A Brother From Another Mother

I found this in drafts.  I wrote it right after attending Dave's funeral. I didn't publish it because... I don't remember now.  Needing it to be perfect comes to mind, now.  Dirt just needs to be remembered.

BFAM

July 5th, 2010, David “DirtBike” Bailey, left us to stand a flag line with the heroes in heaven.

My brother, Dave 'Dirt Bike' Bailey at 'Dave Fest '09'. Signing my sons chair. He was in Iraq and these were 'luxury' items he said they really missed.






After over a year long fight with his cancer alien, God chose to bring him home and give him peace. As sad as I am at Dirt’s passing, I know his pain has ended and he is at peace. I can’t help but smile at the thought of him greeting heroes with hugs, telling stories and just being a blessing to everyone that he meets.

Ride forever free my friend and crack open those pipes for me, the pipes you hear screaming in California are mine and they cry with me, missing you. NOT like a punk, like the true American patriot that you are. Know that you are already sorely missed and will never be forgotten.

(grinns) I can still hear Dave saying, ‘Ridin Til I Rot’ and ‘Aint going out like no punk’. He did both. I am blessed for knowing him.

God’s blessings and peace be with Janet, the family and his friends.

Speedway Bill

A friend died last weekend. I am sadden by the loss and heartbroken that I could not return to Indiana for the funeral. The funeral was today.

I was there in spirit...

I've been thinking about him and his family all day.

I first met Bill in the summer of 2006. Memorial Day weekend. A 'come one, come all' invite had gone out to all Indiana Patriot Guard Riders to come on down to Speedway for a BBQ. For those that don't know, the Indianapolis 500 is actually not held in Indianapolis. It is in a small land locked town inside Indianapolis city limits called Speedway.

Bill and his family have lived there many years, 15 if I remember correctly. As I rode in on my '83 Shovel, making enough noise to wake the dead, Bill took notice and smiled. I walked over and introduced myself and immediately I was welcomed. "There's the food, the hog will be done about 6. The beer is in that cooler, soda in that one. Pull up a chair. Welcome." The same welcome happened several times and many new friendships were started.

We sat and chatted, under a checkerboard sign that read "Welcome Scuzy Mucks". A nick name given to the regulars that attended Bill's BBQs. I still smile when I say that name. I don't know that I ever fully became a 'Scuzzy Muck' to the other guys but to Bill, I was one of them.

Bill Mummert a.k.a. SpeedwayBill, was laid to rest today. His smile and selfless service for veterans and the Indiana Patriot Guard (IPG) will be greatly missed. Bill's family honored the IPG and invited us to attend his viewing and memorial service.

Rest in peace Bill and God's peace be with the family.

Why The Gun Is Civilization And the Real Author

I do not really assume myself to be a writer. I do however appreciate good writing and do get rather irked when credit is not expressed correctly. I often spend hours looking for proof of authorship to articles and emails I am sent. I do this usually hoping to find other articles written by the claimed author but sometimes I find that the email has been mis-attributed. The below was emailed to me and "Why The Gun Is Civilization" is one of those ‘mis-attributed’ works. In my feeble effort to have those that may search for Maj. L. Caudill USMC (Ret) find the correct author, Marko Kloos, I have posted both names here. And reposted the full article... AND links back to the original and a discussion on plagiarism and attribution.

Respect,

DNR

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Why The Gun Is Civilization

Written by Marko Kloos 23MAR07 link

NOT Maj. L. Caudill USMC (Ret) link

Human beings only have two ways to deal with one another: reason and force. If you want me to do something for you, you have a choice of either convincing me via argument, or force me to do your bidding under threat of force. Every human interaction falls into one of those two categories, without exception. Reason or force, that’s it.

In a truly moral and civilized society, people exclusively interact through persuasion. Force has no place as a valid method of social interaction, and the only thing that removes force from the menu is the personal firearm, as paradoxical as it may sound to some.

When I carry a gun, you cannot deal with me by force. You have to use reason and try to persuade me, because I have a way to negate your threat or employment of force. The gun is the only personal weapon that puts a 100-pound woman on equal footing with a 220-pound mugger, a 75-year old retiree on equal footing with a 19-year old gangbanger, and a single gay guy on equal footing with a carload of drunk guys with baseball bats. The gun removes the disparity in physical strength, size, or numbers between a potential attacker and a defender.

