To Our Soldiers

Although we can enjoy this Christmas in the comforts of home, surrounded by good things and the ones we love, we cannot and should not forget those who have placed themselves between us and those who would destroy us. Honor the living, remember the fallen.

#1
Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone,
In a one bedroom house made of plaster & stone.
I had come down the chimney with presents to give
And to see just who in this home did live.

I looked all about a strange sight I did see,
No tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.
No stocking by the fire, just boots filled with sand,
On the wall hung pictures of far distant lands.

With medals and badges, awards of all kind
A sober thought came through my mind.
For this house was different, so dark and dreary,
I knew I had found the home of a soldier, once I could see clearly.

I heard stories about them, I had to see more
So I walked down the hall and pushed open the door.
And there he lay sleeping silent alone,
Curled up on the floor in his one bedroom home.

His face so gentle, his room in such disorder,
Not how I pictured a United States soldier.
Was this the hero of whom I’d just read?
Curled up in his poncho, a floor for his bed?

His head was clean shaven, his weathered face tan,
I soon understood this was more than a man.
For I realized the families that I saw that night
Owed their lives to these men who were willing to fight.

Soon ‘round the world, the children would play,
And grownups would celebrate on a bright Christmas day.
They all enjoyed freedom each month of the year,
Because of soldiers like this one lying here.

I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone
On a cold Christmas Eve in a land far from home.
Just the very thought brought a tear to my eye,
I dropped to my knees and started to cry.

The soldier awakened and I heard a rough voice,
"Santa don’t cry, this life is my choice;
I fight for freedom, I don’t ask for more,
my life is my God, my country, my Corps."

With that he rolled over and drifted off into sleep,
I couldn’t control it, I continued to weep.
I watched him for hours, so silent and still,
I noticed he shivered from the cold night’s chill.

So I took off my jacket, the one made of red,
And I covered this Soldier from his toes to his head.
And I put on his T-shirt of gray and black,
With an eagle and an Army patch embroidered on back.

And although it barely fit me, I began to swell with pride,
And for a shining moment, I was United States Army deep inside.
I didn’t want to leave him on that cold dark night,
This guardian of honor so willing to fight.

Then the soldier rolled over, whispered with a voice so clean and pure,
"Carry on Santa, it’s Christmas Day, all is secure."
One look at my watch, and I knew he was right,
Merry Christmas my friend, and to all a good night!

-US Army Major Lovely


#2

Belleau Wood

Oh, the snowflakes fell in silence
over Belleau Wood that night
For a Christmas truce had been declared

By both sides of the fight
As we lay there in our trenches
The silence broke in two
By a German soldier singing
A song that we all knew

Though I did not know the language
The song was "Silent Night"
Then I heard my buddy whisper,
"All is calm and all is bright"
Then the fear and doubt surrounded me
"Cause I'd die if I was wrong
But I stood up in my trench And

I began to sing along

Then across the frozen battlefield
Anothers voice joined in
Until one by one each man became
A singer of the hymn

Then I thought that I was dreaming
For right there in my sight
Stood the German soldier
'Neath the falling flakes of white
And he raised his hand and smiled at me
As if he seemed to say
Here's hoping we both live
To see us find a better way

Then the devil's clock struck midnight
And the skies lit up again
And the battlefield where heaven stood
Was blown to hell again

But for just one fleeting moment
The answer seemed so clear
Heaven's not beyond the clouds
It's just beyond the fear

No, heaven's not beyond the clouds
It's for us to find it here

#3

The Corpsman's Christmas Poem
"'Twas the night before Christmas as I flew o'er the Marine Base, when I spied a young man who seemed out of place. His eyes showed compassion, his hair a bit long, but his head was held high and his body was strong.

His air was confident, his uniform smart, but what impressed me most was the size of his heart. For he embodied honor, one of this country's best, and the words U.S. NAVY showed large on his chest.

As I stood there in wonder and gazed into his eyes, the words that he spoke took me quite by surprise. "What's wrong Santa, haven't you ever seen a sailor before?" I sensed something special and longed to know more.

"To be honest, this field thing wasn't part of my plan, but God didn't give me a boat or tin can." The words he spoke next surprised me all the more, "But I'm as proud of my Navy as I am of the Corps!"

"Don't worry Santa, that I'm a sailor you see, for when a Marine goes down they will still call on me. They'll forget I'm a sailor, they'll call in my stock. At the top of their lungs they'll yell ,"Get me the doc!"

