A letter from a KD soldier

kddani · #1 03-27-2003, 08:02 PM

The following is a letter sent by a KD who herself and her husband are currently serving our country, Heidi Stephens. She is from our Sigma Tau Chapter at Washington State University. This was passed on to me and other KDs by a chapter sister of Heidi's:

Family and Friends here are some of my thoughts...
I, being a soldier and "serving" in this war with my husband ever
more serving in this war, I ask that you do pass this along. Please pray for the soldiers, the POWs, and their friends and families.
Being over here and so close to what is really happening has put things into perspective for me. I am living in substandard living conditions. I have taken a shower 6 times in the last month. As I spend the 3rd month of my marriage to my wonderful husband one country separating us I ask of you
to keep praying. If you know a soldier pray for him or her by name
asking that God bless them with peace and that they are doing well.
Everyone here is on edge and all our nerves are exposed. So please pray that we can be so blessed and we just drive on and share God's love and peace.
I sit here and watch TV and see all these protests and Hollywood Producers and movie stars and teens and many others fighting against us. I know that they believe what they are doing is in favor of us soldiers but as we sit here in harms way FARTHER away from our lives and families than any of them could ever imagine we are growing more and more angry with these
protesters.
The right that they have to protest is defended by servicemembers giving up their rights, freedom, and unfortunately their lives. However they are "giving up" their lives. Nobody I know likes war. Not one of us over here.
However, we choose by raising our right hand to defend our country. Right now we are defending the world and for some reason nobody knows this. I heard on CNN that the guy who one the award the other night said (I paraphrase) That president Bush is sending "us" to fight this war.
However, this guy who is sitting on his academy award and millions of dollars has NOTHING to do with this war. He has no idea what it is like to get married and then within weeks be ripped apart from his spouse who is closer to battle than you wnat to think about and you are closer to battle than he wants to imagine. He has no idea what it is like to not have a hot meal in over 30 days. He has no idea what it is like to live in a
warehouse with no heat, lights amongst th e rats, birds and fungus growing on the walls. No he goes home to the
comfort of his home every night.
Us soldiers we knew what we were getting into. We don't need some millionaires or teenagers to try to get us out of
this. WE decided to defend our country. We didn't ask for your
help to get us out of this. WE don't need your help. WE are fully ready for anything that comes our way. We can carry more weight on our backs, freezing (or sweating) in the rain or sand. WE can move out and drive on working 7 days a week getting 4-5 hours of sleep and we can do this for the very rights all
the protesters take for granted. I sit here in the combat zone, i
sit here ready to defend and take offensive stance. To defend all the world from Terror. Remember September 11th. That is what we are fighting against.
The ones who don't know better claim we are here for OIL. Get
smart. Think about us, who are ready and willing to give up our lives. Service members don't lose their lives, we give them up for the rest of you americans who aren't supporting us but are protesting against us. We see you! WE see you all the way over here on CNN, just like you see us on CNN. I ask that you stop
protesting and start supporting us. Don't protest this war.
Support the troops. WE are not in here to kill innocent people, we are here to fight for what is right. If we can remember back to Sept 10th. There was no conflict, that is our goal. WE dont want our countrymen running out and getting tarps and bottled water so that they can survive if America is attacked, we need to eliminate the terrorists! WE are doing this for you!
Our President knows what he is doing. He also is a Christian and seeks the Lord for advice. Millions of people pray for him daily. I suggest instead of protesting, lets pray for our leaders, our troops and their family members.
One more point. Peace doesn't mean that there is no war. Peace is when we are not afraid to go to the shopping center. Peace is when there is no terror. For us to have Peace we MUST ELIMINATE the terrorists! So keep raising your fingers in peace, because that is what we are going to accomplish. People will die in this fight for peace, that is the way it works. However, we are defending the peace you long for! So Please allow us to work for peace and stop protesting. It really is a hard pill to swallow to see so many of you against this war.
In Gods Love I write this from one Combat Zone thousands of miles away from my husband in another combat zone. TAke the time to pray. Pray for us, our leaders, our country, our world, and for peace! God Bless all of you. Please pass this on so others know how a soldier feels.

Heidi Stephens
Captain, US ARMY

IowaHawkeye · #2 03-27-2003, 08:24 PM

While that was a great letter, and I do pray for the soldiers, their families, and for peace - I don't think anyone in a state founded on the very principles theyre trying to secure for the Iraqi people, should ask people to stop protesting.

That's just my personal belief, and the beauty in it is, you can disagree with it.

Tom Earp · #3 03-27-2003, 11:34 PM

kddani, this must be very uplifting for the Sisters od KD to ahve one of your own there and contacting you!

Please send all of our best wishes and hopes for a safe return home the the USA!

I know it must be hard for her to be there with all that is going on.

I know I have freinds and customers who were activated who are either there or on their way.

God Bless each and everyone of them!!!!

