A SOLDIER'S PERSPECTIVE
THE WEB'S LEADING MILITARY BLOG SINCE 2004
I haven’t done a “Letter From Children” in awhile. I got this one in the mail just yesterday, along with some other great stuff. The contents made me start to cry, especially as I read this letter. Since Emily was on the couch next to me, I was able to contain those emotions. These letters keep me fresh and motivated. They renew my sense of service and give me purpose. Thank you William for being such a great kid. Next time, I’ll publish his sister’s letter.
Dear Mr. C.J.
Thanks you for the coin and dog tag you sent me. I really like them. I hope my mom will let me take them to school soon. But I don’t think she will. I will keep asking her. I want to show them to my friends. I think they should write to soldiers too. They should know we love them and we are think of them all the time.
Love, William
Mom, let him take the dog tags to school (if it’s not against school policy). If he loses it or they get stolen, I promise I’ll send another one to replace it.
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Wilson Kolb
You’ll hate me for saying this and undoubtedly accuse me of being a Saddam-loving commie, but so be it. The kid’s letter is cute, but how does it renew your sense of service and give you purpose? Your presence in Iraq has nothing to do with those kids. You’re there on an imperial jaunt sold to the U.S. public by a Lying Sack of It. The kids have nothing whatsoever to do with your mission.
Kat in GA
Oh man…that is SO SWEET.
My four year old “wrote” a letter to one of our adopted Dear Heroes last night…she dictated, I transcribed, LOL. Here’s what Kathyrn said to our Hero:
“Dear [Hero]“: Thank you for the [Iraqi] money. Thank you for the pictures. We hope you are OK. I hope you have a happy day. I hope you have a happy christmas.
“I like to play. I take ballet and tap dance lessons. I like stories, too.
“Good bye. I hope you have a good day. WE LOVE YOU!”
She also wants a motorcycle ride when he gets home…but I told her NO WAY.
Lauren
Wilson,
In response to your post whether or not people believe the Presidents decision to be in the Middle East we are there, we have been there and we will remain there until the job is done.
Everyday I am grateful for men and women like CJ who protect the innocence of the children of our country. The freedom that we have and enjoy everyday is because of every soldier that has served past and present.
I can understand everything CJ feels when reading letters from children.
wordsmith
I can too. I work with children on a daily basis. Having none of my own, all my affection gets poured into other people’s kids. They are so adorable…so innocent, it makes you want to shield them from all the bad in the world.
It doesn’t matter who the commander-in-chief happens to be. Men like CJ are out there, serving this nation, and defending it from all enemies, foreign and domestic.
It doesn’t surprise me, Wilson, that you can’t see how victory in Iraq might ultimately make us safer. It is part of the greater war against Islamo-fascist terrorism. Our children certainly weren’t safer with the status quo, pre-9/11. A world without Saddam and his murderous sons is safer for Iraqi children, btw, let alone safer for us all.
CJ
Everyone, it doesn’t matter what the subject of any post I leave is. Even an innocent letter from a child is not free from the meandering banter of Wilson.
So, I will no longer approve Wilson’s comments. This letter had nothing to with Iraq and he chose to make it into one. This site is not dedicated solely to bringing up world politics and fighting left-wing idiots (because not everyone on the left is an idiot). You can see the Categories on right side to get a clue about the topics of this site. I’m not one to normally censor, but I don’t feel bad about it in this instance.
Wilson, I won’t delete any of your previous comments, but you’re not free to post them here anymore either. Take that how you want, doesn’t hurt me either way.
War is an inhuman event, regardless of the justification. Letters from children remind me that I’m in the military to protect their futures. I didn’t join the military to go to war in Iraq or anywhere else. I joined to defend my country and its best interests (I’m sure I’ll be deleting a post about what you think those values are and aren’t and tie to Iraq again, Wilson). Those letters remind me and other soldiers that we’ll still human among all the mayhem, destruction, and general crap we deal with on a daily basis.
You can tear me down all you want, I can take. They’re only words. Again, instead of reading the letter for what it was, you decided to add an element not present or intended. I never said the kids have anything to do with the mission, but their future is affected by it (again, I’m sure you’ll have something negative to add to this…that will be deleted).
