Well after 15 months in the Army I'm getting ready to go to war. I can honestly say that I have no idea where the time went.I got out of AIT in March and the first day I was at my unit I left for a training exercise out in the New Mexico desert. When we got back we had a sit-down with our Battalion Sergeant Major and he told us that before we know it we would be in Afghanistan "blasting hajis and pinging motherf-" Well just know he's a man of strong language and ideals. At the time it seemed like a long ways off since we still had 9 months to go, but after 2 more field exercises and countless hours of doing stuff that made me hate the Army, we're finally getting ready to go.
Not a lot has happened recently that is really worth talking about, or would be funny, and unless it's funny I really don't ever think it's worth talking about.
Anyway, I just wrote this so that I could tell people I like them. I never really tell people that I appreciate them. There are a lot of really great people in my life that mad it a whole lot better, I just wish I'd told them more often, not that I plan on dying, because I can totally just tell them later, but that's just something that I've been thinking about lately. People need to talk more, let one another know that they're worth a damn. So if I send you some long passionate message about how much I love you, that's why.
Oh, and Winnie the Pooh is a timeless classic and can describe every emotional latitude that ever existed, so I added that.
All in all I hope that didn't sound sappy, but I really do like people.
Thank you for your service. RIP brave soldier. Your sacrifice will not be forgotten. My thoughts and prayers are with your family.
ReplyDeleteMay 20, 2013
ReplyDeleteLes Patterson’s Monday Morning Boost:
“A Taste of Whiskey”
“So I’m going to war next week.” That’s how Private Cody Towse started out his last post on his blog “A Taste of Whiskey.” He wrote that in December of last year. It turned out to be his final posting. Cody was a Utah soldier who was killed this past week in Afghanistan. He was 21.
Cody Towse joined the Army in 2011. He originally wanted to join the Navy, perhaps wanting to follow in his father’s footsteps, a Navy veteran. But when Cody went to the recruiting station for a scheduled meeting, the Navy recruiter was not in. So “walking it alone,” as he would describe in another blog post, “realiz(ing) that no matter what you do, you’re going to do it alone,” Cody walked next door and joined the Army.
Cody didn’t frequently update his “Taste of Whiskey” blog, but when he did, it seemed easy to get a taste of who Cody was and what he thought. On March 22, 2011 Cody described his long at day at MEPS, the Military Entrance Processing Station:
I remember peeing in a cup. being taught how to ‘correctly’ check a box on a form, getting a reasonably invasive physical exam, exercising in my underwear with five other recruits, and becoming pretty apprehensive about the fact that a couple of the guys in there were probably someday going to end up handling weapons that can wipe out small countries. … By then of course I had mastered the ability to hurry up and wait.
The Army classifies their jobs as Military Occupational Specialties, commonly called MOS. Cody chose combat medic with the MOS code 63W, which is always phonetically pronounced “63-Whiskey.” Cody was fulfilling his duty as a combat medic, rendering aid to another soldier who had just been wounded, when a secondary explosion killed him and three others. The explosion was so massive, Cody was officially listed as “missing in action” for four days until they could positively identify his remains.
In his final post about “going to war,” Cody did what many others have also done when headed to war and wrote what has now become his “last letter home.”
Anyway, I just wrote this so that I could tell people I like them. I never really tell people that I appreciate them. There are a lot of really great people in my life that mad[e] it a whole lot better, I just wish I'd told them more often, not that I plan on dying, because I can totally just tell them later, but that's just something that I've been thinking about lately. People need to talk more… So if I send you some long passionate message about how much I love you, that's why.
Cody also left a heart-touching quote from Winnie the Pooh in his final post: “If there ever comes a day when we can’t be together… keep me in your heart, I’ll stay there forever.”
Have a great Monday. Thanks for letting me share.
Les Patterson
p.s. Take 15 minutes today and remember Cody by reading his blog: www.tasteofwhiskey.blogspot.com
Les Patterson loves to share stories and the “Monday Morning Boost” is his way of sharing a story or two with family, friends, and clients. Les believes every person, business and organization has a story worth sharing. Since 1997 he has enjoyed finding compelling ways to share those stories through writing and producing radio commercials at the Cache Valley Media Group. Discover how he can help tell your story at www.CacheValleyMediaGroup.com. If at any point you would rather not receive the Monday Morning Boost, please reply with UNSUBSCRIBE and your email will be removed. Feedback and comments are welcome at les@cvradio.com. ©2013, Les Patterson. All Rights Reserved.
God speed Private Towse. Thank you for your dedication and service. You will not be forgotten nor will your service and sacrifice go unnoticed.
ReplyDeleteMay The Lord watch over your family and comfort them at this difficult time.