thedrifter
12-25-06, 12:58 PM
A CHRISTMAS WISH FROM IRAQ
For many families in the United States, Christmas Day comes with the expected joys, but without a loved one who is stationed overseas.
The servicemen and servicewomen’s hearts and minds aren’t far from home. E-mail and telephone technology has brought those on the front lines thousands of miles away closer than ever.
Today, I’d like to share with you an e-mail that I received from local resident Bob Elliott. He knows the writer, U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Dwight Bechel, and dropped it by our Sierra Vista office because he thought we’d be interested in it.
I was moved by the Dec. 12 e-mail and spoke with Dwight’s wife, Cindy, who lives in Sierra Vista, and asked if I could share his words with you. She said she thought he would like it.
I then contacted Dwight via e-mail, and he sent the picture below in his reply and said he would be honored for me to share his letter.
Dwight, who is stationed on Fort Huachuca and has lived in the area since 2003, is on his first tour in Iraq. He is at Forward Operating Base Warhorse in Ba’qubah, Iraq. He went over in September and, like many, is scheduled to spend six months there. It was between Dwight and another technical sergeant going. But the other technical sergeant’s wife was recovering from a kidney ailment, so Dwight decided to go overseas.
To Dwight and his family, as well as to all of you, I wish a safe and happy Christmas.
— Keith J. Allen, managing editor
Subject: What I want for Christmas
All,
Hello everyone. I hope and pray everyone is doing good as Christmas is quickly approaching. Believe it or not, Christmas is not too bad over here. The lines are not longer at the local BX, we don’t have the stress of heading out to Wal-Mart to “pick something up,” and family. Well, needless to say I am not stressed about trying to see everyone and make sure I don’t “hurt” anyone’s feelings. So needless to say it has been a pretty stress-free Christmas.
On Saturday I went to a memorial service for a soldier who got killed by an IED. He was a young guy. He had sole custody of a child. This child’s name is Devin. I believe he is 4 years old. This caused me to think a little. The soldier was over here by choice. I am over here by choice. Believe it or not, everyone who serves over here is here by choice. Granted there are other places we would rather be, but we all raised our right hand and volunteered to join the military for whatever reason. The ones who did not choose or want any part of this are our children. They would like nothing more than to have mom or dad home with them. They are the ones who lose out when a parent is at “war.” So, when you pray for the troops this Christmas, pray for their families. The ones who will not be able to spend another Christmas with their mom or dad. The ones who will be thinking of Christmas without a loved one. The family who will wake up wishing mom or dad was there. They are the ones who did not choose this, they are the ones who did not volunteer. That is my Christmas prayer this year, not for us over here, but for you back in the states. Thank you for taking care of our kids, taking care of my family, but most of all thank you for your prayers for my family.
We are a blessed society. I feel it is our duty to ensure that families throughout the world get to experience life like we do every day. That is why we are fighting in this war. To get the bad guys that terrorize families like yours and mine. To provide hope to a child that one day he will be able to live with out fear. No matter how you spin this, no matter what you think about (President) Bush, no matter your opinion, fact is we are making a difference. We are pulling bad guys off the street day after day. We are doing good things over here. You may not see it, but we are. You can also pray for this country. For each child to grow up in a safe neighborhood, without the daily fear of dying. We are blessed to live like this. Shouldn’t everyone?
Well, that is what I want for Christmas. Sorry for the soap box, but I figured I would explain myself a little. OK, a lot. To sum up what I want: No. 1, prayer for our families back home; No. 2, prayer for those who have lost a loved one; No. 3, prayer for this country.
These prayers would mean more to me than any gift ever could.
Also, thank you all for giving me the opportunity to serve such a great nation. I had a choice. I feel I have made the best choice for me. I could not have done 15 years (That’s right, 15 already) without friends and family like you.
God Bless you all,
Have a safe and Merry CHRISTmas,
Dwight
Ellie
For many families in the United States, Christmas Day comes with the expected joys, but without a loved one who is stationed overseas.
The servicemen and servicewomen’s hearts and minds aren’t far from home. E-mail and telephone technology has brought those on the front lines thousands of miles away closer than ever.
Today, I’d like to share with you an e-mail that I received from local resident Bob Elliott. He knows the writer, U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Dwight Bechel, and dropped it by our Sierra Vista office because he thought we’d be interested in it.
I was moved by the Dec. 12 e-mail and spoke with Dwight’s wife, Cindy, who lives in Sierra Vista, and asked if I could share his words with you. She said she thought he would like it.
I then contacted Dwight via e-mail, and he sent the picture below in his reply and said he would be honored for me to share his letter.
Dwight, who is stationed on Fort Huachuca and has lived in the area since 2003, is on his first tour in Iraq. He is at Forward Operating Base Warhorse in Ba’qubah, Iraq. He went over in September and, like many, is scheduled to spend six months there. It was between Dwight and another technical sergeant going. But the other technical sergeant’s wife was recovering from a kidney ailment, so Dwight decided to go overseas.
To Dwight and his family, as well as to all of you, I wish a safe and happy Christmas.
— Keith J. Allen, managing editor
Subject: What I want for Christmas
All,
Hello everyone. I hope and pray everyone is doing good as Christmas is quickly approaching. Believe it or not, Christmas is not too bad over here. The lines are not longer at the local BX, we don’t have the stress of heading out to Wal-Mart to “pick something up,” and family. Well, needless to say I am not stressed about trying to see everyone and make sure I don’t “hurt” anyone’s feelings. So needless to say it has been a pretty stress-free Christmas.
On Saturday I went to a memorial service for a soldier who got killed by an IED. He was a young guy. He had sole custody of a child. This child’s name is Devin. I believe he is 4 years old. This caused me to think a little. The soldier was over here by choice. I am over here by choice. Believe it or not, everyone who serves over here is here by choice. Granted there are other places we would rather be, but we all raised our right hand and volunteered to join the military for whatever reason. The ones who did not choose or want any part of this are our children. They would like nothing more than to have mom or dad home with them. They are the ones who lose out when a parent is at “war.” So, when you pray for the troops this Christmas, pray for their families. The ones who will not be able to spend another Christmas with their mom or dad. The ones who will be thinking of Christmas without a loved one. The family who will wake up wishing mom or dad was there. They are the ones who did not choose this, they are the ones who did not volunteer. That is my Christmas prayer this year, not for us over here, but for you back in the states. Thank you for taking care of our kids, taking care of my family, but most of all thank you for your prayers for my family.
We are a blessed society. I feel it is our duty to ensure that families throughout the world get to experience life like we do every day. That is why we are fighting in this war. To get the bad guys that terrorize families like yours and mine. To provide hope to a child that one day he will be able to live with out fear. No matter how you spin this, no matter what you think about (President) Bush, no matter your opinion, fact is we are making a difference. We are pulling bad guys off the street day after day. We are doing good things over here. You may not see it, but we are. You can also pray for this country. For each child to grow up in a safe neighborhood, without the daily fear of dying. We are blessed to live like this. Shouldn’t everyone?
Well, that is what I want for Christmas. Sorry for the soap box, but I figured I would explain myself a little. OK, a lot. To sum up what I want: No. 1, prayer for our families back home; No. 2, prayer for those who have lost a loved one; No. 3, prayer for this country.
These prayers would mean more to me than any gift ever could.
Also, thank you all for giving me the opportunity to serve such a great nation. I had a choice. I feel I have made the best choice for me. I could not have done 15 years (That’s right, 15 already) without friends and family like you.
God Bless you all,
Have a safe and Merry CHRISTmas,
Dwight
Ellie