Iraq: "We're Making a Difference"

Christopher and I have driven more than 3,500 miles since Saturday, and more than 1,200 miles just in the last 36 hours. Greetings again from Chattanooga, Tennessee; we're on our way back up north for more school visits. Not much time to write today, but I just wanted to relate something special from today.

Today we visited Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. We did a general campus tour there, and also met individually with ROTC detachments from the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Major Jones and Captain Robinson from the Army ROTC were both really awesome. Major Jones in particular was a very inspirational, eloquent speaker, and he related a story that we found very touching.

Christopher asked Major Jones what the difference was between the Army, Navy and Air Force ROTC programs, and how the benefits of each branch of service differ. Major Jones indicated that that really depended on what you wanted out of it, and he listed some examples which I may post later, but I will relate this one experience he told...

Referring to Christopher's earlier comment that he wanted to actually DO something and make a difference, Major Jones told of his most recent deployment to Iraq. About 18 months ago, he was patrolling a neighborhood and a 4, 5, or 6-year-old little girl came up to him, was tugging on his shirt, and said, "I love you." And this is an experience that repeats itself often. Major Jones went on to say that the Army IS making a difference in Iraq, and many Iraqis have told him that they have opportunities now that they would have never had under Saddam. You could tell that he was starting to well up a little bit, and he told us that, even married with four children, he is volunteering to go back to Iraq again this summer.