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Thank you Mr. Bush.

By: mbecker908 (Diary)  |  January 13th, 2009 at 05:10 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

Promoted by Jeff. This is one area where President Bush deserves our heartfelt thanks.

No joke, no snark.

Just in case there’s anyone out there reading this who might have been living in a cave for the last little while, I’m not a big fan of George W. Bush’s Presidency.  I haven’t been for quite some time, even though I voted for him in 2000 and 2004 and would do so again given the quality(?) of the Democrat candidates.  At any rate that’s the last comment I’m going to make on the Bush Presidency in this diary.

This one’s about George W. Bush, the man.

As many of you know our oldest son entered the US Marine Corps in March of 2001.  By the time he was “in the fleet” as a part of the 2nd Btn, 4th Marines the world had changed.  To make a long story short, 2/4 was deployed several times, twice to Iraq.  The first time in 2004 and during that deployment 34 of Joshua’s comrades in arms gave all in the Anbar Province.  At the time, and I think still to this day, 2/4 had the highest losses of any unit deployed in OIF.

In 2005 one of the 2/4 families in our 2/4 MarineMoms group (yeah, I’m officially a MarineMom – so is my wife – and anybody who wants to give me any lip about that can take it up with the moms :-) ) received a phone call from the White House inviting them to meet privately with the President along with several other families who had soldiers/Marines who were KIA.  They accepted and attended a rally at a military base in Florida where, after the rally, they met privately with the President.  They were told his schedule was tight and the group would spend about 45 minutes with him.  He was there for several hours and talked to every family member for as long as they wanted to talk and about anything they wanted to talk about, one-on-one.  Our particular 2/4 mom was not a supporter of the war even before the death of her son, but came away from their time with Mr. Bush really impressed by George W. Bush the man, as someone who really cared about people – especially the military and their families.

Fastforward to last Sunday.  The following email popped up on my 2/4 Moms group, I’ve edited personal information, but this lady is another Mom whose son was KIA in the same deployment.

Happy New Year ! my 2/4 Family,

Forgive my long overdue absence, but my life day to day stays a whirlwind… .

Thank you all for keeping in touch, and sharing your emails, and things with the group. Always wonderful to get all the postings…

Well I have yet another, one to share, with everyone, of this Amazing journey, I’m on with My Son.

Last june I wrote Pres. G. Bush a letter requesting to meet him, as I was going to be in D.C. in Sept. for an event. Well he regretted, as he was not going to be in town at that time.

Well last weekend I got a phone call from a representative of Pres. Bush’s from the White House… inviting my Family, and I to a Reception with Pres. G. Bush… this coming Wed. 14th. I tell you all I’m still pretty much in shock. My Daughter, Grandson, a retired USMC Sgt. Maj. of 31 yrs., and myself will be attending the Reception. No matter ones, political views… I tell ya, what an incredible, outstanding, etc. etc., invitation.

I tell [my Marine son] everyday, he never ceases to amaze me on the things that come up in his Memory, and Honor.

I just got to So. Carolina, tonite, as the Sgt. Maj. and I have driven across this Amazing country of ours, from Calif. to DC…. we are in So. Carolina just for a day, then off into D.C.

Will send a posting, and pix, next week I get home. I fly home on the 17th.

Still trying to grasp, this event in my mind, and heart.

My Love and “missing yous” to all.

Mr. Bush, I don’t speak for anybody but me, but I want to sincerely thank you from the bottom my heart, as an American and as the father of a US Marine for your commitment to and dedication to the members and the families of our military. For whatever else you may be remembered for, I hope this will be at the very pinnacle of your legacy. You have set a standard that every American, and especially every President – whose responsibility it is to send our military into harms way – should be proud of and should strive to replicate. You didn’t do any of this for good publicity, because you always made sure the press didn’t know, you did it because you care about the men and women in uniform and you care about their families.

You sir are a very good man. Thank you.

