To the Families of Our Fallen Soldiers

Healing Tears

There are two distinct types of people in our country: people who are fighting for their lives and people who are fighting with their lives. Many of us go through life seeking our own purpose, not thinking very much about the country we live in or how we achieved or maintain our freedom. We often take for granted all that we have, focusing on our personal needs, such as seeking better jobs, taking care of our families, enjoying the fruits of our labors. In a sense, we fight for all of the fine things this free country affords us. This group, of which most Americans are members, is basically "fighting" every day for their own lives.

And then there is the other group. They are the few, the ones who have taken a different road. It's a path paved with the price of freedom, traveled by those who embrace the toll it may take to achieve it, chosen by those who know only they stand in the way of freedom's destruction. It's a path that places their lives in the hands of others and often ends with a knock on the door.

Who is this group of people? What makes them willing to lay down enjoying their own personal wants in order to preserve our national freedoms? These are our young, healthy, educated seemingly invincible military men and women, who are often in their early twenties, young people who are perfectly able to achieve success in a civilian world. But something else motivates them: serving. They willingly and lovingly decide that if cutting their lives short will advance the cause of freedom, then the price is not too great.

You may have heard the saying, "There have only been two defining forces in the world willing to die for you: Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. Jesus died for your soul and the American Soldier died for your freedom."

The men and women currently serving in our military and our veterans deserve our highest respect for fighting with their lives to protect the rest of us as we fight for our lives. That's what Honor and Remember is all about. Thank you for joining me on this journey. Thank our veterans and those serving today.

As Chairman of Washington State’s Time of Remembrance, I felt that we needed to do something so extra special for our surviving families to honor their Fallen Hero’s.

With our website and Banner program, we needed to bring our Fallen together in one place to be honored all at the same time.  In all honesty, Time of Remembrance had been offered a 10/12 foot Angel Statue from a Cemetery here in Washington.  The Angel had her arms stretched out in front of her.  I had a vision that as the families and friends walked up the path for the Sunday Morning Memorial Service, that the Angel needed to have holding in her arms all of our Fallen Heroes.  I know that as we lost each soldier, it was the Angels that were there to take their pain away and guide them to a new life. 

A wonderful Gentleman wrote this most beautiful song that has guided me thru the loss of my son and my new journey in life as I begin meeting so many other surviving families and our military that were there on the battle grounds.  His name is Roy Ammann and he is from Kennewick WA.

The song is called                          -ANGELS IN THE BATTLE ZONE-

“Have you ever been to war and seen men die?  Well I have been there and heard the battle cry.  I have seen the Fallen Heroes lying on the ground, and I’ve heard gunfire make its deathly sound.

I have seen my friends take their last breath of air.  When you fight for freedom, death is everywhere.  I have fought beside the soldier who gave it all, and I still remember the days when I saw them fall.

I have fired my gun to save my comrades life and I have seen death from the blade of a knife.  In the heat of battle you still think of home and never do you let a soldier fight alone.

I have seen the Angels in the light of day as they came to take a Fallen Soldier away.  Thank God for the Angels in the battle zone.  I knew they were taking the soldier home.

I have dwelled in the sorrow of losing a friend and I have prayed for the war to come to an end.  In the eyes of a Soldier you may see a tear, but a Soldier in battle shows no fear.

I will fight with my life to the very end.  And I’ll risk my life to save a friend.  In the time of war a Soldier is never alone.  For I have seen the Angels in the Battle Zone.

As a Veteran of War the memories haunt me today of the fallen Soldier the Angels have taken away.  But I will die for my Country on any given day.  I am proud to be a Veteran and Soldier for the U.S.A.”

I have had the honor to visit with several of our Soldiers and I see the pain of their loss, which, is my loss.  The words that Roy wrote have eased the pain in my heart just knowing that my son was not alone.  So many of our soldiers have given their lives so terribly, that for those of us left at home, we will never fully understand; but our Soldiers do.

Debbie Bluher, the creator of this beautiful masterpiece, understands the pain and importance of this tribute.  Her son, Adam was with my son, from the battle zone all the way to the emergency room, where he was pronounced dead.  Debbie also understands the pain the soldiers feel after returning home from war, as her husband Randy served during the Vietnam War.

Debbie and I wanted our soldiers to be remembered not just as a name, but as a person who proudly took the oath to step forward and to protect our country, and be there for those who needed to be protected, who knew that they could lose their life at any minute.   This wall hanging is also meant as an acknowledgement to the grieving family, friends, and fellow military personnel of  their sacrifice and lost dreams, with the hope that it will  help comfort them to know that “We Remember” .

Time of Remembrance acknowledges all of our Fallen who have lost their lives whether it be on the battle zone, from injuries during battle, or from their own personal battle when they came home.  Each one wore a uniform proudly and I pray that we never forget their sacrifice.  This was and is a War that has been fought with no Draft.  How proud we are of this Generation, and their selfless dedication to serving our country.

We were not able to receive the Angel Statue for our Memorial Service, but the birth of the quilt had been born and we felt that this was something that we needed to continue with.  This wall hanging is 105” wide and 84” long.  There are 130 soldiers placed with love, on the quilt.  Because of the weight of the material, this quilt is completed, but Debbie is starting another quilt.  To date and to my knowledge we have lost 175 Soldiers as of the summer of 2009.  I know there are more that we have not learned about, but the names are beginning to be shared with us quietly.  This project will continue until our soldiers come home.  This quilt will never belong to any one person, this is a gift to all of our Surviving families, friends of the Military and Civilian worlds.

We are Honored and very Proud of our Military and what they represent and stand for.