Elena Davis' Blog

American Heroes

// March 22nd, 2010 // Uncategorized

I was at LAX boarding a flight back to Houston over the weekend. As I was checking in I heard an announcement being made notifying military personnel of a USO room available for their convenience and enjoyment.
The pre-board announcement for Continental flights also invites uniformed military the courtesy of boarding first. I’ve noticed both announcements at a couple of different airports in the recent past and believe them to be relatively new.

Additionally, I’ve had the pleasure of sharing a few flights recently with enlisted Navy and Army service men. I feel an automatic comfort knowing a soldier is on board my same flight. It’s comforting knowing there is someone on board that is trained and willing to sacrifice himself to keep everyone else safe. With the crazy things that have come to pass this is not “a long shot” concern. For many it may forever be a fleeting thought, whilst watching a trusty flight attendant shut and lock the airplane door.

It’s the same comfort that our nation is blessed with every minute of each day whether we think about it or not. These good Americans keep us safe.
Any man or woman who serves or has ever served our country has my immediate respect and gratitude. How can one not respect a person who puts their own well being and life aside for the sake of many?

I come into regular contact with men who were formerly soldiers since having been back on the streets over the past couple of years. Men who patriotically lent their bodies for a tour of duty or two and in some cases unwittingly made a permanent donation of their sanity.

Next to women and children, Veterans make-up a large portion of our American Homeless.

Some are in wheel chairs, some are alcoholics, some suffer from mental illness and some are unable to forgive themselves for the lives they took even though it was a fight for their country. Subsequently, they suffer daily with haunting memories.

Is living a life of homelessness the future of some of the young soldiers actively serving now? Are our young men and woman to return home and live out their lives as forgotten heroes on the streets? Forgotten and hero should never be seen in the same sentence.

I don’t have a “political ax” to grind, this isn’t about politics, it’s about people. It’s about our American people and as far as this particular entry is concerned, it’s about a select group of human beings who already courageously gave of themselves, upfront!
I Am Waters’ mission is to deliver water with words of inspiration and to raise the American homeless up. Too many of our homeless are Veterans.

IAW is dedicated to being a part of delivering something good and beautiful into the hands of the same people who at one time gave of their body, heart and soul to this great country. It is not only an honor, but dare I say, our duty, to do what is right on behalf of these good people.

I’m sure I don’t know what hard work, grief, pain and physical discomfort is like; or having to watch a buddy die. Nor do I know what it is to be separated from ones country and loved ones, not knowing if I would ever see them or be seen again.
I can’t know, I can only listen to the stories and imagine. I can only see and hear shadows of events, I don’t think anyone can understand unless one has lived through it.
What I do know, is that I am fortunate to have been born an American. It is the greatest country in the world, it’s my country and I love and treasure it! And I love and treasure the brave hearts that helped to make our country safe and free.

My hope is that our young service men and woman don’t have the same fate in store as our older Veterans. My hope for them is to be moved to the “front of the line” for the rest of their days. They deserve nothing less.

In closing I would like to give my heart felt thanks to every man and woman who has ever risked their life to serve our great nation. Homeless and not homeless.
And to Corporal Ronald Royce Ryan (my uncle) and the 48 young men who were shot down and died behind enemy lines over Kason, Vietnam while trying to rejoin their units. You are all American heroes!

Peace and Blessings!