PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE ARE HEROS TODAY
LEADING OUR COUNTRY IN HARMS WAY.
NEVER RELENTING TO FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT
BUT ALWAYS THERE WITH THE BRAVE FOR THE RIGHT.
NO MATTER WHAT BRANCH OF SERVICE APPLIED
THEY WERE ALWAYS THERE WITH GALLANT PRIDE.
SOME LOVED ONES LOST THEIR FIGHT AND ARE GONE
HOME TO THEIR MAKER WITH BLESSINGS TO COME.
I MYSELF AM PROUD TO HAVE SERVED THE FORCE
NOT AS A WARRIOR, BUT A CLERK WITH A VOICE.
I SERVED MY COUNTRY AS A VOLUNTEER
AND REMAINED IN THE ARMY RESERVES FOR 3 YEARS.
MY TERM SERVED WAS DURING PEACEFUL TIMES,
THANK GOD FOR SPARING ME FROM WAR ON THE LINES
I LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT HONOR AND INTEGRITY
OF MEN WHO WOULD SOMEDAY LEAVE THEIR FAMILIES.
MY OLDEST BROTHER SERVED THE ARMY IN PEACE
HE WAS BLESSED TO BE SENT TO MISSOURI TO ASSIST
HIS FIRST CHILD WAS BORN THERE ON BASE
AND MY PARENTS AND I RUSHED TO SEE HER FACE.
MY NEXT BROTHER WAS AN ARMY MP
AND SERVED IN RIOTS, TRYING TO KEEP PEACE.
HE SPENT ALOT OF TIME IN MISSISSIPPI
DURING THE DISAGREEMENT OF RACES.
MY YOUNGER BROTHER JOINED AT 17, JUST A BOY
AFTER TRAINING WAS DONE.... SENT TO HANOI
THE LORD PROTECTED HIM AND BROUGHT HIM HOME SAFE
BUT IT LEFT AN IMPRESSION, THAT CAN NEVER BE ERASED.
MY HUSBAND ENLISTED IN THE NAVY AS A BOY
AND HIS TOUR WAS DONE AS A SECRET SERVICE DECOY
SAVING THE BRASS WAS HIS BIGGEST JOB
AND DELIVERING HIGH SECURITY DOCUMENTS WHILE EXPECTED TO DODGE.
I AM SO THANKFUL TO HAVE THEM ALL HOME
SAFE AND ACCOUNTED FOR BUT THE SCARS ARE NOT GONE
THEY WILL BE THERE UNTIL THEY DIE, THE FEAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
ASSURING THEM THAT EVERYTHING IS ALRIGHT.
THE LIST GOES ON OF THOSE I KNOW AND KNEW.
SOME WERE NOT SO BLESSED, TO COME BACK TO YOU.
SOME ARE BURIED IN WASHINGTON TODAY, WITH
BODIES THAT FAMILIES NEVER KNEW.
LIKE THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER THEY LIE IN COLD GRAVES
BUT THANK GOD THERE SOULS ARE AT REST
AWAITING THAT BIG HOMECOMING DAY, TO MEET THEIR LOVE ONES AT LAST.
SO LETS SALUTE AND GIVE THEM DUES
FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO DID NOT REFUSE
TO FIGHT A WAR THEY DIDN'T WAGE
AND COME BACK HEROES FOR THE COMING AGES.
WRITTEN BY
SPEC5 SHIRLEY HARRINGTON (BARR)
HONORABLY DISCHARGED
MAY, 1980
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