"And I'll answer that call, anytime, anywhere. Though I know I'm a target I really don't care. I'll face incoming fire as I race cross the land, and use my very own body to shield a downed man."

"Working long hours and into the night, my unit's battle is over, but I'm just starting to fight. For the life of every Marine is sacred to me. I refuse to surrender them to death, and in that I'll find victory."

"And yet I'll take the time to comfort a dying man, to sit down by his side, to reach out and hold his hand. For it takes as much courage to care as to fight. For just as the poem says, many don't "go gently into that night."

"Santa, it's not any one uniform that makes you a man, but rather it's those ideals for which you choose to stand. I draw my line here, it's long and it's plain. For pain, hurt and suffering are the things I disdain."

I know very well that I may lose my life, so that a Marine may see an unmet child and young wife. So Santa, it really doesn't matter if they don't like my hair. I'm a Navy Corpsman, their Doc, and I'll always be there."

"I follow the brave docs who have come long before, from Belleau Wood, Iwo, and Lebanon's shore. As history proudly shows, they all gave their best, and for those who have died, surely they're blessed."

"At Inchon, the gulf and times during Tet, our brothers have fallen, but we carry on yet. For we carry their honor and legacy still." As I held back my tears it took all of my will.

I had to leave him there for I had other plans, but I knew in my heart that the Corps is in good hands. As I flew away I heard his laughter, it rang so loud and clear. "Hey Santa, how 'bout a nice pair of boots for the 26 miler next year?"

HMC(FMF/SW) Mark Forsberg
2/3 UDP, Okinawa, December 1997


#4

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, a nd it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down you! r pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at ho me on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."

"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own s on in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

Why Santa Does Not Exist

A Goodbye

I sent this to many of you on Saturday, but I know I don't have everyone's email so I am posting it here as well.

_____________________________________________________________

My Dear Friends,

I have put off this letter for several weeks in hopes that the bittersweet task which it entails would become easier. However, it cannot be delayed any longer. A few of you perhaps already expected this but to most it will be a surprise. To be honest, I can hardly believe it myself. I will not be returning to Patrick Henry College in the Spring of 2007. Finals this past week completed my time in the wonderful world of Distance Learning and I will not be joining many of you on campus.

Several circumstances have led me to this decision and I believe that God has and will bless it. Since enrolling in Patrick Henry, it has been my intention to join the armed forces upon graduation. I know that this is where the Lord is directing me and I have endeavored to pursue it diligently. Most of you know that while taking DL courses, I have also been enrolled in the Army ROTC battalion at the University of Houston. During my first semester in ROTC, my military science instructor made frequent inquiries regarding my school status and tried to convince me to transfer to UH. My standard response was that the University of Houston was really one of the last schools that I wanted to attend. The ROTC department offered a full scholarship but I still told them that I was not interested. Over this past semester, I began to see things a little differently. God began to work through me and my parents to encourage me to check out the possibilities with the University of Houston. My family has wanted me close to home for quite some time since after graduation, I will, for all practical purposes, leave home for good in order to do the stuff the soldiers do. Despite all this, I still did not want to attend UH, however, I decided to apply as a transfer student, even though I was certain it would not work out.

Some of you who have checked out other schools probably know how difficult it is to find a school that will accept transcripts from non-accredited institutions. I did not expect any of my PHC credits to transfer and I was not about to lose two years of hard work. When I met with the UH admissions counselor she was somewhat optimistic but made no promises. Upon a superficial look at my transcript she thought that a few courses might be accepted. Of course, if I was going to transfer to UH, they were going to have to do better than “a few courses.” I submitted the transcript for formal evaluation and waited, and waited, and waited. After twice the usual amount of time, I received the evaluator’s report – all of my credit hours were transferable! During this whole time, I also proceeded to take the Army physical evaluation which is required in order to enter the military. As I suspected, I was judged to be medically disqualified for service due to a very mild case of psoriasis (a topical skin disorder). Pursuant to protocol, I submitted a request for a medical waiver. Normally these requests take a significant amount of time to process yet mine was approved within a week. By this time, I was beginning to see how the Lord was working not only within the transfer processes, but within me to allow me to see some of the positive aspects of staying in Houston. The last little aspect of the story is in regard to that Army scholarship that the school had been “bribing” me with all along. After my waiver was approved, we were not very optimistic that there would be a scholarship available to start in the spring. Normally, the scholarships for my classification start every fall. Spring scholarships are usually reserved for students coming to school from a national guard or army reserve unit. On top of that, with a war that is costing around a billion dollars a week, the budget for Cadet Command (which provides scholarships) has been drastically reduced and the middle of the operating year is not the best time to try to find money. That said, I did not expect a scholarship to start until the fall, which was a concern since UH is even more expensive than PHC DL. However, the operations officer recently informed me that Cadet Command has the money and has approved my two year scholarship.

