Written by: Kristopher McVay
As I completed the final days of my
Army career I wanted to share some thoughts.
First and foremost, I want to thank my parents and brother for their
love and support over the last nine years.
It must have been extremely difficult for Mom and Dad to give their
blessing for me to join the military with our country at war that night in
September 2004 when I asked to sign up at before I turned 18. They both grew up in the Vietnam era and
fully understood the potential consequences of my decision, even if I
didn’t. It was also difficult for them
to say goodbye when I left for basic training, not knowing when I would get to
talk or write to them again. And I will
never fully understand how difficult it was when the first 4 months I spent in
Iraq were during a period when 70% of U.S. casualties occurred in the region
where my company worked. It must have
been excruciating to see the constant Department of Defense press releases
wondering if they were the next of kin waiting to be notified of a loss. What I remember from that time is the weekly
care packages that they sent and how positive they always were during the rare
times I had a chance to call home. And
of course I will always be thankful for my Dad’s surprise visit at the “Green
Ramp” when we finally arrived at Ft. Bragg.
Also included in this group are two of my best friends, Brie and Wes,
who are really just an extension of my family, and were there for me from the
beginning. They were never short on
emotional support and could always provide levity exactly when I needed
it.
Secondly, I would not have been the
Soldier I was without great mentors and leaders. Men like Morgan Ashworth and Charlie Smith
who showed me what true leadership meant in the face of extreme danger and
adversity. And men like Paul Gonzalez
and Ben Sledge who pushed me to be a better man, in and out of uniform. I want to be a leader like Greg Shanahan,
Chris Camper, or Stuart Barnes who always put the needs of their troops above
their own and never let career aspirations get in the way of leadership. I’m also extremely thankful for the lifelong
friendships that were a product of my Army service. The loyalty and dedication of my peers in
Alpha and Bravo Companies are qualities that I will appreciate forever.
Finally, I cannot easily express
how much it means to have the unfailing love of a strong, beautiful, and caring
Army wife. She fully supported my
decision to rejoin Alpha Company for our tour in Afghanistan knowing how much
it meant to me to be able to serve one more time. It must have been extremely difficult to ship
me off to a combat zone and then move halfway across the country by herself
only days later. Throughout the
loneliness of a new town and new job; throughout the uncertainty of my first
few weeks in country; throughout minimal connectivity and communication;
throughout the turmoil of extensions and the pain of half my company coming
home early while I stayed on; throughout all of the difficult times and
pitfalls that come with being a spouse of a deployed service member she stayed
positive and supportive, and I count seeing her at the airport for the first
time in nine long months as one of the greatest moments of my life.
The next phase of our life finds us
on the verge of separation again as I begin law school. Undoubtedly, the experiences of the last few
years and the friends we’ve made along the way will serve us in much the same
as they have in the past: to give us the
strength, support, and love that we need to strive in this crazy life we have
chosen.
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| 2007 |
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| 2007 |
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| 2007 |
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| 2007 |
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| 2007 |
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| 2007 |
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| 2007 |
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| Home on mid tour leave 2007 |
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| 2007 |
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| 2007 |
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| 2007 |
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| 2007 |
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| 2007 |
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| 2007 |
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| Promoted to SSG in 2010 |
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| Dining Out March 2011 |
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| March 2011 |
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| March 2011 |
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| 2013 |
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| 2013 |
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