shoot the bad guys with a smile...next day, same thing. But not fire. That takes a sort of courage I do not have. I run from fire.
They ran INTO it.
Amazing!
We hear that they had one overwatch to let them know of the winds changing. One?
And that they did not have certain resources. Did not have? Is this not frigging America? We have everything! Well...we have enough to send money to both Egypt and Syria...countries that would like to burn all our homes, but we do not have the money to make sure than 19 brave men get home safely?
We have enough money so that "the ghetto president" can send how many dollars to people that we have never heard of and that have no bearing on the quality of life in America via foreign aid, but we do not have enough resources to make sure that 19 wives and multiple children have their fathers and husband at home after doing their brave business? It is incredulous isn't it. It is for me...and a matter of shame for the US Government far more than anything Snowden could ever divulge from his perch in Venezuela.
When the fires got closer a few weeks ago, my family and I loaded up the Tahoe for a quick E&E...just in case. The first thing I loaded were two portable firesafes with memories from the family...then a few rolls of cash...then the guns. The family is the most important of all and I recall days past when I placed my life between them and evil men...when I in fact did evil things to evil men to keep them safe. Next is provision for them...even if only temporary until the danger is past, and finally the tools to make certain that nobody messes with your plans.
I cannot help but think of what the thoughts of the widows must be...what they are telling the children...many of who are too little to understand. Several of these families went to our church. I wonder if they are being taught how to live their lives now rather than being given trays of lasagna. I wonder if their kids will be given the chance to go to college and build a life that their hero fathers would have wanted. At times like this more is needed than just a prayer, or just a tray of food. This is something that the government...that a "good government" would do, rather than give a fetid crap about what ignorant yankee haters in the desert are doing to each other, or what you are telling your mistress on your cell phone.
I know that tomorrow I will visit the local fire station, and I will thank them. Then I will ask about the status of any funds being collected for the nineteen. Then I will write a check to that fund, because to whom much has been given, from them much is required."
Our main wildland firefighting guy recommended that those wishing to donate to assist the surviving families do so through the Wildland Firefighter Foundation (Wildland Firefighter Foundation - HOME) and said they direct all their funds to the families.
Donation info for the families is at the end.
"I was on Maui when they died. A week earlier, they fought to save my house. And fought they did. I know...I was there. I saw. I like to think of myself as a brave man. I have done many crazy things. But all I did was against other men. I don't do fire. I recall back in the day, stories of guys running into burning buildings and such. Not me. Hostage Rescues, Barricaded Killers, Armed Robberies, Gangs, Drugs, Contract Killers, all of that....no problem. I run in...shoot the bad guys with a smile...next day, same thing. But not fire. That takes a sort of courage I do not have. I run from fire.
They ran INTO it.
Amazing!
We hear that they had one overwatch to let them know of the winds changing. One?
And that they did not have certain resources. Did not have? Is this not frigging America? We have everything! Well...we have enough to send money to both Egypt and Syria...countries that would like to burn all our homes, but we do not have the money to make sure than 19 brave men get home safely?
We have enough money so that "the ghetto president" can send how many dollars to people that we have never heard of and that have no bearing on the quality of life in America via foreign aid, but we do not have enough resources to make sure that 19 wives and multiple children have their fathers and husband at home after doing their brave business? It is incredulous isn't it. It is for me...and a matter of shame for the US Government far more than anything Snowden could ever divulge from his perch in Venezuela.
When the fires got closer a few weeks ago, my family and I loaded up the Tahoe for a quick E&E...just in case. The first thing I loaded were two portable firesafes with memories from the family...then a few rolls of cash...then the guns. The family is the most important of all and I recall days past when I placed my life between them and evil men...when I in fact did evil things to evil men to keep them safe. Next is provision for them...even if only temporary until the danger is past, and finally the tools to make certain that nobody messes with your plans.
I cannot help but think of what the thoughts of the widows must be...what they are telling the children...many of who are too little to understand. Several of these families went to our church. I wonder if they are being taught how to live their lives now rather than being given trays of lasagna. I wonder if their kids will be given the chance to go to college and build a life that their hero fathers would have wanted. At times like this more is needed than just a prayer, or just a tray of food. This is something that the government...that a "good government" would do, rather than give a fetid crap about what ignorant yankee haters in the desert are doing to each other, or what you are telling your mistress on your cell phone.
I know that tomorrow I will visit the local fire station, and I will thank them. Then I will ask about the status of any funds being collected for the nineteen. Then I will write a check to that fund, because to whom much has been given, from them much is required."
Our main wildland firefighting guy recommended that those wishing to donate to assist the surviving families do so through the Wildland Firefighter Foundation (Wildland Firefighter Foundation - HOME) and said they direct all their funds to the families.
