True Valor

Ok, my first blog! It comes from strong emotions brought from a recent posting I read on www.nicedoggie.net. I've copied an excerpt from the link to illustrate the following point, that this country's greatness was built from the blood, sweat and tears of men and women such as Maj. Doug Zembiec, USMC.

Maj. Zembiec was killed in Iraq in 2007 but not before forging a respect among his men through his leadership in combat and strength of his character. Before he died, he wrote a letter to the family of his friend that was killed shortly before he himself died. I have copied this letter as I was so struck with the words he spoke. For the full story, go to http://www.nicedoggie.net/2008/?p=1539.

"Major Doug Zembiec was killed in action while leading a raid in Baghdad on May 11th 2007. There is perhaps no greater testament to the type of warrior he was than there was at his funeral.

More than 1,000 mourners, from generals to civilians, packed the Naval Academy Chapel in Annapolis yesterday to honor Maj. Douglas A. Zembiec, who was killed last week outside Baghdad.

Five hours later, after the sound of taps had faded over his coffin at Arlington National Cemetery, came what Zembiec, 34, might have considered the finest tribute of all.
About 40 enlisted men gathered under a tree, telling stories about their former commander. Some had flown in from as far away as California, prompting one officer to observe: Your men have to follow your orders; they don’t have to go to your funeral.

That type of love and devotion was expressed by Maj. Zembiec his self in a letter he wrote to the children of Maj. Ray Medoza, also killed in Iraq. As Maj. Mendoza’s wife, Karen, explained;
“The one letter I knew would explain her daddy the best was the letter from Doug Zembiec. He nailed it. His words still send shivers down my spine, because those are the exact words that I could now tell his daughter, Fallyn, about Doug.”Major Zembiec’s letter;

Dear Kiana and Alek,Ray and I had a conversation late May in 2004 while we were deployed to Iraq. He spoke of why he fought. He fought to give the people of Iraq a chance. He fought to crush those who would terrorize and enslave others. He fought to protect his fellow Marines.The last thing he told me that day was, “I don’t want any of these people (terrorists) telling my kids how to act, or how to dress. I don’t want to worry about the safety of my children.”

Kiana and Alek, your father fought for many things, but always remember, he fought for you.As you fight this battle we call life, you will find your challenges greater, your adversity larger, your enemies more numerous. The beautiful thing is, you will grow stronger, smarter, faster, and you will overcome the obstacles in your way.No one could’ve better prepared you than your father.
In the month and a half your family stayed with me in Laguna Niguel, Calif., while waiting for base housing to open up, I saw how, with the help of your incredible mother, he instilled in you the essentials to life:

# Live with integrity, for without integrity we deceive ourselves, we live in a house of cards.
# Fight for what you believe, for without valor, we lose our freedom.
# Be willing to sacrifice, for anything worthy in life requires sacrifice.
# Be disciplined, for it is discipline that builds the foundation of your success.

You will encounter misguided people in your life who may question America’s attempt to help the people of Iraq and the Middle East. These pathetic windbags, who have nothing so sacred in their lives that they would be willing to fight for it, will argue and debate endlessly on what we should’ve done.While they criticize, they forget the truth, or conveniently overlook the fact that it takes men and women of action, willing to make a sacrifice, to free the enslaved, to advance the cause of freedom.Our great nation was built on the shoulders of men like your father.

While the nay-sayers and cowards hid in the shadows sniveling that nothing was worth dying for, men like your dad carved our liberty away from the English, freed the slaves and kept the Union together, saved Europe from the Germans twice; rescued the Pacific away from the Japanese, defeated communism, and right now, fight terrorism and plant the seeds of democracy in the Middle East.

Your father was a warrior, but being a warrior is not always about fighting. He was patient with those he led, and he understood people make mistakes. He cared about the men he led as if they were his own family. To him, they were. His work ethic was tremendous. But he made time for his family, to enjoy life. He was balanced, at equilibrium. He was an inspiration. He was my friend.