There are plenty of people who consider the gun as the source of bad force equations. These are the people who think that we’d be more civilized if all guns were removed from society, because a firearm makes it easier for a mugger to do his job. That, of course, is only true if the mugger’s potential victims are mostly disarmed either by choice or by legislative fiat–it has no validity when most of a mugger’s potential marks are armed. People who argue for the banning of arms ask for automatic rule by the young, the strong, and the many, and that’s the exact opposite of a civilized society. A mugger, even an armed one, can only make a successful living in a society where the state has granted him a force monopoly.

Then there’s the argument that the gun makes confrontations lethal that otherwise would only result in injury. This argument is fallacious in several ways. Without guns involved, confrontations are won by the physically superior party inflicting overwhelming injury on the loser. People who think that fists, bats, sticks, or stones don’t constitute lethal force watch too much TV, where people take beatings and come out of it with a bloody lip at worst. The fact that the gun makes lethal force easier works solely in favor of the weaker defender, not the stronger attacker. If both are armed, the field is level. The gun is the only weapon that’s as lethal in the hands of an octogenarian as it is in the hands of a weightlifter. It simply wouldn’t work as well as a force equalizer if it wasn’t both lethal and easily employable.

When I carry a gun, I don’t do so because I am looking for a fight, but because I’m looking to be left alone. The gun at my side means that I cannot be forced, only persuaded. I don’t carry it because I’m afraid, but because it enables me to be unafraid. It doesn’t limit the actions of those who would interact with me through reason, only the actions of those who would do so by force. It removes force from the equation…and that’s why carrying a gun is a civilized act.

A Fan

I have a fan!

Nice post, in a drunk, profound way. You're posting less and less these days. You hate California, and your life there, right? You left everything behind, the Barn, your friends, your family, the PGR...

At least, try to post more often. You have a good, direct and amusing, straightforward style, that its not that easy to find. In 4 words, you're fun to read. Despite all our differences.

Cheers from Europe/Portugal

I never thought my troll would be the one that comes back regularly to read my posts.

So, sincere or a smart ass jab? meh, who cares.

Everyone can stop reading here except "Europe/Portugal"

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Yes, I'm posting less and less. I'm on face book daily... or more. I must admit, I do kinda miss your ranting and posting here in a more anonymous manner.

No, I don' hate California, the weather is great and I'm meeting some really great people. I do miss the Barn, my friends, family, the PGR... There are PGR here and like i said, I'm making friends.

And thanks for the complement.

Turmoil

What would you give up for a job?

Would you move...
... across town/city?
... across the state?
... the country?

I know, I know. I'm beating this to death.

BUT

I've said before, these PGR guys (and gals) around here ARE family. There is more love here than any church I've ever attended.

I'm gonna miss them. All of them.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Update

Hey everyone!



Yes, I'm still alive. I survived the Blues Bash. Not for trying though. Looking back I was in a hurry to get my drink on. Too much of a hurry. I have no idea how much I drank... too much... too much shine, too much Jack and all WAY too fast.



Before the band finished it's first set I had fallen on some lady and was pretty much unconscious. (that is, I don't remember anything).



I have a couple pics... Guess i'll post them. I know there are more floating around. They'll have to be emailed to me... Maybe i'll post them too.



The job search is going slow. One company expressed interest but even that is waning. Plus I don't think I really want to move 1,400 miles east. Still have some money to make ends meet for a couple more months... I fear the recession will out last my cash reserves though. Wonder if I can get bailed out...?



PGR has been busy. We've had about 8 funerals in the last couple weeks. I RC'd Cpl Donte Whitworth. A very beautiful family. He was buried about ten miles from my house. Besides the Marine honor guard, a small group came in. Found out they (a Major, other Cpls and PFCs) were with Donte in Iraq. They were all home on leave but had come to Indy to be with Donte's family. To me, that speaks volumes about the character of the man.



Heading out (actually just got back...) to an IPGR members funeral this afternoon. He was killed earlier this week. Steve Ray. Owned a local pub and would often give a whole weekends profits to the PGR. He was killed when another driver turned left in front of him. Spoke with his kids (one daughter and two sons) this evening.



His older son (his name escapes me right now) said "he was doing what he loved. Riding on a nice day with friends. You can lie in a bed and wither away or you can just go... He preferred to go this way."



