America's Best

I am so impressed with the young men and women that I meet who are either coming back from service, or going in--and being from Idaho, everywhere you go, you find these examples. As a result, this report from Rich Reddinger, on a mailing list that I am a member of doesn't surprise me:

Last evening I went for a ride on my Harley to clear my head and enjoy the evening air. I made a stop at the local Sheetz store ( Local stop-n-rob ). I was sitting outside the store on my bike when a young marine sergeant all "spit and polished up" pulled up beside me in his car and got out and said "hello sir".

I said hello back and to save the "sir" for officers and that I'm just "Rich". I asked him if he was returning to base and he told me he had some recruiting work to do. I asked him if he'd been to the "sand box" and he said the he had been there twice.

I couldn't help think, there I was in the company of a real hero that's young enough to be my son. So I held out my hand and shook his and said "Thank you". His reply was a simple "No problem".

We chatted a bit more and I ask how things are *REALLY* going over there. He asked me to please spread the word that the news media are lying to us and that they are making head way and things really are improving and that we really can't pull out right now because if we do all the hard work and lost lives will be for nothing. I promised him that I would do just that. So this e-mail is the start of my promise.

I also asked him how he has been received here at home with his recruiting work and the public in general. He said 90% of the people have been positive towards him. But then he told me how he had been spit at before and that just that day he was cursed at and called names. I got all chocked up and didn't know what to say or do. So I just simply held out my hand once more to shake his and said "I'm Sorry" to which he replied once more with a simple "No problem". I'll never forget that young kid and wish him my best.

Rich
http://www.greatlite.com/rjl127