The passenger

Air Force Link ^ | Staff Sgt. Jeramie Brown

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

The passenger

by Staff Sgt. Jeramie Brown
Detachment 4, Air Force News Agency

11/14/2003 - RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFPN) -- Like most Americans, I find that I am pretty selfish sometimes. I learned just how selfish on a recent trip to Iraq. I was sitting on a C-130 Hercules waiting to leave a location I can’t spell or pronounce, when we got delayed. I was annoyed. I’d been traveling for hours trying to get to my destination and here we were, stuck in some out-of-the-way place and I was hot, tired and ready to get there already. Then it happened. I found out we were waiting on another passenger.

I didn't know his name. I say ‘his’ but I didn’t know if he was actually a he or a she. I didn’t know what branch of service he was in or what rank he was. All I knew was that this passenger cost me another hour and a half on that plane.

Little did I know how profound an impact "The Passenger" would have on me. You see, this passenger that we had to wait on, who delayed our trip and annoyed me and the other passengers, was a casualty of war.

The ground crew brought him on board in a body bag. They laid him down between the jump seats and the cargo pallet, and covered him with Old Glory. At that moment, I felt the heat of shame in my face. Who was I to worry about a little lost sleep or a few extra hours on a plane when he had given his life in this war?

By this time, everyone on board had stood up out of respect and, when they had “The Passenger” secure, the sergeant leading the crew called the plane to attention and barked a quick command. Every man and woman on that plane, from private to colonel immediately snapped a crisp salute in honor of the ultimate sacrifice made by “The Passenger”. It was a moment of perfect unity. Every eye on that flag, every arm raised in respect, every breath caught in every throat for just one second.

With our respects paid, everyone took his or her seat and prepared for take-off. I don’t know about anyone else on that plane but I found myself contemplating what this passenger’s sacrifice meant: to me, to our country, but mostly to his family. I found myself wondering what he gave up for the war on terror. Did he leave a wife behind when he deployed? Did he have children out there somewhere who would never see their father again? What about his parents, brothers and sisters? How would his family cope with his death?

Was the sacrifice he made for his country worth it? To his family, perhaps not. To the Iraqi families, maybe.

You see, I learned something else on this trip. I learned how the Iraqi people are living. Ramshackle houses… no cars… no central air, or any air conditioning for that matter, none of the so called ‘modern conveniences’. I also learned that, thanks to our efforts, some of the kids are now able to go to school for the first time in years. Teachers are allowed to teach in multiple languages and cover subjects that were banned during the old regime.

Clinics are opening all over the country, doctors are no longer afraid that if they misdiagnose someone it will cost them their lives. That’s right, there is no malpractice insurance in Iraq. A doctor at one of the clinics told me that, under the old regime, if a doctor made a mistake, he paid for it with his life. So was "The Passenger’s" sacrifice worth it? I guess it depends on your point of view.

Then I started thinking about my own family. How would my wife deal with my death if it came on this trip? Would my children be ok? How horrible would it be for my parents to outlive me? I thought of my brother and his family in California. How many times have I meant to call them only to get distracted and forget? I haven’t seen them in almost four years. My sister in Illinois hasn’t seen me in a couple of years either. When was the last time I called her? Why haven’t I e-mailed her or my niece lately? I use to send her e-mails every week or so, but I seem to have let my oh-so-busy life get in the way of communicating with the ones I love. Do I write enough? Call enough? Definitely not! I think that’s what it all comes down to.

We get so wrapped up in our lives that we forget about the other people in this world. We forget that not everyone lives in a free society. We forget that sometimes you have to stand up for people who can’t stand up for themselves. We forget that we have a responsibility to the people of this world, and not because we are a super power or have the best military in the world, but simply because we all share this planet. We forget that, for good or bad, what one person does affects everyone.

What we can’t forget is that we never know when the moment of our death will come. Don’t forget to tell the people who are most important to you how much you love them and how much you miss them. Don’t forget to take time out of your ‘busy’ schedule and call your family and friends. Don’t forget to do something today that will make a difference tomorrow, so that when your time comes someone can say ‘Thank you for the sacrifices you made, you had a profound impact on my life.’

So to “The Passenger,” I say thank you. Thank you for serving your country. Thank you for standing up for people who can’t stand up for themselves. Thank you for making the ultimate sacrifice. Most importantly, thank you for making me realize that our time on this earth is never certain and we’d better do our best to make it worthwhile. May you find peace and happiness wherever you may be.

Now, if you will excuse me, I have to go call my kids, my parents, my brother, my sister…

[Cultural Jihad]

Excellent article.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Very powerful and thought-provoking. Thank you for posting this.

[Aeronaut]

This article made my screen get blurry.

[Brad's Gramma]

Incredible article, putting it lightly.

