A Soldier’s Thoughts Returning to War

The following were thoughts written to my wife and children as I flew back to Afghanistan on July 23, 2007, at 1945 (7:45 PM) …  written 4 hours into my return flight back to Afghanistan from our home in Fort Worth, Texas.

I share this to give some insight into the reality of the decisions we who defend freedom make for our country and our countrymen.  In a time when politicians and news reporters repeat the worn out phrase that Americans are “war weary” (when the actual combat veteran population in the nation from World War II to present equals less than 1% of the total legal population of the United States), I think that it is important for citizens to recognize that we who serve did so voluntarily to safeguard all we hold dear.  It is also, I think, important to think for a minute on the sacrifice we who have gone to war have made, and the sacrifice our families have had to endure, and to know that we serve in the hope that Americans might truly appreciate the sacrifice and, perhaps, for once, not eventually surrender to the enemy we have defeated on the battlefield when we stand at the point of victory.  When will we keep our promises to our countrymen and the world to finish the job of securing liberty, and when will we once again communicate to those who seek to spread tyranny and chaos abroad that we will not let them have their way anywhere on the face of the globe?

Looking out the window of the airplane that evening as we sped into the night I wrote …

“Thoughts of home at 35,000 feet, speeding on my return trip to war in Afghanistan.

The soldier’s heart…

Cruising at 35,000 feet of altitude, four hours after our lift off-from D/FW, peering out at a quickly darkening sky and the last hints of orange on the western horizon remind me that this day, which started with you in my arms, is now almost gone forever. The blackness of the east, and fading blue of the west, drive me to desire some way to hold onto what we have had.

There is good reason for me to be here, speeding to a land of darkness and hatred spawned by a devilish religion and bloodthirsty people. My love for you, our children, and our country compel me on.

I will keep my remembrance of your face, your eyes, and your smile before me until I may hold you in my arms once more. Kiss the children for me and keep faith with our hope for the future.

I remain your adoring husband, somewhere over the night covered north land of Canada, on my way back to Afghanistan.

Day is speeding away. The night so quickly engulfs us.”

Copyright (c) Terry M. Hestilow, 2016

 

If you desire to share this on social media copy and paste the following into your comments section and post.  Your friends and followers will be taken to the article by clicking on the link.

“The following were thoughts written to my wife and children as I flew back to Afghanistan on July 23, 2007, at 1945 (7:45 PM), by Captain Terry M. Hestilow, United States Army.  To read go to: combatsoldier.wordpress.com “

Terry M. Hestilow, Captain, United States Army, Retired.