BATTLE CRYS!

Before we get started I want to ensure everyone understands the difference between a Marine's and the Army's Battle Cry.

I'm sure you've all heard on TV, or while out with Dan, the distinctive Arrrrrrrrr, Arrrrrrrrr! I'll let you in on where they come from. In the Belleau Woods fighting in 1918, the Germans received a thorough indoctrination in the fighting ability of the US Marines. Fighting through supposedly impenetrable woods and capturing supposedly untakeable terrain, the persistent attacks, delivered with unbelievable courage soon had the Germans calling Marines "teufelhunden," referring to the fierce fighting dogs of legendary origin. So the Marines decided that if they were called Devil Dogs, they would bark like them! Arrrrrrrrr, Arrrrrrrrr!

As for the Army, it wasn't so glamorous. Huuuuuaaaawww, however, has become an unofficial language amongst soldiers and their superiors. It comes from the old Army slogan, Hurry Up And Wait! (Give samples of huuuuaaaahh in a conversation) PVT, I want that latrines clean enough to eat off the floor, PVYT responds with a quiet huuaahh. PVT, that latrine is so clean you get a three-day pass, PVT responds with a resounding HUUUAAAAHHHH!

MISSING OUT: Many have asked me if I felt left out, or if I felt that I belonged over there for Gulf War II. When asked, I couldn't help but think back to the flies, the heat, the cold, the sand in everything, the same food day in and day out, the horror of battle, the agony and suffering of the Iraqi soldiers. And I must admit it was in the front of my thoughts daily! Then when the war kicked off and each night between 1200 and 0300 when they aired the live broadcasts, I would find myself watching the battle intently. I watched in amazement as live TV carried me across the desert sands with Dan and thousands of other heroes as they launched out across Southern Iraq towards Baghdad. The camera shots were grainy and it was late at night but I was right there in the midst of battle once again! I was spellbound as I watched them scream past the very tanks we destroyed on our way to Kuwait. Those same tanks that fell prey to our superior technology 12 years ago and were still sitting there. When I saw those tanks, for the first time I sensed "it", that feeling of missing out, a need to be there with them….

But then I opened an ice-cold can of Labatt's Blue beer, sat back in my comfy bed and yelled, You go Dan, You Go, and quickly got over it!

DEFINE WAR: (Take out scalpel) So what is War? This war, was CLEARLY a war to stop a ruthless, murdering, raping, torturing, pillaging mad man who was hell bent on developing weapons of mass destruction to terrorize and destroy the world as we know it. For the US, it was NOT about taking Iraq's oil as so many would accuse, or we would have taken that oil the last time. But what bothered me most was that during the build up to war, I watched the news and I was amazed, confused, and disgusted with people I saw protesting against this war. I even saw nuns and priests marching in support of Saddam. Now I understand that the Vietnam War had gone on way to long and the "demonstrators" significantly helped to bring it's end, and in my opinion in "most cases" those demonstrators were heroes. Their actions ended a war that was misled by politicians and desperately needed to stop. But the two Gulf wars were completely justified wars. 12 years ago my platoon processed over 2500 EPW. I didn't talk to all but every one I talked to had a horror story about Saddam. This man murdered, raped, and tortured his own people. So how could religious icons such as nuns and priests march in support of this evil tyrant? At first it angered me to no end and wrote it off to the "roll over like a frightened dog" syndrome. But after a great deal of thought, and talking with numerous people, I began to realize that people today just do not understand what war is about! So I want to take this opportunity to try and clarify WAR!

(HOLD UP SCALPEL) Take this surgeon's scalpel for example. It's an instrument, and it is laying on a table in an emergency room. A police officer brings in a criminal who grabs the scalpel off the table, plunges it into the officer killing him/her and makes his escape. Is the scalpel bad or the criminal?

(PAUSE)

Take the same scalpel, but now a skilled surgeon picks it up, opens up a human being and removes a life ending cancer. Of course, in the process some healthy cells are destroyed but in the end the whole person lives and survives the cancer. Is the scalpel the hero, or the surgeon?

(Pause)

War is an inanimate object, and like the scalpel, is only as good as the person using it. There isn't a Jewish person alive that doesn't owe their life or the life of a relative to war! War was used to stop a mad man named Hitler, and it is now being used to stop a mad man in Baghdad! War is an instrument that can be used for bad or for good! It is the individual who must except the responsibility for their use of war!

WHICH BRINGS ME TO HEROS: I had a couple of opportunities to talk with Dan before today. Every time the word hero was mentioned around him he would cringe. He tried to make it clear he was no hero and that he was simply doing his job! But I disagree with Dan. You see Dan is a hero, especially to me! Because of what he and so many others have accomplished, I sleep much, much easier at night. That's because I know that one less mad man has, or is gaining access to, nuclear weapons! But as my Brigade commander made it clear to us after Desert Storm, being a hero comes with a great deal of responsibility! And there are heroes in every walk of life! Neighbors who check on the elderly, people who return lost wallets containing large sums of money to a person whose rent money was carelessly lost, and who had very little money to begin with. (Refer to kids if present) Everyone has the potential to be a hero! Heroes can be as inconspicuous as I have mentioned above or as obvious as Dan and the rest of the coalition Forces fighting to free an oppressed people! So I encourage everyone, especially the kids to get out there and be a hero every day! Often the easy part of being a hero is doing your job and suddenly as a result, becoming one. The hard part is living up to what true heroes are about every day from that point onward! I'm sure Dan will have no problems, Dan you are a hero to me and I am confident you will be a great and responsible hero in the years to come!

THE COIN: (Take out coin) Explain history of coin: Present to Dan.