A real life hero.....The Green Beret
by Jeanine Suazo
"People sleep peacefully in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." George Orwell
The United States Army Special Forces - also known at the Green Berets - are trained for unconventional warfare and special operations. President Kennedy called the Green Beret "a symbol of excellence, a badge of courage, a mark of distinction in the fight for freedom."The U. S. Army's Special Forces work in teams of 12. The Green Beret motto is, "De Oppresso Liber" - to free the oppressed.
It is said that if you want to wear the green beret of the Army Special Forces, you must be able to do hundreds of push-ups, you need to have superior intelligence, have an outstanding record of prior military service and very high motivation.
So with all of that said, I would like to tell you about my personal interaction with a Green Beret - a modern day hero.
On my recent trip to Denver my flight was canceled. I found myself on a different flight, a different airline and even departing a different airport than was planned. That turned out to be the most interesting flight I have ever been on. I had to hold my child since her seat was somewhere else on the plane and I figured her row mates would not be thrilled to take care of a random one year old. Anyway, it was my intention to sit quietly and not "chatter" with the poor souls that got stuck sitting on either side of us. Of course it was 2 men. I apologized in advance to each one as they arrived and took their seats. The man to my left was interesting. It turned out he had gone to the same junior high and the same high school as me! He had graduated 10 years before me however. He was less than enthusiastic to sit next to my child and I. The guy to the right of me is the person I want to write about and remember. He immediately put me at ease, telling me he and his wife just had their first child a month ago. He initiated conversation and we talked for the entire flight, nearly 2 hours. It was nothing short of fascinating. I sat next to a Green Beret. This man had recently returned from a tour in Iraq. The first thing I did was thank him for his service to our country. He was very humble. I went on to admit that I am fairly ignorant about the ranks, etc of our military branches. He was not arrogant in the least and did not treat me like a stupid, blonde female. On the contrary, he was very polite and charming. He went on to explain to me what it is like to be a Green Beret. He told me that there were situations where the regular army guys either could not or would not approach. He explained that the special forces handled some of the most volatile situations. He spoke about his job with pride. I asked lots of questions, as I am a very curious person and not the least bit shy! I asked how he and his friends felt about the war. His response has been on my mind ever since. He told me that it is not his job to have an opinion. That he does what his Commander In Chief (the President) asks him to do and that it is not his place to have an opinion. He also told me that the media mostly shows the people that are opposed to the war. His face lit up when he told me about the thrill of giving a soccer ball or a piece of candy to a child in a war-torn country. He spoke of the appreciation in the eyes of the citizens. He gave me an education on that flight. We talked about many things, too many to even touch on here. When he found out that I had 6 children he asked some rather personal questions, which I answered. It was actually one of those moments that I felt really human. I was conversing with a complete stranger and we could not have been more different. He was a handsome young man, bodybuilder, incredibly intelligent, newly married, struggling with a new baby in the house and busybody in-laws, and a Green Beret. I was older than him, ignorant about some of the ways of the world, still in awe and learning about how different it must be to be a male in this life, married for years with six children, and living the suburban housewife lifestyle. Yet, we talked openly and honestly. No masks. I never asked his name, nor he mine. However, it was one of the most powerful encounters I have had in my adult life. I thank God for the men and women that chose to serve our country. Who ever he was, I keep him in my prayers because he is a hero in my book.
by Jeanine Suazo
"People sleep peacefully in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." George Orwell
The United States Army Special Forces - also known at the Green Berets - are trained for unconventional warfare and special operations. President Kennedy called the Green Beret "a symbol of excellence, a badge of courage, a mark of distinction in the fight for freedom."The U. S. Army's Special Forces work in teams of 12. The Green Beret motto is, "De Oppresso Liber" - to free the oppressed.
It is said that if you want to wear the green beret of the Army Special Forces, you must be able to do hundreds of push-ups, you need to have superior intelligence, have an outstanding record of prior military service and very high motivation.
So with all of that said, I would like to tell you about my personal interaction with a Green Beret - a modern day hero.
On my recent trip to Denver my flight was canceled. I found myself on a different flight, a different airline and even departing a different airport than was planned. That turned out to be the most interesting flight I have ever been on. I had to hold my child since her seat was somewhere else on the plane and I figured her row mates would not be thrilled to take care of a random one year old. Anyway, it was my intention to sit quietly and not "chatter" with the poor souls that got stuck sitting on either side of us. Of course it was 2 men. I apologized in advance to each one as they arrived and took their seats. The man to my left was interesting. It turned out he had gone to the same junior high and the same high school as me! He had graduated 10 years before me however. He was less than enthusiastic to sit next to my child and I. The guy to the right of me is the person I want to write about and remember. He immediately put me at ease, telling me he and his wife just had their first child a month ago. He initiated conversation and we talked for the entire flight, nearly 2 hours. It was nothing short of fascinating. I sat next to a Green Beret. This man had recently returned from a tour in Iraq. The first thing I did was thank him for his service to our country. He was very humble. I went on to admit that I am fairly ignorant about the ranks, etc of our military branches. He was not arrogant in the least and did not treat me like a stupid, blonde female. On the contrary, he was very polite and charming. He went on to explain to me what it is like to be a Green Beret. He told me that there were situations where the regular army guys either could not or would not approach. He explained that the special forces handled some of the most volatile situations. He spoke about his job with pride. I asked lots of questions, as I am a very curious person and not the least bit shy! I asked how he and his friends felt about the war. His response has been on my mind ever since. He told me that it is not his job to have an opinion. That he does what his Commander In Chief (the President) asks him to do and that it is not his place to have an opinion. He also told me that the media mostly shows the people that are opposed to the war. His face lit up when he told me about the thrill of giving a soccer ball or a piece of candy to a child in a war-torn country. He spoke of the appreciation in the eyes of the citizens. He gave me an education on that flight. We talked about many things, too many to even touch on here. When he found out that I had 6 children he asked some rather personal questions, which I answered. It was actually one of those moments that I felt really human. I was conversing with a complete stranger and we could not have been more different. He was a handsome young man, bodybuilder, incredibly intelligent, newly married, struggling with a new baby in the house and busybody in-laws, and a Green Beret. I was older than him, ignorant about some of the ways of the world, still in awe and learning about how different it must be to be a male in this life, married for years with six children, and living the suburban housewife lifestyle. Yet, we talked openly and honestly. No masks. I never asked his name, nor he mine. However, it was one of the most powerful encounters I have had in my adult life. I thank God for the men and women that chose to serve our country. Who ever he was, I keep him in my prayers because he is a hero in my book.
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