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  • janis

    and his wife’s compassion and honor toward the troops and their families, as well as Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, many will be at least secretly shamed that they said the things about this man that they did. In terms of his quality as a human being who is the model of decency and love for country, I think few can match him.

    He and his inner circle set a standard of love and respect for our warrior class that I pray will go forward, if not in the incoming administration, then most certainly in the hearts of our countrymen who have seen that, in a time of deep and growing corruption of government and the “free press”, it has been our military that has set and upheld the traditions of duty, honor, and country.

    Thanks so much for this one, Mike.

  • jdub19

    and also glad I withheld commets I wanted to make on past posts….

    Nice job.

  • Jaded

    compassion was needed! Excellent diary and thank you mbecker for posting it!

  • birdmojo

    He met with the parents of those killed in the war.

    Wow.

    That’s just mind-boggling.

    • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

      There’s a fair chance of reinstatement here, I expect, but that will mean you’ve appealed to Erick’s kind heart and said you won’t do this ever again.

      • Tbone

        First class jerk.

    • mbecker908

      I like your thought processes and your presentation.

      Not this time though. And I’ll drop it at that.

      • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens
    • itrytobenice

      You remind me of the little white spot on the top of a pile of chicken sh[*]t.

      • http://moelane.com/ Moe Lane

        NT

        • Tbone

          Thomas wouldn’t let people say jack ass.

    • Martin Knight
    • Aaron Gardner

      Not that the recommended list works or anything.

      • Aaron Gardner

        if his intent was to trash the primary point of the diary….maybe someone was just a bit trigger happy here…maybe someone read sarcasm where there really wasn’t any. Who knows though…since he wasn’t given the chance that is given to other posters to explain themselves before being blammed…but then again what do I know…I mean it’s not like someone was trolling him and pushing his buttons at every available chance. I mean that would be just silly.

        • acasilaco

          I don’t regularly or closely follow most of the posters here, so perhaps I am missing context. I read that comment above as saying it was amazing (in a good way) that Bush met with the families.

          Anyway, thanks to mbecker908 for the post. I will miss Pres. Bush, and one of the main reasons was the way he was so supportive of military members and their families – and that he never made a big show of these things for the press.

  • roscopico

    and my gratitude to your son, as well as his comrades.

    Bush as a man did the right thing, and will likely be misunderstood by some. Taking time for the families of our heroes in secret reveals the depth of his character, where lesser men might pose for a photo-op. Any who might accuse W of taking the war and the honor of our soldiers is sadly mistaken. None of us will know the agony of decisions of similar magnitude, and for the better.

    To those who seek to diminish the man’s character…

  • MGamo

    Sometimes we may not agree with his policies, but this display of compassion and gratitude by President Bush is one I wish people across the world got to know. God Bless the Marines, as well as all of the armed forces and President Bush

  • icbm

    I wouldn’t be surprised if he read it and wrote you a personal response

  • navychick1993

    It has been a privilege and an honor to serve under President Bush.

    Thank you sir.

  • NedReck

    “I?m not a big fan of George W. Bush?s Presidency.”

    I think I am in love with your thinkin’… like a brother even… but nevermind… I am a Sicilian, which don’t fit well much… in people’s minds.

    However… Your posts are sorta like… Scotch… at first your words are hard to swallow… Then… they become smoother, as they glide past the palate…

    Man’s gotta develop a taste for ‘em…. however, you may be too ascetic… for any illogical thinker.

    ~ Ned Reck

  • Carol Tarasewicz

    Thank you for your story. I am sorry for the families of the 2/4. I still know that George W Bush was a better choice than Al Gore and John Kerry. I would have liked to vote for a third term of Bush/Cheney than McCain and anyone.

    It wasn’t until McCain picked Sarah Palin that I gave any money and not much, $25 or $35.

    May God Bless GWB, Dick Cheney, Laura Bush and Lynne Cheney. I know that Dick Cheney also met with many families. I do not think that Obama/Biden will honor the Marines and other branches of the service as personally as they did, even though Biden’s son is in Iraq now.

