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"The stream of Time, irresistible, ever moving, carries off and bears away all things that come to birth and plunges them into utter darkness, both deeds of no account and deeds which are mighty and worthy of commemoration. . .Nevertheless, the science of History is a great bulwark against the stream of Time; in a way it checks this irresistible flood, it holds in a tight grasp whatever it can seize floating on the surface and will not allow it to slip away into the depths of Oblivion. "
- Anna Comnena (1083-1153), The Alexiad
"I have taken all knowledge to be my province."
- Francis Bacon, 1592
Monday, July 11, 2005
Spirit of Sacrifice: Selfless Service
We have all heard of Pat Tillman - as well we should. He is not quite alone, though, in being someone who gave up a potentially lucrative athletic career to serve his country, and give his life in its defense:
Sometimes, the athletes we write about do stay with us. It isn't always the most famous and most talented that leave an impression on you. All those millionaires I've covered, and I always wondered how it turned out for Steve Reich, a small-town hero out of Washington, Conn. We had a common friend – the sports information director at West Point, Bob Beretta – and he would sometimes give me updates on Reich.
So, Beretta called Thursday afternoon to report that it was believed Reich had been flying that M-47 helicopter in Afghanistan earlier this week – delivering reinforcements to a fight against al-Qaida forces – when militants shot it out of the sky, killing the 16 American soldiers on board.
Major Steve Reich had beaten the odds on three voluntary tours in Afghanistan. This had been his fourth turn there. He kept asking to go back. He was 34 years old.He was not alone on that flight. There were 15 other soldiers with him in the Chinnok, each with their own stories and loved ones. May the Lord keep all their souls, and comfort their families and friends, along with all the others who are sacrificing for the rest of us.
As for my part, my unit is preparing to deploy to Iraq - we're not supposed to talk about when (and don't know precisely yet anyhow). That's one reason why blogging has dropped off a cliff here. I hope to get back into the swing of things, and may, if things work out, blog from Iraq when we are deployed. We'll see what the future brings, and if I have anything insightful to say.