Stevie, you will be missed.



Hopefully this is the beginning of some regular posting and reading on my part. We'll see.



Please be safe and watch out for us riders, k? Thanks!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

The '09 Version

Remember this... 2008 Mid Winter Blues Bash?

The '09 version started yesterday. I'm leaving today at noon. DC (the bastard) is already there.
Update (with pictures) to follow some time next week after I sober up.

Everyone have a great weekend!

Today's Word Is 'Cold' - Take 2

... and sore.

Last time I rode was the long over due 'Therpy' session I had. Today, riding for SSG Burkholder was hard on this old man.

It was 20 here when I pulled out at 1:30 am... seems to me last tome I did this I said something about using a windshield next time. Well, maybe NEXT time.

Door step to staging area was 125 miles, about 2 hours. Things weren't to bad, fingers were a little cold and so were my toes but over all I was doing ok.


Semper Gumbi

The Illinois part of the escort was suppose to stop where we were, regroup, then all of us were going to head down the road.

5 or 6 of us were sitting at a weigh station and we could see about half a mile down the interstate. Blink, blink - we could see the Illinois State Police Escort coming down the highway, when 'zooom', they went screaming by at about 80 miles per hour. The RC (Dan) had this look of dismay mixed with frustration on his face and everyone else was looking at him like, 'WTF - Wow That was Fantastic'. Dan gathered himself and barked 'mount up. Looks like we're gonna have to catch them!'.

The Indina State police escort we were to have jumped in their cars the couple other riders there got on their bikes and 'vroom' everyone was off... except me. See, I know if i sit around fully dressed, I'll start sweating, then when we start riding again I'll freeze. So, put on my gloves, and face mask, zip up my coat, fire up the 'ol therapist and hit the road.

By now everyone is out of sight. I hit 90 for a mile or two and caught them in about 10 miles. Took my place at the rear of the procession right in front of the last police car. He never did ask me what I did to catch up. I wasn't about to tell him either.

The next stop was Mt. Comfort exit on I-70, just east of Indianapolis. This leg was just under a hundred miles. When I got off the bike I could not feel my fingers and I couldn't stop shivering. Being that cold was uncomfortable. Maybe I should be more like the other old guys and buy some electric gear, at least start using the windshield when it is under 32. I called it a day and as the group left heading for Ohio I headed home.

240 miles in 20 degree weather, a long hot shower and a nap with a heating pad and I was ready for the day to begin... after all... it was just 10 o'clock... am.

Catching up

Wow! Has it really been over a week… 5th to 15th, guess so.

With no job you probably are wondering what I am doing… Had to do one of the hardest things ever last Monday. KF, the facility manager, had me come back in after 5:00 pm and empty my desk.

Computer files and paper files took over 2 hours and I forgot one whole drawer. Got friends on the inside that will get the last few things for me. 17 years of work life fits, albeit, not so neatly, in the trunk of my car… plus one box on the back seat and one on the front seat. Slept till noon Tuesday, that was a bad day.

I think I know what depression feels like.

I just got the boxes out of the car today. Still can’t stand to look at or in them.

What else… Oh yeah! Saturday the 6th the IPGR had it annual Christmas party. The missus agreed to drive me home so I had a few. By 11:00 I was, how could I describe it, aahhh, yes “Shit Faced”! I haven’t seen any photographic evidence but I think it is out there. If I find some, I’ll post them. I remember a Hairy chest contest, barely. Missus says I won. Somewhere in there I was relegated to water. And some one (D who shall remain nameless C) has this physical anomaly when he does shots, his nipples get hard (so he says, I personal have not witnessed this oddity of nature). All of the wimmen folks had to feel this condition and confirm it was true. Then Angle (a guy) commented on ‘not getting to feel’ and was acting all pouty… I lost it. And of course it was just as I had taken a big mouthful of water. I blew, a.k.a. showered, everyone with mouth spray and about choked myself. Just in case she reads this, Dawn, I am SOOoooo sorry. (She caught the majority of it on the back of her head.) hahah ahem…. *snort* I really am sorry. *wipes tear*

Good times!