    • Achance
      • Carol Tarasewicz

        I thought it would be the case, but wasn’t sure. Thanks. What about Sarah Paliin’s son? Is he in Iraq?

        • Achance

          that is stationed at Ft. Wainright, AK (Fairbanks) and is currently deployed to Iraq. That Brigade took some heavy casualties in its previous deployment.

          Our son was angling to get assigned to that unit so he could be closer to home but, wisely I think, decided that going to school on his GI benefits and savings was a better deal than humping a SAW around in a Democrat administration; they might not issue ammunition to him.

  • Tbone

    more about GWB than just this.

    • NedReck

      No doubt… so what is your point? (Don’t answer… I never liked him… but compared to his replacement… I already lament his departure.)

      I may even suggest that we will… “long for the by-gone days” when…. our President only scrambled his words… rather than our very existence.

      ~ Ned Reck

  • Deskpilot

    Mr. Bush learned long ago what Semper Fidelis meant.

    “Semper Fidelis distinguishes the Marine Corps bond from any other. It goes beyond teamwork ? it is a brotherhood and lasts for life.

    Latin for “always faithful,” Semper Fidelis became the Marine Corps motto in 1883. It guides Marines to remain faithful to the mission at hand, to each other, to the Corps and to country, no matter what.

    Becoming a Marine is a transformation that cannot be undone, and Semper Fi reminds us of that. Once made, a Marine will forever live by the ethics and values of the Corps.

    There is no such thing as an ex-Marine.” –
    - http://www.marine.com

    Mr. Bush has truly been faithful, especially in the face of such fierce criticism from both the national and international peanut gallery. He firmly beleived in each and every Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine and Coast Guardsman.
    1) By sunset on 9/11, a MASSIVE military mobilization had occurred across the east coast. 3 or 4 aircraft carriers were put to sea from Norfolk,VA WITH their airwings from other states. Manned and armed, they were on-station and ready to answer ANY call.

    2) Post Katrina, it was the men and women in uniform who responded as fast as safely possible from helicopter air-stations near and far. Their collective, coordinated efforts, training, and sheer love of fellow man kept them in the air for a week. The Army with their CH-47 Chinooks, took care of the heavy lifting in an effort to seal the levees. Say what you may about the federal end of the Katrina response, the MILITARY response saved lives. (Too bad they couldn’t get there in the storm to save the schoolbuses)

    3) Although sometimes tough, military recruiting and retention remains high. Sales is a tough job for recruiters, although maybe this recession will be a refilled source of partiots ready to serve. THose in uniform, although serving voluntarily, serve the peple, homeland volunteers as proposed seem destined to serve the White House.

    4) His his care and concern for the Gold Star families across this great land, Mr. Bush made it a point NOT to use the press. He had no ego to inflate, only compassion to express, and grief to unburden from the families. I am confident that inclusive of Mr. bus’s prayers are prayers for each and every service-member who has worn the unform of our country during his watch.

    I’ve touched on this one before. It’s a FREE change to law as provided in the 2009 Defense Authorization Act:
    SEC. 595. MILITARY SALUTE FOR THE FLAG DURING THE NATIONAL
    ANTHEM BY MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES NOT IN
    UNIFORM AND BY VETERANS.
    Section 301(b)(1) of title 36, United States Code, is amended
    by striking subparagraphs (A) through (C) and inserting the following
    new subparagraphs:
    ??(A) individuals in uniform should give the military
    salute at the first note of the anthem and maintain that
    position until the last note;
    ??(B) members of the Armed Forces and veterans who
    are present but not in uniform may render the military
    S. 3001?121
    salute in the manner provided for individuals in uniform;
    and
    ??(C) all other persons present should face the flag
    and stand at attention with their right hand over the
    heart, and men not in uniform, if applicable, should remove
    their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the
    left shoulder, the hand being over the heart; and??.

