I got this in an email, sorry if it's already been posted.
Sea of Red
>
> Last week, while traveling to Chicagoon business, I noticed a
>Marine sergeant traveling with a folded flag, but did not put two and
two
>together. After we boarded our flight, I turned to the sergeant, who'd
been
>invited to sit in First Class (across from me), and inquired if he was
>heading home.
>
> "No," he responded.
>
> "Heading out?" I asked.
>
> "No. I'm escorting a soldier home."
>
> "Going to pick him up?"
>
> "No. He is with me right now. He was killed in Iraq, I'm
taking
>him home to his family," he replied.
>
> The realization of what he had been asked to do hit me like a
>punch to the gut. It was an honor for him. He told me that, although
he
>didn't know th e soldier, he had delivered the news of his passing to
the
>soldier's family and felt as if he knew them after many conversations
in so
>few days. I turned back to him, extended my hand, and said, Thank you.
>Thank you for doing what you do so my family and I can do what we do.
>
> Upon landing in Chicagothe pilot stopped short of the gate
and
>made the following announcement over the intercom.
>
> "Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to note that we have had
the
>honor of having Sergeant Steeley of the United StatesMarine Corps join
us
>on this flight. He is escorting a fallen comrade back home to his
family. I
>ask that you please remain in your seats when we open the forward door
to
>allow Sergeant Steeley to deplane and receive his fellow soldier. We
will
>then turn off the seat belt sign."
>
> Without a sound, all went as requested. I noticed the
sergeant
>saluting the casket as it was brought off the plane, and his action
made me
>realize that I am proud to be an American.
>
> So here's a public Thank You to our military men and women
for
>what you do so we can live the way we do.
>
> Red Fridays.
>
> Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing Red every
>Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called
the
>"silent majority." We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love
for
>God, country, and home in record breaking numbers. We are not
organized,
>boisterous, or overbearing.
>
> Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want
to
>recognize that the vast majority of Americasupports our troops. Our
idea of
>showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect
>starts this Friday -- and continues each and every Friday until the
troops
>all come home, sending a deafening message that ... Every red-blooded
>American who supports our men and women afar, will wear something red.
>
> By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United Stateson
>every Friday a sea of red; much like a homecoming football game in the
>bleachers. If every one of us who loves this country will share this
with
>acquaintances, coworkers, friends, and family, it will not be long
before
>the USAis covered in RED and it will let our troops know the once
"silent"
>majority is on their side more than ever, certainly more than the
media
>lets on.
>
> The first thing a soldier says when asked "What can we do to
make
>things better for you?" is ..."We need your support and your prayers."
>Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example,
and
>wear something red every Friday.
>
> IF YOU AGREE -- THEN SEND THIS ON.
Sea of Red
>
> Last week, while traveling to Chicagoon business, I noticed a
>Marine sergeant traveling with a folded flag, but did not put two and
two
>together. After we boarded our flight, I turned to the sergeant, who'd
been
>invited to sit in First Class (across from me), and inquired if he was
>heading home.
>
> "No," he responded.
>
> "Heading out?" I asked.
>
> "No. I'm escorting a soldier home."
>
> "Going to pick him up?"
>
> "No. He is with me right now. He was killed in Iraq, I'm
taking
>him home to his family," he replied.
>
> The realization of what he had been asked to do hit me like a
>punch to the gut. It was an honor for him. He told me that, although
he
>didn't know th e soldier, he had delivered the news of his passing to
the
>soldier's family and felt as if he knew them after many conversations
in so
>few days. I turned back to him, extended my hand, and said, Thank you.
>Thank you for doing what you do so my family and I can do what we do.
>
> Upon landing in Chicagothe pilot stopped short of the gate
and
>made the following announcement over the intercom.
>
> "Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to note that we have had
the
>honor of having Sergeant Steeley of the United StatesMarine Corps join
us
>on this flight. He is escorting a fallen comrade back home to his
family. I
>ask that you please remain in your seats when we open the forward door
to
>allow Sergeant Steeley to deplane and receive his fellow soldier. We
will
>then turn off the seat belt sign."
>
> Without a sound, all went as requested. I noticed the
sergeant
>saluting the casket as it was brought off the plane, and his action
made me
>realize that I am proud to be an American.
>
> So here's a public Thank You to our military men and women
for
>what you do so we can live the way we do.
>
> Red Fridays.
>
> Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing Red every
>Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called
the
>"silent majority." We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love
for
>God, country, and home in record breaking numbers. We are not
organized,
>boisterous, or overbearing.
>
> Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want
to
>recognize that the vast majority of Americasupports our troops. Our
idea of
>showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect
>starts this Friday -- and continues each and every Friday until the
troops
>all come home, sending a deafening message that ... Every red-blooded
>American who supports our men and women afar, will wear something red.
>
> By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United Stateson
>every Friday a sea of red; much like a homecoming football game in the
>bleachers. If every one of us who loves this country will share this
with
>acquaintances, coworkers, friends, and family, it will not be long
before
>the USAis covered in RED and it will let our troops know the once
"silent"
>majority is on their side more than ever, certainly more than the
media
>lets on.
>
> The first thing a soldier says when asked "What can we do to
make
>things better for you?" is ..."We need your support and your prayers."
>Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example,
and
>wear something red every Friday.
>
> IF YOU AGREE -- THEN SEND THIS ON.