In your future, when you are pushed against a wall, in a tight spot, outnumbered and seemingly overwhelmed, it may be tempting to give up, or even use the absence of your father as a crutch, as an excuse for failure.Don’t. Your father’s passing, while tragic, serves as an endless source of your empowerment. Your father would not want you to wallow in self-pity. I know you will honor him by living your life in the positive example he set. Respect and remember him. Drive on with your lives. Serve something greater than yourself. Enjoy all the good things that life has to offer. That is what he would want.

Kiana! I have never met a more capable young lady in my life. You are the most well-read, articulate, disciplined young person I know. Often I tell people of the arm-bar you demonstrated on me in your parents’ garage. When you become a worldwide Judo champion, I will say with great pride, “that woman nearly torqued my shoulder out when she was 11 years old!”If my daughter grows up with a quarter of the strength of your principles, determination and intelligence, she will be an incredible human being. Like your mother, you are a beautiful woman, a fact of which you should be proud.

Alek! You are blessed with your father’s strength of character and his unbreakable will and his broad shoulders. Your mother gave you her determination and unwavering mental toughness.Your mother told me the story of you hanging up the sign, “Be a leader, not a follower.” My eyes well up every time that I think of you doing that. My eyes fill not with tears of sadness, but of pride, to know you grasped the mindset your father passed on to you. This mindset will allow you to be a leader and protector like your father, and one day, to raise an upright, solid-as-a-rock family of your own.When I look in your eyes, I see your father. Courageous, determined and resolute, your father embodied all that is virtuous in a warrior. Even now, you strive to embody his same character. Remember, there will never be any pressure for you to be exactly like your father. Be your own man, but build your character in his image.

Many people may be concerned about your future because of the early passing of your father. I don’t worry at all. Your dad gave you all you ever need to become a great woman and a great man. I know your father would have told you to be your own hero/heroine. Don’t wait for someone to rise up and lead you to victory, to your goals. If you do, you might wait for a very long time.

Ray died as a warrior, sword in hand, in service of his country, his comrades and you, his loved ones. His spirit and example give us all hope, reaffirms our faith. Your father reminds us there are men willing to fight for people that they don’t even know so that all may live in peace.I joined the Corps to serve beside men like your father. There is no other Marine I’d rather have protecting my flank in combat than your dad. Even now, as I write this letter in Iraq, I will honor him on the field of battle by slaying as many of our enemies as possible, and fight until our mission is accomplished.

You will always be in our lives. Please stay in touch. We will always be in your corner for assistance, advice or just conversation. Pam and I plan to retire in Idaho and would love for you to visit us so we can take you white-water rafting and mountain climbing.
Very Respectfully,
Doug

While Maj. Zembiec may not be there in person for Kiana or Alek, or his own daughter Fallyn, his eloquent and moving words will be; as will be his inspiration to his Marines, and to our nation."

My grandfather fought against the Japanese in WWII in the Pacific theater aboard a light cruiser, the USS Vicksburg. My uncle has served in the US Navy as a pilot for many years. My brother-in-law and close friend have both served in Iraq. When I see their dedication to this country with such devotion as to risk life and limb, I am reminded that these things I cherish every day were/are perserved by their service.

While the leadership of this country over its short lifespan has made some questionable decisions throughout history, it in no way should cast a pall over the greater good we citizens stand for or what our Founding Fathers believed in. When I hear people saying that we should be more like Europeans or that they are ashamed that they are Americans, I cringe. While they are free to express themselves, the irony is lost on them. Thank God we are not like Europe. Thank God that we have a free market, strong economy and industrious people. For without what Americans have been able to accomplish free from the shackles of tyranny, communism, etc, the rest of the world would not benefit.

Those naysayers that wish to see our country, economy, etc..knocked down a notch just to see us not so great as before have no grasp on how important our success and strength is to the rest of the world. It's not arrogant, but economic reality. When we prosper, our wealth, our innovation, our benevolence reaches out across oceans and cultures.

Major Zembiec gets it. My grandfather got it. My brother-in-law and friend both get it. Thankfully those that remain clueless aren't the ones doing the sacrifice.

While I never met you Major Zembiec, thank you for what you stand for, even in your passing. May we all glean at bit of your courage and faith to be unapologetically American and to embody all that it stands for.