Badges of Courage
I'm not usually very interested in Jim's Sports Illustrated but there's an article in this week's issue that would be good for us all to read.
It's called "Run to Daylight" and it profiles five Iraq war veteran-amputees in the Iraqi War Vets 10-Mile Race event.
I could only pull one of the photos out of the article -- most show the vets' pictures in full uniform, and then with their prostheses visible, side-by-side.
In the full-uniform photos, you can't tell anything is missing. They're just whole, and proud. And I think that's the point of the article -- that's how these vets would like us to see them, that's what they're working toward becoming, again.
Please remember this picture of Dawn Halfaker, wounded in Iraq, next time you see a politician talk about sacrifice.
photo of West Point graduate, Second Lieutenant Dawn Halfaker by Simon Bruty for Sports Illustrated
posted by mireille at 9:34 AM
7 Comments:
Politicans know nothing of sacrifice. She's beautiful, isn't she?
11:30 AM
I'm sure it's a well done article, thanks for pointing it out. I'm going to head over to SI's website; hopefully they'll have the article over there.
Yes, TLP, she is.
2:12 PM
Yeah, she is very attractive.
It's so sad that young Americans are losing limbs -- let alone life -- in a war as stupid as the one in Iraq.
6:39 PM
I agree, Aral. If I go for breakfast at a badly run Denny's I get pissed off. Going to war in a badly managed military must be beyond imagination. I just don't know the people over there can have faith in us. I guess the takeaway from this post is that they can have faith in themselves which is a comfort.
8:02 AM
Wow. Silenced and humbled here. I woke up this morning feeling depressed because I learned last night that I was first runner up for a certain career award -- in other words, I missed getting the award by a hair. In typical overachiever mode, I was actually feeling sorry for myself. Your post certainly put the kibosh on that. Thank you. (Seriously--I needed that.)
Tangentially related: When I have to listen to 22-year-old college students complain about how hard college is and how they can't get their paper in by the deadline because they've got family issues, I think of the kids overseas who've managed to fly planes at 19 with less education and who return home in bodybags or with missing limbs. In fact, this semester I did a preemptive "think about it" session with my students by telling them at the start of the semester that no late papers will be accepted because, if less-educated 19-year-olds can fly planes over Iraq, they (my students) can get their papers in on time. For the first semester I can remember, not a single paper came in late. :-)
8:47 AM
what a high price we ask of our soldiers. some wear their damage visibly like this, some, its not so easy to see. but they all get damaged. there is no way around it.
it hurts my heart.
9:44 AM
*long...long sigh*
9:17 PM
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