Weary travelers support troops at airport by Donna Miles American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- Nearly everyone has experienced it at one time or another: > An airport bogged down by bad weather, delayed and cancelled flights, and > cranky, overtired travelers wanting nothing more than to get to their > destinations.> > That was exactly what Will Ross, an administrative judge for the Defense > Department's Office of Hearings and Appeals in Los Angeles, encountered Oct. 27 > at the Baltimore/Washington International Airport.> > But he said what he witnessed that day made him proud to be an American.> > "(It) also told me why we will win this war (on terrorism)," Ross said.> > Like many of his fellow passengers, Ross had been forced to spend the night in > Baltimore. His outbound flight, scheduled for the night before, had been > cancelled because of the California wildfires. They had forced the Los Angeles > International Airport to close, and the ripple effect drove domestic travel > nationwide into a tailspin.> > When Ross reported to the airline counter the following morning for the next > scheduled flight to Los Angeles, bad weather and aircraft mechanical problems > made the prospect of a timely trip even grimmer.> > As he waited in the terminal, Ross noticed many servicemembers in their desert > camouflage uniforms, arriving from Southwest Asia. All, like Ross and the other > passengers at the airport, were awaiting connecting flights -- but in the > servicemembers' case, it was to begin two weeks of rest and recuperation leave.> > Flight delays continued and the airport had become, in Ross's words, "a zoo." > By the afternoon, one particular flight to Denver had been delayed several > hours. Airline agents kept asking for volunteers to give up their seats and > take another flight, but with few takers, Ross said.> > Finally, Ross said an airline spokeswoman for the Denver flight got on the > public address system and made a desperate plea. > > "Folks, as you can see, there are a lot of soldiers in the waiting area," the > agent said. "They only have 14 days of leave and we're trying to get them where > they need to go without spending any more time in an airport than they have to.> > "We sold them all tickets knowing we would oversell the flight. If we can, we > want to get them all on this flight. We want all the soldiers to know . we > respect what you're doing, we are here for you and we love you," the agent > continued.> > "The entire terminal of cranky, tired, travel-weary people -- a cross-section of > America -- broke into sustained and heartfelt applause," Ross said. "We're > talking about several hundred people applauding, a whole terminal.> > "The soldiers looked surprised and very modest," he said. "Most of them just > looked at their boots." > > Many of the travelers in the terminal wiped away tears, Ross said.> > "And, yes," Ross said, "people lined up to take the later flight and all the > soldiers went to Denver on that flight."> > Ross said he figured that 30 or 40 people had suddenly jumped at the chance to > offer their seats to the servicemembers.> > "I think people realized that this fight is going to be long and drawn-out, and > these kids are in the thick of it," he said. "It was heartwarming to see their > outpouring of support."
Just thought I might wanna share this to you guys. Thanks guys.
Weary travelers support troups at airport.
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driftaholic
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driftaholic
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aleph1
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"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than hos own personal safety, is a miserable creature, and has no chance of being free unless made or kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." - John Stuart Mill
"Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger." -- Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials
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aleph1
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"There is a graveyard in northern France where all the dead boys from D-Day are buried. The white crosses reach from one horizon to the other. I remember looking it over and thinking it was a forest of graves. But the rows where like this, dizzying, diagonal, perfectly straight. So after all it wasnt a forest but an orchard of graves. Nothing to do with nature, unless you count human nature." - Barbara Kingslover
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nissanrcer240
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aleph1 wrote:"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than hos own personal safety, is a miserable creature, and has no chance of being free unless made or kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." - John Stuart Mill
quote of the day/\ *thumbs up*
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WDRacing
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War is inevitable...from the dawn of time man has been butchering man. Whether it be for realistate, money or even religion. Freedom is in the eye of the beholder my friends.
I tell you what, since I'm sure 90% of the members here have never actually been at war, the next time you feel like we're doing the wrong thing for whatever reason. Take a trip to one of the many 3rd world countries we happen to be deployed to. Stop by one of the many clinics that vaccinate children against anything from smallpox to the common flu. When you get there, tell them the US military is leaving. Tell them that the government of there country is back in control. Tell them your real sorry that there country does nothing to take care of them, but that is there problem not yours. Tell them your tired of helping everyone else. Tell them you just want to sit back and eat your nice fat steak without worrying about anyone but yourself. If you can do that, you are beyond reproach.
WD
I tell you what, since I'm sure 90% of the members here have never actually been at war, the next time you feel like we're doing the wrong thing for whatever reason. Take a trip to one of the many 3rd world countries we happen to be deployed to. Stop by one of the many clinics that vaccinate children against anything from smallpox to the common flu. When you get there, tell them the US military is leaving. Tell them that the government of there country is back in control. Tell them your real sorry that there country does nothing to take care of them, but that is there problem not yours. Tell them your tired of helping everyone else. Tell them you just want to sit back and eat your nice fat steak without worrying about anyone but yourself. If you can do that, you are beyond reproach.
WD
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AznRide
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Wow, of all the responds, these are what I get, the men and women that live in America. First of all, the article was sent from my seargent. Believe it or not, you will never know why I put it up there.Like WD said, this is why I posted this message.Men like me, women like my comrads, are fighting this war to help saving your sorry asses back home, drinking and have fun. I'm currently deployed in Europe, as you can tell reading my sig. or at least you will now. Do you think I give up what I was doing and go on this deployment? But one thing to keep me drive on everyday, is peace. Peace to my family, friends, and of course, and of course, people like 89240sx....
Thanks for all the supports guys...................
Thanks for all the supports guys...................
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AZhitman
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Azn - Keep up the good work, brother.
You and your comrades are in my prayers always.
p.s. Careful with that word "men". Those who believe that freedom is a given, and not earned (with blood, sweat, tears and loss) are somehow less than men.
Also, something tells me that when you return, if you were able to meet up with Jon, even HE would buy you a beer, my friend.
You and your comrades are in my prayers always.
p.s. Careful with that word "men". Those who believe that freedom is a given, and not earned (with blood, sweat, tears and loss) are somehow less than men.
Also, something tells me that when you return, if you were able to meet up with Jon, even HE would buy you a beer, my friend.