pphalan
November 16th, 2005, 8:37 AM
A young Marine said something in such a way it took me to the core of who I am, and the things I tried to explain 30 years ago.
Don't protest for me
By: Pfc. Kaitlyn M. Scarboro
Id #: 2005101413132
MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif.(Oct. 14, 2005) -- As the war continues, I hear stories of deaths in Iraq. In my own solemn way, I mourn the loss of my fellow service members. Then, I read stories of civilians. Not the stories I like to read, the stories about firefighters helping a child out of a well or an old grandmother who won the lottery and instead of keeping it she spent all of the money on yarn to knits afghans for relief societies. No, it is not the courageous, sappy stories I get to read.
Instead, I get to relive the abuse that families of service members receive from political protestors. I read about a mother who was harassed for supporting her son's dreams of joining the military. Continually, I read about a lady who disgraces the memory of her son who died in Iraq. She demeans his efforts during the war by disgracing our president and making a mockery of our military and nation.
I understand her actions. When I hadn't heard from my cousin for months because of his deployment to Iraq, I thought he was dead. I was anxious, angry. I didn't know where to turn to relieve my concern. I blamed others for putting my dear friend in harm's way and keeping my family on edge. My fears went unconfirmed and my best friend returned to the States unharmed, but, nonetheless, I understand the anguish that mother experiences.
I know uncertainty hurts. I live my life by uncertainties (I'm in the military).
I know death is hard to accept and understand. I've experienced great losses is my short life and I, like everyone, have had to overcome them and allow the hole in my heart to stitch itself together.
I know change is difficult after loss. But nothing will result from it without first experiencing personal growth.
This lady spends her time trying to make certain that the children of America are not sent to other nations without reason. In turn, she denounces their choice to serve their country and defend their own rights and freedoms.
During a presidential visit, our buses, full of Marines in uniform, drove by protestors, supporters of this mother, waving signs. They smiled at us and pointed at their signs trying to explain, "We are doing this for you. We are protesting the war and the president so you don't have to risk your life for this country."
I felt violated. I chose this life. I want to fight for my country. I want to risk my life in the perils of another land I have never been to in order to keep my family safe and free. This was my choice. These mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers are trying to protect their loved ones from their volunteered enlistment.
The choice to enlist is optional; as a Marine, recruiters explain everything expected and drill instructors train you to be prepared for anything.
These family members are disputing their own freedoms and rights, their force of protection against those who oppose America because they might be hurt by the loss of a loved one.
In a sense, the protestors are tarnishing the memories of those who fought for their freedoms during wars, past and present.
I think of these families and how much pain they must have experienced in order for them to feel it necessary to go to such extremes. They are dealing with their pain by taking it to the streets and letting other people know about it.
They don't understand what has happened to them. They don't understand that they are prolonging their own pain by fighting against those who protect their right to fight. As long as enlisting is voluntary, their battle is a lost cause.
A picture of my family comes to mind. If I were to get injured or killed during a deployment or even just a training exercise, would they fight the service that I have dedicated myself to? Would they argue that I was tricked in to joining or that I was improperly trained or prepared? Would they try to fight for changes to an honored profession they themselves do not understand because they have not personally experienced it?
My family would never knowingly disgrace my efforts or demean my dreams, but they are human. As humans, we fight what we do not understand until it has been explained or changed to be comprehendible.
So I make a plea to my family and the families of my fellow service members.
Do not make a mockery of my dreams and profession by name-calling my commanders because their actions put me in harm's way. It was my choice to join, my choice to train, and ultimately as a Marine, it will be my choice to fight, until death defies me and I am physically unable to defend myself.
Do not console your pain in blaming others for your loss. Do not misunderstand the loss of my life or some physical trauma to my body, as a waste of my humanity. I may be different in shape or solidity, but it will be from the dedication with which I served my country, Corps and heart's desire.
Educate yourself on what it is I am doing. Know what training I went through and understand why I did it; why I suffered through the pain, the anguish, the yelling, the intensity of boot camp to wear on my chest a small symbol of our great Corps.
Next, realize what I went through, how it affects me emotionally, how it changes me mentally and how it will benefit me professionally. I am trained by the best instructors in the best training environment with the strongest military service in the greatest nation in the world. I am prepared for the events that I will see during my duties. I know how to respond to them, and I know how to protect myself. I am more mature than the person you knew once. I am wiser, I am stronger, I am prouder, more confident - I am a Marine.
Finally, defend me. Defend your child, your sibling, your friend. Do not defend my choice to join the military, my reasons to join the military, the benefits of the job or the branch I serve in. Defend me against those who oppose my choice out of respect for me. Defend me because you know who I am now; you know how I have trained to be and what I have become.
And if I do die or suffer insurmountable injury, defend my memory against your pain. Honor me in protest of your pain. Do not allow yourself to lash out at others for my loss. Do not blame my command for putting me in harm's way.