With the start of the spring semester, I will be pursuing a history degree with the University of Houston and I will be specializing in Middle Eastern history as I take Arabic language classes... all 100% paid for by the US Army. I never thought I would be at the University of Houston. When I started PHC, I never expected to even look for another school. As I said before, the transfer is very bittersweet. UH has some advantages, but one thing that it does not have is the incredible student body that I have grown to love at PHC. Who could have ever thought that we could build such great friendships through distance learning courses? I honestly don’t think any other DL program has seen that. There are so many of you that I looked forward to meeting in person on campus. I hope and pray that life’s journey will bring us into contact one day. Kyle, I guess the swordplay will have to wait. Corrie (Cap), I still credit you with my passing grades in philosophy J. Ryan, tell the GMU recruiters that somebody else got me Ashton, you are going to have WAAAY too much fun on campus, man! Luke and Jordan, I wish ya’ll God’s richest blessings in you future life together. Brooke, I regret that I will not be able to help integrate that special brand of southern culture on campus but I trust you will manage admirably… and if I ever get stuck with a tough logic problem, I’ll give you a call J. Sarah, keep up the great… ummm…. fish faces J. Daniel, Jessica, Abby, Paulette, Michelle, Juli, Raija, Jonathan, Elizabeth, Josh, Matt, Holly, Carmen, Lauren, Colin (and many whose names just don’t come to mind in a brain recovering from finals) – all of you have meant a great deal to me and I will never forget the fun we’ve had and the grades we have struggled for. Mr. Shipe, words just do not express what every DL student owes you. You are one of the great heroes of PHC, always appearing to salvage a missing test or create a new discussion forum. Dr. Spinney, I wish that I could take that last world history course with you. Your lectures are incredible and I think the discussion in your classes was the best in the world of DL. Dr. Mitchell, I believe that all the students would agree that your courses are some of the toughest. You have an ability to make us think until our heads literally hurt but we really do feel better about it afterwards. And contrary to my opinion during the first half of your philosophy course, you do have a hilarious sense of humor.

So I say my goodbyes for now. I fully intend to stay in touch with as many of you as I possibly can. Feel free to email me or give me a call anytime. If you are ever in the Houston area, don’t hesitate to drop by and we’ll grab Starbucks (*Brooke is checking her calendar).

While I am beginning an entirely new and somewhat uncertain chapter in life, I will always look back on the PHC DL days with the fondest memories of the experiences I had and the wonderful people I met. May God our Father bless you and keep you, and may His love and grace always abide with you. Until we meet again…

Your Brother in Christ,

Andrew Campbell

Fall FTX

Got back last night from our ROTC fall FTX (Field Training Exercise). We did about 16 hours of land navigation which my team and I did pretty well on. The Leadership Reaction Course is basically a problem solving, team building exercise that puts you in various situations with certain allowances and limitations and requires you to accomplish a specific mission. There is usually only one or two methods which will actually succeed and it requires a lot of communication and teamwork. Fun stuff. We also did Squad Tactical Exercises (STX Lanes) on recon, knocking out a bunker, and movement to contact. The battle drills are always fun to do. Saturday night it got pretty cold and we had to do our patrol base ops which meant sleeping in the woods rather than the billets. Actually, I was rather warm enveloped in my polypro and sleeping bag. I had the first guard duty slot from 2300-2330 (11 to 11:30pm) so theoretically I should have still had a nice snooze, however, as my luck would have it, somebody woke me up around 3am cuz he thought I was someone else. Grrrrrr! Anywayz, I stayed warm until they woke us up around 4:30 and we had to pull 100% security for about 45 minutes... outside of my warm sleeping bag It was all good though. Lots of fun. The last Land Nav course was a 4 hour course with 7 points. My team got all 7 points perfectly in an hour and finished before anyone else. *Pats himself on back It was good training and lots of fun.

Record PT test is one week from today and the open book ROTC final is next Wednesday.