Hootie · #4 03-28-2003, 02:02 AM

I liked that letter so much I'm going to start emailing it. Why? Because I was just saying tonight how I'm sick of people protesting the war (that's their choice and this is mine). I'm sick of people being anti-war pro peace but not remembering that we are a COUNTRY! We need to support each other and our government and our troops that are sacrificing SO MUCH for our freedom and that simple right to protest either way. You know, if we're not over there now dealing with these terrorists we could be sitting in our homes someday and have a chemical bomb of some sort dropped on us. And then what do we do? Hide behind duct tape and plastic? Watch our family members live in the basement because it's not safe to go outside? Live in fear? Die a slow death because of chemical or biological terror? I think not.
People keep forgetting what we're fighting for. Liberation of Iraq is one goal, but LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE. I recently had someone in my Oral Interpretation class do his poem to footage of September 11th...and that was the first time in a while that I've seen those OH SO MOVING pictures. They were burned in my memory, but seeing them AGAIN reminded me what this whole war is about. So if you were at all moved by what happend on September 11th...if you cried with your family, stood shocked in a corner office or school, sat in line at the gas station...then you know what I'm talking about. These simple steps we're taking over there are in order to prevent a horrid tragedy from EVER happening again.

That's just my .02 cents.
Thanks KDDani

SigkapAlumWSU · #5 03-28-2003, 04:15 AM

kddani - I pm'ed you.

I go to WSU as well, and seeing exactly what an alum is thinking is very moving. We have recenltly been experiencing a number of anti-war protests, to which some of us have responded with pro-war/troop rally's right beside them. It is hard to see a letter like this and know that people from the same school don't even support what she is doing. I wish her a safe tour and a quick journey home.

damasa · #6 03-28-2003, 04:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hootie
I liked that letter so much I'm going to start emailing it. Why? Because I was just saying tonight how I'm sick of people protesting the war (that's their choice and this is mine). I'm sick of people being anti-war pro peace but not remembering that we are a COUNTRY! We need to support each other and our government and our troops that are sacrificing SO MUCH for our freedom and that simple right to protest either way. You know, if we're not over there now dealing with these terrorists we could be sitting in our homes someday and have a chemical bomb of some sort dropped on us. And then what do we do? Hide behind duct tape and plastic? Watch our family members live in the basement because it's not safe to go outside? Live in fear? Die a slow death because of chemical or biological terror? I think not.
People keep forgetting what we're fighting for. Liberation of Iraq is one goal, but LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE. I recently had someone in my Oral Interpretation class do his poem to footage of September 11th...and that was the first time in a while that I've seen those OH SO MOVING pictures. They were burned in my memory, but seeing them AGAIN reminded me what this whole war is about. So if you were at all moved by what happend on September 11th...if you cried with your family, stood shocked in a corner office or school, sat in line at the gas station...then you know what I'm talking about. These simple steps we're taking over there are in order to prevent a horrid tragedy from EVER happening again.

That's just my .02 cents.
Thanks KDDani

We should support our country, troops and government but that doesn't mean that we should agree with everything our government decides. Yes, you can still support the troops but disagree with the Bush admin...hell, I've been doing it since the war began. The people should protest, the people should speak out against what they disagree with - that is what makes this such a great country (IMO). Yes, I believe that America is a great country and at times, almost too great.

About this never happening again....it could very well happen again, considering we are training Iraqi exiles now. Remember, we did train/aid Saddam and look what he did, pull a straight up 180 on us.

"I love my country but fear my country's government."

MoxieGrrl · #7 03-28-2003, 10:56 AM

That was a beautiful letter. Thank you so much for posting it, kddani.

God bless Heidi, her husband, and all of those other brave men & women over there.

fuzzie · #8 03-28-2003, 11:15 AM

Thank you for sharing that letter kddani. In a nutshel, most of the troops are not happy to be at war, but are hurt by the protests because they see them more as personal attacks on what they are doing when they are just following orders. In their minds they know better, but it still hurts them. When I read letters from various soldiers all saying that same thing it really makes my heart sink. I know that I would not want to fight a war, nor would I be able, but I feel safer knowing that they are out there protecting us.

Mindy

damasa · #9 03-28-2003, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hootie
That's what I said. I'm sick of them protesting but I understand they have the freedom to do so. But it's the freedoms that they enjoy so much that our soldiers are fighting for and maybe they should think about that. I didn't say they have to agree with the government...but perhaps support it. I may not agree with everything my friends do but I support them.

But how can people support a government that is sending our men and women to die?! Some of which do not want to fight, but they are being sent to fight and some will not return home. I do not support that. I don't feel that the U.S. should be involved with Iraq. I don't think we should have engaged with that country either.

Many people are sick of the anti-war protestors...but hey, the "pro-war" people are just as bad. Those that do not want to be at war are having the war shoved down their throats daily. And they are being told they should support the war and the troops and bush and the government and ice cream and soda and Mickey Mouse and blah blah blah.....

my random rant of the day....