Posted on 10/28/2005 4:04:33 PM PDT by SandRat
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Oct. 27, 2005) – With Americans killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom surpassing 2,000, many Americans feel we are crossing a solemn threshold.
"Each loss of life is heartbreaking,” said President Bush Oct. 25 at an annual luncheon honoring military officers and their wives at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C. “And the best way to honor the sacrifice of our fallen troops is to complete the mission and lay the foundation of peace by spreading freedom.”
Heroes are more than numbers to those left behind.
News headlines depict the number as a “milestone,” but this may be a lackluster description to the seriousness and sensitivity of America’s loss of life.
“The first life lost was the milestone,” said retired Sgt. Maj. Gary G. Beylickhian, a combat veteran of the Korean War and Vietnam Conflict. “I’m not sure where the news organizations got the idea that 2,000 lives lost is a milestone. This is a reality that should be left out of semantics when we’re talking about real human beings here, not numbers.”
What numbers really represent
Many media have reported 2,000 combat deaths in Iraq, but about 22 percent of the casualties are actually non-combat-related, including accidents and illnesses.
In addition, not many newspapers mention the more than 200 of America’s best who have also paid the ultimate price in Operation Enduring Freedom, in and around Afghanistan.
Picking up the pieces in the wake of war
Thousands more wounded in the War on Terror have returned home to families and communities, some with permanent, life-long injuries. As media organizations keep pace with the numbers of casualties, and anger felt by a bereaving nation, critical and compassionate family support is taking place behind the scenes.
One injury or life lost today will be just as important as yesterday's casualties or those we may endure tomorrow in order to achieve a final, lasting victory in the War on Terror.
The Sgt. Major knows so much more than those who write news copy for a living.
I have reached the point that I almost despise every reporter.
I am sure there are a FEW good ones, like Brit Hume, but most are liberal shills who know nothing about reality or truth.
Well, think about the type of character who majors in Journalism. More often than not, they're your typical "Campus Communist" types.
Not usually. They are usually more well meaning than the Campus Communists, who are often the highly political, power types. Many people don't realize that many full-time reporters qualify for food stamps, the pay is so low...so it's difficult to recruit and retain people, especially those who don't have non-monetary reasons for the career--like a "make the world a better place" attitude.
BTTT
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