I now know why men who have been to war yearn to reunite. Not to tell stories or look at old pictures. Not to laugh or weep. Comrades gather because they long to be with the men who once acted at their best; men who suffered and sacrificed together, who were stripped of their humanity. I did not pick these men. They were delivered by fate and the military. But I know them in a way I know no other men.
I have never given anyone such trust. They were willing to guard something more precious than my life. They would have carried my reputation, the memory of me. It was part of the bargain we all made, the reason we were so willing to die for one another. As long as I have memory, I will think of them all, every day. I am sure that when I leave this world, my last thought will be of my family and my comrades…Such good men.
By an unnamed Soldier
Charlie Company Vietnam 1966-1972 
When I read this tears came to my eyes. The reason? I get it. I have friends I went to school with. They are like family. I have friends I went to college with. They became my network of supporters. I have friends I taught with. They became my mentors. I have friends I attend church with. They are part of my spiritual foundation. I have friends I served with in Vietnam. All I can say is I get it.
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I did not realize it at the time that we had an unwritten agreement to live/care for one another, but as time went on the legacy received from the brave men I served with deserves to be what motivates our lives and determines our destiny!Forever thankful for all the sacrifices made for each other.
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As a son of one of your “Comrades” and a firefighter. I get it! Although my “brothers” and I did not serve the obligation of your generation, we share a bond unique to us. I will never forget the experience or their camaraderie. This was very clear at the reunion in Columbus.
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Thanks – so true that we value and cherish our ‘buddies’ over all these years and we only shared our life experience for so short a time!
Rusty
1/12 INF 4 ID
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There is no bond between humans that can compare to that one between those who have placed themselves in harms way, side by side. Tonight, I will attend a Watchfire with hundreds, or maybe even thousands of other veterans, and we will take time together to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice,
and to be with one another as brothers once again.
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