I plea to my family to respect my memory and honor my life. I am a United States Marine and will be forever more. Nothing can take that away from me - not even the loss of my life. Learn to honor that as I do.
http://www.marines.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/ba9ad962264b143f85256f540065360c/d2817a2a8c4e00068525709a005e93c5?OpenDocument
Marine Corps News> Don't protest for me
Don't protest for me
By: Pfc. Kaitlyn M. Scarboro
Id #: 2005101413132
MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif.(Oct. 14, 2005) -- As the war continues, I hear stories of deaths in Iraq. In my own solemn way, I mourn the loss of my fellow service members. Then, I read stories of civilians. Not the stories I like to read, the stories about firefighters helping a child out of a well or an old grandmother who won the lottery and instead of keeping it she spent all of the money on yarn to knits afghans for relief societies. No, it is not the courageous, sappy stories I get to read.
Instead, I get to relive the abuse that families of service members receive from political protestors. I read about a mother who was harassed for supporting her son's dreams of joining the military. Continually, I read about a lady who disgraces the memory of her son who died in Iraq. She demeans his efforts during the war by disgracing our president and making a mockery of our military and nation.
I understand her actions. When I hadn't heard from my cousin for months because of his deployment to Iraq, I thought he was dead. I was anxious, angry. I didn't know where to turn to relieve my concern. I blamed others for putting my dear friend in harm's way and keeping my family on edge. My fears went unconfirmed and my best friend returned to the States unharmed, but, nonetheless, I understand the anguish that mother experiences.
I know uncertainty hurts. I live my life by uncertainties (I'm in the military).
I know death is hard to accept and understand. I've experienced great losses is my short life and I, like everyone, have had to overcome them and allow the hole in my heart to stitch itself together.
I know change is difficult after loss. But nothing will result from it without first experiencing personal growth.
This lady spends her time trying to make certain that the children of America are not sent to other nations without reason. In turn, she denounces their choice to serve their country and defend their own rights and freedoms.
During a presidential visit, our buses, full of Marines in uniform, drove by protestors, supporters of this mother, waving signs. They smiled at us and pointed at their signs trying to explain, "We are doing this for you. We are protesting the war and the president so you don't have to risk your life for this country."
I felt violated. I chose this life. I want to fight for my country. I want to risk my life in the perils of another land I have never been to in order to keep my family safe and free. This was my choice. These mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers are trying to protect their loved ones from their volunteered enlistment.
The choice to enlist is optional; as a Marine, recruiters explain everything expected and drill instructors train you to be prepared for anything.
These family members are disputing their own freedoms and rights, their force of protection against those who oppose America because they might be hurt by the loss of a loved one.
In a sense, the protestors are tarnishing the memories of those who fought for their freedoms during wars, past and present.
I think of these families and how much pain they must have experienced in order for them to feel it necessary to go to such extremes. They are dealing with their pain by taking it to the streets and letting other people know about it.
They don't understand what has happened to them. They don't understand that they are prolonging their own pain by fighting against those who protect their right to fight. As long as enlisting is voluntary, their battle is a lost cause.
A picture of my family comes to mind. If I were to get injured or killed during a deployment or even just a training exercise, would they fight the service that I have dedicated myself to? Would they argue that I was tricked in to joining or that I was improperly trained or prepared? Would they try to fight for changes to an honored profession they themselves do not understand because they have not personally experienced it?
My family would never knowingly disgrace my efforts or demean my dreams, but they are human. As humans, we fight what we do not understand until it has been explained or changed to be comprehendible.
So I make a plea to my family and the families of my fellow service members.
Do not make a mockery of my dreams and profession by name-calling my commanders because their actions put me in harm's way. It was my choice to join, my choice to train, and ultimately as a Marine, it will be my choice to fight, until death defies me and I am physically unable to defend myself.
Do not console your pain in blaming others for your loss. Do not misunderstand the loss of my life or some physical trauma to my body, as a waste of my humanity. I may be different in shape or solidity, but it will be from the dedication with which I served my country, Corps and heart's desire.
Educate yourself on what it is I am doing. Know what training I went through and understand why I did it; why I suffered through the pain, the anguish, the yelling, the intensity of boot camp to wear on my chest a small symbol of our great Corps.
Next, realize what I went through, how it affects me emotionally, how it changes me mentally and how it will benefit me professionally. I am trained by the best instructors in the best training environment with the strongest military service in the greatest nation in the world. I am prepared for the events that I will see during my duties. I know how to respond to them, and I know how to protect myself. I am more mature than the person you knew once. I am wiser, I am stronger, I am prouder, more confident - I am a Marine.
Finally, defend me. Defend your child, your sibling, your friend. Do not defend my choice to join the military, my reasons to join the military, the benefits of the job or the branch I serve in. Defend me against those who oppose my choice out of respect for me. Defend me because you know who I am now; you know how I have trained to be and what I have become.
And if I do die or suffer insurmountable injury, defend my memory against your pain. Honor me in protest of your pain. Do not allow yourself to lash out at others for my loss. Do not blame my command for putting me in harm's way.
I plea to my family to respect my memory and honor my life. I am a United States Marine and will be forever more. Nothing can take that away from me - not even the loss of my life. Learn to honor that as I do.
http://www.marines.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/ba9ad962264b143f85256f540065360c/d2817a2a8c4e00068525709a005e93c5?OpenDocument
Marine Corps News> Don't protest for me