[boxerblues]

So sad that it takes the death of a stranger to make you realize the power of love & freedom

[blackie]

"So to “The Passenger,” I say thank you. Thank you for serving your country. Thank you for standing up for people who can’t stand up for themselves. Thank you for making the ultimate sacrifice. Most importantly, thank you for making me realize that our time on this earth is never certain and we’d better do our best to make it worthwhile. May you find peace and happiness wherever you may be."

Amen!

[VOA]

Now, if you will excuse me, I have to go call my kids, my parents, my brother, my sister…

Dagnab it...here's one of those articles that provokes thought and self-reflection...
and might even impel action.

bump...

[thiscouldbemoreconfusing]

Little did I know how profound an impact "The Passenger" would have on me. You see, this passenger that we had to wait on, who delayed our trip and annoyed me and the other passengers, was a casualty of war. The ground crew brought him on board in a body bag. They laid him down between the jump seats and the cargo pallet, and covered him with Old Glory. At that moment, I felt the heat of shame in my face. Who was I to worry about a little lost sleep or a few extra hours on a plane when he had given his life in this war?

Ouch.

[Prof Engineer]

ping

[Hondo1952]

Great find RC thanks for the ping. You reckon the times of newyork or any of those other folks that are in charge of thought control might be interested in running this article?

[prairiebreeze]

Thank you brave warrior. Rest peacefully now in the Everlasting Arms.

Prairie

[Ann Archy]

God Bless the Passenger.

[Tunehead54]

Bump for the bravest. Sniff.

[spookycc]

This article made my screen get blurry.

Mine, too. God Bless our troops and vets and their families.

[TexasCowboy]

Please, dear Lord, let the bodies come home to us; take the souls Home to your Glory.

[humblegunner]

I'll second that.

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[radu]

[AF_Blue]

Thank you for posting.

To those who disagree with our President's decision and actions to overthrow a cruel, murderous, dictator's regime, I respect your opinion. Having an opinion and the freedom to express it is one of the privileges of being an American. There are responsibilities that must be taken care of to ensure everyone has this privilege: it isn't free. One of the responsibilities is supporting those who guarantee that privilege.

[Johnny Gage]

Ping.

---

In Honor of the fallen:

There are soldiers in many places

For some, we're allowed to see their faces

For others, are required to stay hidden

and do the orders that they are bidden.

If a known, brave soul's life comes to pass

we're told who he is and that he's home at last

If a hidden one dies while he's doing the plan

he's known only to his family and not the average man.

He's on a covert mission, so we are told

He died a soldier's way, and his life was bold

He's a hero to us, in each and every way,

because he died protecting the U.S. of A.

By David K.
(aka Johnny Gage)
October 29th, 2002

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!!

[SLB]

Do any of you know how to adjust the focus on a flat screen, mine seems to be a little blurry right now.

[archy]

Do any of you know how to adjust the focus on a flat screen, mine seems to be a little blurry right now.

I wouldn't worry about it pal. But I would note that it's not the only thing out of focus that's going to require at least a little readjustment.

-archy-/-

[SAMWolf]

“The Passenger”

[archy]

Forwarded this one to my minister, Rags. He has quite an online following, and I expect he'll be passing it along to his readership as well.

-archy-/-

[archy]

This article made my screen get blurry . ... .

***** *****

So sad that it takes the death of a stranger to make you realize the power of love & freedom . ... .

Not always. Not yet, thank God, maybe not this time:

<====Click the pic for details.

Psalm 91

(1) He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

(2) I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.

(3) Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence.

(4) He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

(5) You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day,

(6) Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

(7) A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you.

(8) Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked.

(9) Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place,

(1)0 No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;

(11) For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways.

(12) In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

(13) You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

(14) "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name.

(15) He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.

(16) With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation."

[Soaring Feather]

Thank you Rags for the ping.

[Quix]

GREAT. THANKS.

[lodwick]

bttt

[snippy_about_it]

Excellent read and a tear jerker.

Thanks RC for the post and ping.

[blackie]

Thanks Archy!

[Eaker]

Thanks Archy!!

[bc2]

"We forget that we have a responsibility to the people of this world, and not because we are a super power or have the best military in the world, but simply because we all share this planet."

I'm not certain that I agree 100% with this statement. As a Christian, yes, I agree we are all brothers and sisters. But I am not sure that sending our young people to oust Hussein under these circumstances is our duty. After thinking a minute, would we have been wrong to stay at home while Hitler ravaged Europe? Probably. Does it matter that Hussein ravages only his own country (after having pulled out of Kuwait and Iran)? Probably not. Who was it that said an injustice anywhere is an injustice to people everywhere.

I am certainly willing to admit I may be the fool, but as someone who believes our military should be used to repel foreign invasions, it's interesting to contemplate.

God bless the fallen soldiers, and their families, regardless.

[Travis McGee]

Thank you...

[wife-mom]

Bump