Molon Labe
Reply to comment: The thing with Jarhead is that I thought it was funny. As a vet, there were a few awkward similarities that I could laugh at. I know what you mean about not liking it. I DID think it was offensive to the military and the Marines in particular. Hell, I was offended. It was a very anti-war war movie, but I can’t think of many that aren’t. The one main thing I didn’t like about it was that it was highly exaggerated. Some of the things I saw I was thinking, “Yeah, like that could happen.”
Enough about that movie though. I’m waiting for a real testament to what things were like without all the crap. Give the veterans coming home something to be proud of and say, “Yeah, I was there and that’s what it was like.”
Last night, I was feeling kind of out of the loop. We went to a USO show for vets. You just got the impression from a lot of the older people that you didn’t matter because they didn’t agree with the war. There were some other Iraq war vets there too. They seemed kind of shunned by the rest of the crowd. My wife gave me some good advice: F*** ‘Em.
Anyway, I for one, appreciate your sacrifice and so do many others here. Come home safe. Thanks for the comment. Love your blog.
Machelle
That letter is so sweet. I hope I get to raise my children to be patriots. When I get to watch my nephew, which isn’t often, I try to teach him certain words like flag, soldier, hero. He’s only 2. Now everytime he sees something in my house with a soldier on it, he points and gets really excited and says “Soldier hero guy!!!”
Tim J.
Wilson,
Please read Huntington’s “The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order” (about the Muslim culture v. the developed world) and Friedman’s “The Lexus and the Olive Tree” (about globalization). Those books should be able to explain to you why U.S. military members understand the “big picture” of how international relations affect our kids. You can also read any other book on history, particularly about Rome’s fall from power to understand how the world works. The kids have EVERYthing to do with our mission in Iraq, but it takes a broad historical perspective to understand that. Do you have any idea how much better off the Iraqis are now? Have you noticed how most of the mainstream media only shows negative stories…nothing positive? Doesn’t that seem strange to you? You seem like a very silly person. You could start your own blog somewhere else, that would be great!!
Sabo
CJ, I’m really glad about your decision to delete any future posts of someone who was really getting on my nerves, so much so that I rarely read beyond the first line or two of what he posted anymore. At first, I was delighted to read more differing views, as most people who post pretty much agree with you and the variety was valued and thought provoking. But after a while….it seemed like argument just for the sake of arguing. Anyway, you don’t need to defend yourself when someone irrationally accuses you, your views or your actions, as far as I am concerned. I know you are a devoted soldier, husband, and father – a sensitive and caring man of good values, morals, integrity, and pretty darn funny at times, too!! This is your site and I think you have been very open and respectful to others who don’t agree with you and I wouldn’t expect anything less from you. Keep up the good work! Sabo
Kat in GA
Ditto to what Sabo says!
Paulette
Well, since this IS my son that wrote the letter, I feel I can say something here. I don’t teach my children politics. I teach them to be proud of our country and of the people that keep us free. I want them to show respect to all people even those that don’t deserve respect. This includes Wilson. I on the other hand…hee hee…don’t have to respect Wilson. And I think to come to site like this and make something big into a child’s letter of thanks to someone…well Wilson..don’t let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya. Glad you ran him off CJ.
I will tell William he can take the things to school..dang it. Especially since his sister already snuck hers off there. Didn’t know it though until I read her letter to you. Nice huh?? lol
dusgalan
Hmmmmm….OK, Wilson, since you brought that up, you’re a Sadam-loving commie. So be it.
dusgalan of mt
~K
CJ, your a beautiful soul and one I enjoy reading. If one takes the time to read your words instead of letting their hate and anger cloud their views they will see this as well.
Paulette, when you made that comment about the dogtags I laughed and thought about my sons…lol (shaking head and still laughing)
Donna
CJ,
That’s a very touching letter from this young man. Our children have alot to say and they express it well.
I too am glad that you ran Wilson off. Like others said, he was getting on my nerves too. A person like that just wants to argue and that doesn’t do anyone any good.
Keep on posting the kid’s letters, I love them!!
Pamela
I just love reading these kids’ letters! When my children write to Soldiers that we support it brings true joy to my heart. Kids speak with such honesty you cant help but smile!
SK
CJ, that was a marvelous letter. I’d really like to thank William’s mother, for teaching her son loyalty to his country, respect for our military, and above all, simple manners. It’s a shame that Wilson had no one to teach him these things for if he had, he would not be spewing his diatribe on almost every milblog I’ve seen lately. He does have his own blog, so apparently he’s lonely….go figure.