[Culturechat] Fw: Soldier to Soldier
Harold McLeod, Jr.
hmmcleod@msn.com
Sat, 19 Apr 2003 16:30:47 -0400
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Subject: Soldier to Soldier
I thought this might give a different perspective of Germany as seen =
from a soldier's point of view and not the politician's.=20
A little background, the German Army is at Gates of all military =
installations in Germany providing entry control on a 24 X 7 basis to =
relieve US Forces that are in middle east.=20
A different perspective on our German allies. Our governments may be at =
odds over Iraq Policy - but Military understands Military.=20
As usual I was running late. So, you can imagine my frustration level as =
approached the main gate of Ramstein Air Base only to find traffic =
backed up! Nearing the checkpoint I realized that not only was there a =
long line of cars, but traffic had come to a complete stop as a result =
of all entrance gates being closed.=20
Over the past 18-months, there have been many opportunities to practice =
our patience as we have had to "hurry up and wait" as a result of =
heightened security. While we realize the necessity, it's still =
frustrating at times for even the most easygoing folks. This was one of =
those times for me! I needed to be where I was going, and I needed to be =
there NOW! The German soldiers, the ones manning the entrances of =
American military installations here in Germany, were just milling =
around, chatting as if those of us in line had all the time in the =
world. Things seemed to go from bad to worse! The German gate guards =
began walking among the stopped cars, asking us to turn off our engines =
and headlights. I realized that no traffic was exiting or entering the =
Air Base. My feelings of frustration began to turn to ones of concern. =
Just what was going on.=20
A few minutes later I noticed blue lights approaching from the direction =
of the air terminal. Close behind were two military medical buses with =
their RED CROSS. Lights were on in the buses, and I.V. bags could be =
seen hanging. It was then that I realized that these were more of our =
wounded warriors being transported from the battlefields to Landstuhl =
Regional Medical Center for treatment. I certainly wasn't prepared for =
what happened next.=20
All of the German soldiers, our gate guards, began walking toward the =
concrete barriers that divide the inbound and outbound lanes of traffic. =
As the blue lights neared, more German soldiers seemed to appear from =
nowhere, lining the road, shoulder to shoulder. Right on cue, without a =
word being spoken, these soldiers snapped a sharp salute as the buses =
drove pass, rendering arms until well after the last bus had passed. =
Needless to say, I was speechless and deeply moved. What a show of =
respect for fellow soldiers!=20
--- Soldier to Soldier, rendering honor and respect! Our allies, our =
comrades, those who know the price that some have to pay for freedom did =
not have to be asked or prompted, it came from their character and =
soldiering heart! May God bless and watch over all soldiers and their =
loved ones as they stand in harm's way for us! Blessings and Peace!=20
One more little note to this...Two AM in the morning, a single C-17 =
lands at Ramstein with one patient on board, Pfc. Jessica Lynch, and who =
shows up to escort the ambulance to Landstuhl --over 100 German Politzi =
cars, an entire Germany Army contingency assigned to Ramstein.=20
Soldier to Soldier, rendering honor and respect!=20
CH (COL) DAVID E.MCLEAN=20
CHIEF, PASTORAL SERVICES ERMC/LRMC=20
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<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Soldier to Soldier</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3Darial,helvetica><FONT lang=3D0 face=3D"Times New =
Roman" size=3D3=20
FAMILY=3D"SERIF">I thought this might give a different perspective of =
Germany as=20
seen from a soldier's point of view and not the =
politician's. <BR><BR>A=20
little background, the German Army is at Gates of all military =
installations in=20
Germany providing entry control on a 24 X 7 basis to relieve US Forces =
that are=20
in middle east. <BR><BR>A different perspective on our German allies. =
Our=20
governments may be at odds over Iraq Policy - but Military understands =
Military.=20
<BR><BR>As usual I was running late. So, you can imagine my frustration =
level as=20
approached the main gate of Ramstein Air Base only to find traffic =
backed up!=20
Nearing the checkpoint I realized that not only was there a long line of =
cars,=20
but traffic had come to a complete stop as a result of all entrance =
gates being=20
closed. <BR><BR>Over the past 18-months, there have been many =
opportunities to=20
practice our patience as we have had to "hurry up and wait" as a result =
of=20
heightened security. While we realize the necessity, it's still =
frustrating at=20
times for even the most easygoing folks. This was one of those times for =
me! I=20
needed to be where I was going, and I needed to be there NOW! The German =
soldiers, the ones manning the entrances of American military =
installations here=20
in Germany, were just milling around, chatting as if those of us in line =
had all=20
the time in the world. Things seemed to go from bad to worse! The German =
gate=20
guards began walking among the stopped cars, asking us to turn off our =
engines=20
and headlights. I realized that no traffic was exiting or entering the =
Air Base.=20
My feelings of frustration began to turn to ones of concern. Just what =
was going=20
on. <BR><BR>A few minutes later I noticed blue lights approaching from =
the=20
direction of the air terminal. Close behind were two military medical =
buses with=20
their RED CROSS. Lights were on in the buses, and I.V. bags could be =
seen=20
hanging. It was then that I realized that these were more of our wounded =
warriors being transported from the battlefields to Landstuhl Regional =
Medical=20
Center for treatment. I certainly wasn't prepared for what happened =
next.=20
<BR><BR>All of the German soldiers, our gate guards, began walking =
toward the=20
concrete barriers that divide the inbound and outbound lanes of traffic. =
As the=20
blue lights neared, more German soldiers seemed to appear from nowhere, =
lining=20
the road, shoulder to shoulder. Right on cue, without a word being =
spoken, these=20
soldiers snapped a sharp salute as the buses drove pass, rendering arms =
until=20
well after the last bus had passed. Needless to say, I was speechless =
and deeply=20
moved. What a show of respect for fellow soldiers! <BR><BR><BR>--- =
Soldier to=20
Soldier, rendering honor and respect! Our allies, our comrades, those =
who know=20
the price that some have to pay for freedom did not have to be asked or=20
prompted, it came from their character and soldiering heart! May God =
bless and=20
watch over all soldiers and their loved ones as they stand in harm's way =
for us!=20
Blessings and Peace! <BR><BR>One more little note to this...Two AM in =
the=20
morning, a single C-17 lands at Ramstein with one patient on board, Pfc. =
Jessica=20
Lynch, and who shows up to escort the ambulance to Landstuhl --over 100 =
German=20
Politzi cars, an entire Germany Army contingency assigned to Ramstein.=20
<BR><BR>Soldier to Soldier, rendering honor and respect! <BR><BR>CH =
(COL) DAVID=20
E.MCLEAN <BR><BR>CHIEF, PASTORAL SERVICES ERMC/LRMC <BR></FONT><FONT =
lang=3D0=20
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