The ex-co-workers had a ‘going away thing’ for me at a local tavern on Wednesday. I don’t know why everyone thinks I want to do shots… It was a good time. Got to say g’bye to everyone. The 4th, the last day at work, was a, ‘by, see ya’ thing. They wouldn’t let me back to my desk, just wanted me out the door.

My half brother surprised us by coming to town the end of last week, so we had dinner with him. It’s been about 3 years since we’ve gotten together; it was good to see him. The wife says we are sooo alike, it’s scary. Makes one wonder how much of your personality is genetic and not learned. We grew up in separate families but we look more alike and act more alike than my full blood brother. Weird.

Went to the local Steelers bar this Sunday. Good gawd what a nail biter. Still a little horse from all of the screaming.

That brings us pretty much current.
I'm throwing resumes at everything I can right now. I did get a severance but it will run out, and that make knots in my stomach.

Happy Day

A Veterans day Thanks for you.

Thankful - III

Week 3
Week 2 - Re-cap
Week 1 - The reason for this Thankful thing

One has to be this weather. At least in central Indiana. It was 78 and 85 this weekend. The missus and I rode through Brown County (south central Indiana) Saturday. It was beautiful. All of the fall colors, warm sun and not a cloud in the sky. If you didn’t get outside this weekend, you missed a great October day. And yes, I’ll be thankful for the snow and cold when it comes. May slow down the riding some (yeah, right) but I do love snow and colder weather. (And DC says “that’s because you don’t have to work out in it! Bioych”. Hahaha)

The next thing has to be today, and everything it encompasses. We are in the midst of a technological revolution and thanks to $4+ a gallon gas we are in for a energy revolution. Seriously, stop for a second and think about what is happening around you, hell even this very second... you are reading the blathering words of a guy in central Indiana and these meandering words can be read by just about anybody in the world within in seconds of ‘publishing’. That IS incredible.

Lastly this week has to be the blogosphere. I know, I know... very similar to the above but no, not really. Bear with me for a sec. I’d guess I read 20 maybe 30 blogs, then some of those have guest posters or multiple people posting. No matter my mood I always find someone that agrees with me and someone that totally disagrees with me. There is always someone that had a weekend experience that makes me laugh and laugh hard. There is someone that has had a hard weekend and I cry a little with them. Maybe not friends in the ‘come over and help paint your kitchen’ but friends, none the less. I get to laugh and share a like experience, offer encouragement, rejoice and be humbled.

Jim and Flo, God bless.

[Edit - Grrrr, typos]

Thankful - II

A brief re-cap;

Basically the idea is to list 3 things you are thankful for each week from now until Thanksgiving and with each post give a little to a charity. My donations are going to Independent Veterans Society of Indiana. The money gathered will be given to Flo and Jim. Flo and Jim are from North Indiana. They are IPGR (Indiana Patriot Guard Riders) members, Veteran supporters, Jim is a Vet and their son is serving in the Army. During the floods surrounding the passing of hurricane Ike a while ago, these fine folks lost everything....

This week I am thankful for;
1 - My family, a wonderful wife and 2 healthy boys. The wife and I got to take both boys to dinner Saturday night.... (that will have to be another post)
2 - This country. I could not imagine living anywhere else.
3 - Our troops. Without them, none of this would be possible.

Go. Donate. I just did.

Click here to donate.
Click here for the week 1 post.

Close Call

Not me, a friend.

My buddy, Dirt Bike had to lay his scoot down a couple months ago. He is currently in his second cast but still has the wires and stuff.

I don’t get to see him too much any more since he has moved up to the Lansing, MI area.
If you have a minute, send him a good thought and a prayer.

This is his recount of the moments leading up to and through the accident.

*************

Often ya see in these posts some very good advice designed to keep your mc'ing experience a safe enjoyable one.

After much time to review my asphalt incident" of the 7th I’ve decided to describe ,in detail, what happened, Sort of a "heads-up”, "take what you can use” kind of thing.

Here goes.. first I was overtired, making me less than alert and more importantly not a good decision maker. 2nd I was riding on an unfamiliar road, at night not only was I unfamiliar with the road conditions, I didn’t even know the speed limit. :oops:

I’ve been riding scooters for most of the last 45 years, yes Specialk since I was about 30.. :lol: I’m pretty experienced in terms of saddle miles, road conditions weather conditions, equipment conditions but being human and subject to all the frailties of THAT condition.

