A Birthday Like No Other

I know I say this often, but this really IS a must read. I came across this via a Soldiers' Angel (thanks, Faye..lol) and knew I had to share this as far and wide as I could.

Another of our special boots on the ground - a warrior/writer - has given me full permission to share this with you. READ IT ALL! And then give thanks that we have such heroes standing for us. Thank YOU, LTC Osterholzer.

A Birthday Like No Other –September 21^st, 2009

Wardak and Logar Province, Central Afghanistan

By Lt. Col. Steve Osterholzer

So yesterday was my 42^nd birthday, a birthday like no other. Far from family and the woods and streams and mountains that I so dearly love, being here in a desert of sand dunes and camels and the roar of helicopters overhead. It definitely was “different” from any other birthday I have ever had or any that I hope to experience in the future. Some people have asked me if I had a “good” birthday; my reply was “well, it was different.” So this difference is what I want to talk about a bit.

First off, what was my day like? My morning here was rather “normal” in the sense that I did a bunch of coordination via email and phone, worked on getting some Afghan media down here to embed with my guys, and I participated in the weekly PAWG (Public Affairs Working Group) over the Breeze computer system on the SIPR system (that’s the classified secret computer system). I deliberately did not eat anything but a strawberry pop tart because I wanted to be “properly starved” for my birthday treat to myself: A Whopper from Burger King up at Bagram!!!

I climbed aboard a Blackhawk helicopter at about 1400 hours, sweating profusely like I always do when I wear my body armor and helmet. Man I can’t wait for snow! We were a flight of 2, the Blackhawk and a Chinook, with me having the seat right on the door of the Blackhawk. On the way up I said the Rosary to pass the time as we sped over the countryside, me taking it all in. So much to think about.

Read the rest of this one here.