I dont know that i should be posting in this thread.

But i've got a very good friend who is in the Army National Guard. He immediately joined after he finished his tour with the Navy. He was sent for a little over a year to Iraq. He came home for a week or two and we'd get together with the rest of our friends. They would all be in the back garage dancing and drinking and acting stupid. My friend and i would sit on the picnic table and i would just sit there and listen to him talk about what he went through there. Alot of the time i had tears in my eyes as he told me about his unit being ambushed and losing many of his friends. About the times the went into the streets there and did their jobs and what happened. Even about being in the safety of where they lived at the airport. Worrying everday that his safety there was not safe because of missles being shot into their barracks.

I would never speak or ask questions, just let him talk. This happened on a few occasions and out of all of our friends i would be the only one he would talk to about this. He would tell me thank you for listening and always end with a hug and letting him know im happy that hes safe and with us. Then knowing his visit home would soon end and he would be going back to Iraq. I would worry myself sick about him. Knowing the predicaments he was being put in and not knowing if he'd make it out.

Thank god his tour was almost up and they were sent home two weeks early becuase of Katrina hitting here. They all came home to losing everything they've had here. Families missing, not knowing where or what to expect. He told me later on that when they got back home it was alot like still being in a war zone. He has recently been released from active duty and moved to Ontario. He said he needed some peace in his life and to look and share in some beauty. Im sure he has PTSD, but im not forcing anything on him to speak of his time abroad. When he is ready he will talk again. Until then he knows i am here to listen.

Before Iraq, he and i would sit outside on the patio and i'd listen to him go on and on about his weekend adventures. It interested me very much to hear about. I loved hearing my Dad talk about the Korean war.

He's a special friend of mine and I'm so thankful of him for putting his life in the direct line of fire to serve our country. He is my hero, like all of the other men and women who have and still do serve.