I made some very serious mistakes that cost me a very nice, much loved motorcycle, a few patches of derma i had become very attached to, and a big inconvenience in my life/lifestyle for the next 3 months

so here goes:
I left a meeting in town, with friends and since it was a real nice ride’n night I opted to take the long way home. I turned onto a dark road that I had never even been on, in the daylight and began ,sloping ,2-3 mile grade uphill, about a mile into that, a truck on the side of this road made a u-turn in front of me, without even looking,

Not REAL close, but enough to irritate me, so I gassed it up so he could hear my angry pipes; mistake right there, I know better than to ride with my emotions on my sleeve roll but no harm, no foul, settled back in, and kept ride’n up the hill.

Just about a 100 yds b4 the hill crest, an oncoming car failed to dim as they topped the hill, I blink warned, ...they complied ...and I continued on up almost to the top now big mistake here...

QUESTION:

Should I have, on an unfamiliar dark road, with no concept of the conditions on the other Blind side, have immediately slowed down to scan and assess??/

ANSWER! ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!!!!!

Did I? ..No :oops:

I gassed it up even more, to make the top in style partly cuz of making overtired decisions, partly cuz I was still a little irritated, partly cuz it was a gorgeous night, the bike was running awesome and the pipes sounded great.

SOOoo.. When I crested the hill, my headlight reached for the stars then as the grade changed and the bike pointed down I became instantly aware, in that ,slow-motion kind of clarity, that while I was doing the "bright light warning" thing I had missed something...

a simple, black and yellow picture, that was a clue to what was going to be happening to me and my beloved motorcycle for the next 5-10 seconds.

A "T"

So I immediately threw out both anchors, but to no avail a rainstorm the night before had left an ugly 6 ft streak of sandy gravel, in my path of travel. The bike went sideways, immediacy, throwing me off the right side. I hit on the right side of my helmet, temple high. Then it was the bikers ballet for about 30 feet, bouncing, rolling and sliding to a quiet stop.

My beloved skooter, having about a ten foot lead on me was across the intersection, in the ditch, still faithfully playing ZZ Top full blast

"bout the shack outside LaGrange"

Then...

agony...

SOOOO...the next 45 minutes was all about age?
blood type?
any allergies to meds?
can ya feel this?
can ya move this?

WHOA,
don’t move that!!!

And...

"Wow man, has your foot always pointed in that direction?"

CAUTION LECTURE ZONE AHEAD

That HELMET and that LEATHER spared me and my family a lot of further inconvenience. I look at them thru different eyes now

RIDE SAFE!!!

dirt....

I AM Thankful

I read about a little fund raiser over at LL’s, she is replicating the idea from Major Pain. Basically the idea is to list 3 things you are thankful for each week from now until Thanksgiving and with each post give a little to a charity. They are donating to anysolder.com. A very worth cause. Their posts will be on Sundays, mine will be on Mondays.

I’ve decided to hi-jack this idea and bring it a little closer to home.

Flo and Jim are from North Indiana. They are IPGR (Indiana Patriot Guard Riders) members, Veteran supporters, Jim is a Vet and their son is serving in the Army.

During the floods surrounding the passing of hurricane Ike a couple weeks ago, these fine folks lost everything....

“Everything”, An interesting word. Seems to be thrown around a lot these days. Let me quantify their loss for you.

Home - still standing. Uninhabitable. Lived some time in a camper/trailer without electricity. Still in the camper/trailer but now with a generator. Some time soon they will move into an apartment. Mortgage AND rent, that’s effectively two house payments. On a fixed income.
Food - if it wasn’t canned, it’s gone. And even some of that floated away.
Clothing - if they weren’t wearing it, it’s gone. Mold, mildew, rot.
Cars - still own them. Their full of water, mud and crud. It’s amazing how fast things rust away when they get water where they’re not suppose to.
Health - Jim is a disable Veteran. What he physically can do, he’s not allowed to do. He has been ordered to not enter their home again until it is cleaned up. Flo has lost her voice from breathing all of the mold and mildew filled air in the house.
Stuff - furniture, pretty must all water logged, guess they didn’t loose it but it is useless. What was left someone tried to loot. Yes, I said loot. They were stopped but still...
Family - Their son was home on leave from Iraq. The military has seen fit to not send him back to Iraq immediately but they have recalled him to his base in Texas. That didn’t help much.

