I truly wish that many more people had the privilege to witness what my wife and I observed with the recent deployment of 28 brave young soldiers.

There were more than a few tears shed – yup, mine included – as these patriots disembarked on a journey a half a world away. They are being sent to the Mideast to rebuild what our military might demolished in an effort to make the world a safer place.

Some were leaving the United States for the first time. Many were eager to try to do something worthwhile. Most were hoping to help rid their beloved country of the bad rap of being a war-monger. All were leaving loved ones behind.

These soldiers are all from central Maine. Not one of these hardy souls was lamenting about how unfair life was. To a man there was a strong sense of camaraderie and a definite resolve to get over there, do whatever needs to be done and get back to America and continue on with their lives.

If it seems that I am being sentimental or a bit melodramatic, please understand that my son was one of those deployed. He is leaving his wife and four kids to do the “right thing.” He’ll be gone until sometime next summer.

I am appalled that some believe America has no business being over there. If I am not mistaken, the events of Sept. 11 happened right here.

If we let our guard down we are inviting that tragedy to reoccur.

Dave Glover, Rumford


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.