Monday, October 04, 2004
SAME PLACE...DIFFERENT TIME...
A small detour before I pick up where I left off on my continuing blog story. It struck me odd that yesterday (Sunday) we were at Fort Leonard Wood again. Rocky’s grandson from California is there, training on heavy equipment before he is shipped out to either Germany or Japan. He is the middle child of Rocky’s youngest daughter and husband who live in CA. They have two other children, a grown son and a daughter in high school. Since his immediate family has been so far away for the time he’s been in service, we thought a little “family time” might be in order.
We called Rocky’s other daughter to see if she and her family could go with us. It’s a long drive to our town from Neosho but they arrived in good time and we loaded up the mini-van and headed for the Fort. With security so tight now the gates and guards are in place again. When we arrived at the building to meet Zach, he was waiting out front in his camouflage, fatigue uniform.
The difference from our last meeting was amazing. He arrived there a few weeks ago with a bad summer cold and was pretty miserable. His mother had driven from CA. to the Fort, alone, determined to see him when he arrived from Boot Camp in Texas. We drove up to meet them both and had a good day. Of course, his mother is back in CA. now. He looked very “military” and we were exceedingly proud of him. Good for Zach.
Yesterday we drove around the Fort to show everyone how large it is and where the main buildings were. The hospital is still the sentinel of the area…..it can be seen from any where on Base. Having written about our ordeal in (1980) this past week in my blog it was certainly a step back in time for me. On the way home after dropping Zach off at his building, we drove south past the airport, where my story will pick up again tomorrow.
I am a person who is constantly amazed at “timing.” What are the odds I would be writing a story of our hospital stay in Fort Leonard Wood, and leaving on a Med-Evac….at the precise time I was back on Base yesterday visiting Rocky’s grandson? As we drove past the airport, I could almost hear the engines idling as we boarded that day….and see the stretchers being loaded on the plane, with personnel aptly getting each patient strapped in for flight.
The respect and honor paid to these old veterans who were now in the hands of young medics was very touching. They handled them as a mother would care for a child ……..though generations and wars apart, there was a bond that sealed them together. Their years and loyalty had been spent on the same country they loved.
Zach and his generation are far away from WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, and all the other wars where these old guys fought and spent much of their youth…but soldiering will go on from generation to generation….and only a veteran knows how precious freedom is. He has seen it all….and too often, he has done it all.
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
We called Rocky’s other daughter to see if she and her family could go with us. It’s a long drive to our town from Neosho but they arrived in good time and we loaded up the mini-van and headed for the Fort. With security so tight now the gates and guards are in place again. When we arrived at the building to meet Zach, he was waiting out front in his camouflage, fatigue uniform.
The difference from our last meeting was amazing. He arrived there a few weeks ago with a bad summer cold and was pretty miserable. His mother had driven from CA. to the Fort, alone, determined to see him when he arrived from Boot Camp in Texas. We drove up to meet them both and had a good day. Of course, his mother is back in CA. now. He looked very “military” and we were exceedingly proud of him. Good for Zach.
Yesterday we drove around the Fort to show everyone how large it is and where the main buildings were. The hospital is still the sentinel of the area…..it can be seen from any where on Base. Having written about our ordeal in (1980) this past week in my blog it was certainly a step back in time for me. On the way home after dropping Zach off at his building, we drove south past the airport, where my story will pick up again tomorrow.
I am a person who is constantly amazed at “timing.” What are the odds I would be writing a story of our hospital stay in Fort Leonard Wood, and leaving on a Med-Evac….at the precise time I was back on Base yesterday visiting Rocky’s grandson? As we drove past the airport, I could almost hear the engines idling as we boarded that day….and see the stretchers being loaded on the plane, with personnel aptly getting each patient strapped in for flight.
The respect and honor paid to these old veterans who were now in the hands of young medics was very touching. They handled them as a mother would care for a child ……..though generations and wars apart, there was a bond that sealed them together. Their years and loyalty had been spent on the same country they loved.
Zach and his generation are far away from WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, and all the other wars where these old guys fought and spent much of their youth…but soldiering will go on from generation to generation….and only a veteran knows how precious freedom is. He has seen it all….and too often, he has done it all.
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