So.

I’m thankful for;
1 - My home. As frustrating as it can be sometimes, without it, I would be lost.
2 - Friemily (Friends and Family). Not just blood relatives but these (you) people that I call friends. You are a support structure I know is there.
3 - My job *urp*. Seriously, I am paid well. I live well. And because of it, I can help.

With this post starts my pledge of $10 a week. If you’d like to join me, go to Independent Veterans Society of Indiana and click on the donate button (lower right of page). $10 bucks isn’t a lot but if 10 of us do it, that’s $100 a week and by Thanksgiving...

Please join me, won’t you?

Respect,

DNR

So Far...

I received this from our (Indiana Patriot Guard Riders) State Captain Monday (the 12th); As of 9/12/2008 we had sent or paid to be sent approximately 1000 care packages overseas to our troops. On 9/13/2008 we sent another 2000 pounds of care packages to our troops overseas.

We have another 2000 pounds of care packages that we will send hopefully sometime this week.

So in total, after the next sending, we will have sent approximately 9000 pounds of care packages to our troops. Each and everyone involved in this, whether it was at a fund raiser - giving or working - or helping packing or repacking your efforts have made the lives and service of our troops overseas somewhat easier and in doing so they know that we care.

Our Indiana Cares Project that was undertaken this summer for our troops was a huge effort and success. To many people and businesses to mention one by one but each of you know who you are and who the businesses were that stepped up. God Bless each of you for what you do.

Just Stuff

The video card on my work PC went out a few weeks ...errr months ago and I've been forced to work at 1280x1024. Now granted it's only about 15% reduction from my normal 1600x1200 but jeesee cow! So much stuff didn't fit right on my monitor. I almost feel like I have a new toy.

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(click'em for big'un)


My son sent me this. Yeah, I'm a fan. Grew up with Speed. I remember walking through the store following my mom, pretending my hand was the Mock 5 and making the "chuuu chuuu chuu" sound as I jumped it from clothes rack to towels to... Could you imagine driving a real one, or even one that looks real... *sigh*
Yes, I own the DVD of the series, the movie (which I saw in I-MAX) is on my Christmas list. heh. The DVD box I have even has a button on the case that makes the Mock 5's lights flash and it plays the theme song.

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A local business donated 40+/- cases of microwavable "Bankruptcy Popcorn" to the IPGR. Got it delivered to the warehouse we are using. It will be packed into care packages soon. So... if you’re over there (in the sandbox) and get "Bankruptcy Popcorn", it's not a joke, it is good popcorn. Consequently we are having a packing party Saturday. If you're not busy and in the area... let me know.

What else...

Oh Yeah.

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Last Saturday we had the Troop Family Day at Grissom AFB. DC and I ran the Tattoo booth. Granted it was temporary tattoos but great fun none the less. Last year the base family support group donated that tats. Lots of little kids things, butterflies, lions, dinosaurs, races cars and some basic American flags.

This year... I wanted to get some of the older kids and maybe even some parents involved. I bought some more edgy tats for them. They were a hit. I know I did at least 2 guys that were 18 or older. One had lots of ink already on his arm and he got one of my wizard/skulls on the inside of his fore arm.





These were the big hits;




The wizard is about 7" tall, the rebel flag is about 4.5" tall, the USAF tat is about 2" wide.
If you are looking for some great tats I got them from here and here.


Tell them DNR sent ya.

Troop suport ralley in Noblesville

The Silence Is Broken

The Silence Is Broken

It has been quiet around Indiana for quite some time now.

We’ve been busy with poker runs and rides to remember the heroes that have passed. We’ve been having fund raisers and packing care packages. 3,000 Indiana National Guard troops deployed in January and we promised them all a care package.

About 50 of us were there that day, 02JAN08, sending them off. A silent thought ran through our group, a thought that no one dared speak. ‘what we do’ As we hugged random men and women (more like kids, as I find myself aging) we wished them well and promised them a home coming that would be second to none. But that thought... we all knew some would be home sooner.

I know we hoped against hope and prayed that we would... could be obsolete. That we would not have to ‘do what we do’.

Today, this week, we have been called. Personally, I have been called twice. The ultimate price has been paid yet again for my freedom and yours. Over the next week or 10 days the Indiana Patriot Guard will honor three of Indiana’s sons.

