SARASOTA – Wearing a T-shirt that read “My Dad is a Hero,” 3-year-old Alexander “Beans” Hernandez tried to sit still, as one speaker after another praised the courage of the National Guard soldiers standing in formation in the center of the room. But with his father only 10 feet away, Beans finally burst out of his chair and gave Master Sgt. Jose Hernandez a hug before family members whispered and motioned for the little boy to return.
Alicia Potts of Orlando gets a heartfelt hug from her nephew, Hunter Francis, 6, during the deployment ceremony. The group of 24 guardsmen will be leaving for Afghanistan, where they will be running radar to keep an eye on American fighter jets and aircraft in the region.
Buy photoNo one in uniform seemed to mind as they greeted with smiles the unscheduled and tender moment Saturday in what was a ceremony filled with pride and solemnity.
I’ve often wondered where do we get such men and women, the people who give up their daily lives, too often their full lives, to travel to far away distant lands, to surround themselves by hateful, barbaric humans, and to do it all for a country that too often ignores them-or worse, uses them as partisan political pawns to boost votes one way or the other. The better query isn’t, “Where do we get such men and women?” No, the better question is,
“Where do we get such loving children?”
Godspeed to those headed into harm’s way, and to those headed home.
They are not Ivy League schooled. They are not Entitled. They like their Constitution Original Recipe, the Bill of Rights as written, have no visions of re-shaping America, Love their Country and are willing to take up arms to fight for it. They have traditional values that were taught at home, have homes and family to protect, pay their bills and taxes and know that if someone does not volunteer, it all can go away in the blink of an eye.
Rights, Responsibilities, Freedom and Liberties are treasured and passed on with the obligation to face hardship, shed blood if necessary to defend that legacy for the next generation. They never had a day in their lives when they were not proud to be Americans. They are Patriots, Mothers, Fathers, Sons, Daughters, Brothers, Sisters and Love their Country. There are not enough of them these days but the few of them make a difference. God Bless them!
AMEN Old Trooper
Well Said and God Bless
I wonder why they call the kid “beans?”
Toot toot?
Great photo find, Scott!
Reminds me of this.
Riddick is among 180 soldiers who left after the ceremony for a year of deployment in Iraq. The unit will be responsible for training, mentoring, and coaching Iraqi Police.
(John Tlumacki/Globe staff)
(John Tlumacki/Globe staff)
john Cross, Mankato (Minn.) Free Press, via AP
Also reminds me of this:
taken from the highly acclaimed tribute to our troops “Until Then:”
Which reminds me, we haven’t heard much from Iraq in quite some time. I guess we won. I wonder how long it will be before Obama takes the credit?
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“Where do we get such loving children?”
From loving Moms who are also loving wives.
“They also serve,
who stay and wait”.
That would be hard on a little kid.
i could not find the date andi will say to SCOTT,it is today 5th aprril 2010 same emotional tears than yesterday and will again draw tears tomorrows,thank you for bringing thoses back