    True respect. I don’t know who sponsored that section, but it would not surprise me if Pres. bush whispered in a legislators ear about this one.

  • Amy Miller

    …I GUESS I can click “recommend” :p

    *Cheers* to this one!

  • Wayne

    and thank you, Becker. From one Marine parent to another. And thank you Mr. Bush, you, Sir, are a man with Class.

    • mbecker908

      Is your son still in?

      • Wayne

        yes, he’s currently the company Gunny, H&S Co. 2/3 Marines. Due to be promoted to Master Sergeant soon. He just passed his 19th anniversary date in the Corps.

  • Jaded

    this diary is getting ready to overtake your other diary which of course was not quite so complimentary…..I think this is the better one :-)

    • mbecker908

      They give a more complete picture of GWB.

      He is a good, an honorable and a caring man. I wish he was my neighbor.

      He is worst president (arguably I’ll concede) in my long lifetime and couldn’t lead a bunch of hungry teenagers to a pizza. I wish he’d never been President.

  • spainishirish

    But the ability to seperate the man from his performance, and be objective and astute about both, makes you brilliant. I just sat in front of the television and almost choked up as I watched the president give his farewell address. I can’t count the number of times my blood raced and face flushed as he gave a televised speech that sat my teeth on edge. So this really hit home tonight and I’m glad I read it at the time I did.

    Recommended.

    • mbecker908

      I’m far from brilliant (and lots of times, far from bright :-) ), I’m just old. And with age, you’ll find you can’t easily apply the black/white/gray model the same way you do when you’re 20 or 30. Interestingly enough, thinking about it right now, I’ve probably done about a 180 over the years. Things that I used to think were b/w are now pretty gray and those that were gray are now b/w.

      Specifically, with respect to GWB, I’ve worked enough places at high enough levels to have been exposed to some incredibly nice people who were in way over their heads careerwise, and I’ve also known more than my share of incredibly competent people who I would love love to take a baseball bat to because they were personally repugnant excuses for human beings. I’ve learned to separate the two (or I’d have been doing “life without” a long time ago).

      I really do admire GWB the man. I understand and appreciate his battle with addiction and I think he’s a model for getting and staying sober and leading a productive life in place of the disaster that easily could have been. He is, by all appearances, an excellent son, husband and father and in those roles is a good role model. He also was a successful businessman (Sammy Sosa aside), and was, by all accounts, an excellent governor of TX. I think the Peter Principle just kicked in when he moved to DC.

      At any rate, thanks again.

      • spainishirish

        Old and brilliant.

        You are a credit to this site, sir. Thank you.

  • Mike gamecock DeVine
    • mbecker908

      I really do personally like the guy. He IS, in my estimation, a very good man – see my comments to si just above.

      • Mike gamecock DeVine
  • olsmithie

    nt

  • Doc Holliday

    unless he is compared with others of his time. In a few days our President will be Barrack Obama, my guess is those angry with Bush will miss him very soon. He was never a “movement conservative”, he was never in the Goldwater-Reagan mold, but as you say, he was a good man who loved his country.

    I took my reco away from your other post Mbecker, not because GC went off, but because after a week or so I simmered down. At the time I reco’ed the diary, I meant it, I was mad at Bush. Now I realize that he may have done the only thing he could with the TARP, he did not refute capitalism, he saw the abyss government intervention in the market created and then did the only thing he could in good conscience. It is the government interference that put us in this situation, and unfortunately, GWB decided more was needed to stave off calamity, the fact it, he might have been right.

    Back to Bush the man, we know he is a man of faith and a man of character. He has been heckled, lambasted, trashed, and belittled like none before. Even we have not cut him much slack. It is true we can point out his failings, for they are large, but again they are only failings to movement conservatives. Bush took every issue one at a time and did what he thought was right.

    I think President Bush for keeping his nerve in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have seen so many leaders that sent men into harms way pull them out in shame. President GWB is a good man and has been a strong and viligant leader. I want to say to him thanks, and good luck in all your future endeavors.