Sgt. Gary M. Henry, 34, of Indianapolis, Ind.

Spc. Jonathan D. Menke, 22, of Madison, Ind.

These men were killed supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Aug. 4 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when debris from an improvised explosive device detonation on an overpass fell onto their vehicle. They were assigned to the 38th Military Police Company, 38th Infantry Division, Indiana Army National Guard, Danville, Ind. -- DOD

Sgt. Brian K. Miller, 37, of Pendleton, Ind

Sgt. Miller, died Aug. 2 in Abd Allah, Iraq, of injuries suffered in a vehicle accident. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 293rd Infantry Regiment, 76th Brigade Combat Team, Indiana Army National Guard, Fort Wayne, Ind. -- DOD


Thank you, gentlemen, for your service. And your sacrifice. It, nor you, will be forgotten.

To your families - It is our honor to stand with you and for your son. The sacrifice you have made for me and my country will be cherished. God bless and be with you all. I pray that his peace be with you and guide you through these days. Know that Gary, John and Brian will not be forgotten.

Rembering the USS Indianapolis

Rembering the USS Indianapolis.

SSG Norman H. Currin

This weekend a friend of mine had the honor of standing next to a Vietnam hero as he passed in Hospice care. I personally had never met Norm, I truly wish I had. We, the people of this world, are less as a whole from the loss of such a strong and caring man.

God bless and be with the Currin family and friends. SSG Currin, Norman H., will not be forgotten.

These are her words.

Before you go and while I still have your attnetion, I'd like to pre-echo Kat's words.
To those who served in Vietnam and were unappreciated, I offer my genuine and heartfelt gratitude. Know that you made a difference - know that we are proud of you, know that you are dearly and truly loved. And for those who never once have heard it said in all this time: Welcome home. You did us proud.

***********************


This weekend, I lost a friend and hero. He was the living embodiment of all a hero should be, and was strong till the end. In an attempt to process everything that has happened, and so that I always remember, I've written this below:

SSG Norman H. Currin went to be with the Lord shortly after 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 27, 2008.

Exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War messed him up. For thirteen years, he fought serious physical problems all the time. Six of those years, he got dialysis 3 times a week and for many years was also confined to a wheelchair.

The last six months were a whirlwind of hospital stays back-to-back-to-back - strokes, pnumonia, complications from being a dialysis patient, infection of his dialysis port & bedsores, and lastly, a massive heart attack on Tuesday. Nothing the docs could have done would have saved him, the treatments would have killed him. Norman bravely made the decision to accept hospice care.

Despite massive amounts of morphine and being in a medically-induced coma, he still communicated. He'd squeeze our hands when we said certain things (any of his friends' names or anything about motorcycles, the military, or especially his dear family, for example). The day before he died, while on "enough morphine to choke a horse" (said the nurse), he fully and completely woke up and looked at each one of us - plain as day told each of us one by one, "I love you." He was holding my hand so tightly, my hand fell asleep. He held my hand and the hands of his family and friends strongly off and on for hours all weekend- always his squeezes were in response to something that was said to him, not simply random.

About 3 hours before he left us, he woke up again. He couldn't open his eyes or talk, tho he was obviously trying. He would turn in the direction of our voices and smile -. SMILE!! - at us. Then he slipped back into his deep sleep once more...Shortly thereafter, his lungs were completely filled with fluid as a result of no dialysis for the past week --- a few more brave (but ineffective) breaths, and he was gone.

A phone call was made as planned upon his passing, and others from the Patriot Guard Riders, together with some riders from the Wingmen and Sons of Thunder who were his dearest, dearest friends, came to the hospital and escorted him and his family to the funeral home in the middle of the night. Talk about an amazing and humbling honor.

He was treated cruelly upon his return from Vietnam, as so many of our veterans were. But I have not the slightest doubt that in Heaven, God made it up to him hugely with the biggest, best welcome home parade and celebration EVER.

Freedom is not free. Those who fight for it - now and in past conflicts - deserve our utmost honor and respect. We will never fully know or understand all they sacrificed on our behalf. To those who served in Vietnam and were unappreciated, I offer my genuine and heartfelt gratitude. Know that you made a difference - know that we are proud of you, know that you are dearly and truly loved. And for those who never once have heard it said in all this time: Welcome home. You did us proud.