Old Soldier Tom's Journal.                  

Monday, July 21, 2008
8:32:00 AM EDT
Feeling Adventurous
Hearing Hab ich das Recht - The Honeycombs
According to the Channel 4 News/ TV- weather report, this week is supposed to be the hottest Summer week of the year.   But is will only be in the mid-high 70's and not so humid!   We will surely attend the Racine County Fair in Union Grove, WI., where we live.  This was always the sweet/ sour time we kids had to go back to school and begin football practice.   And harvest time on the farm was drawing near too.  It was a good time on the farm and County Fair too, as I entered my beef cattle in the 4-H, and also participated in the tractor pulling contest.  That was a 'rite of passage' just like joining the Army in the Schuckman clan.   It was a critical part on our resume.   I figured that it was dumb to invest all the time and money in college, with the possibility of getting killed in war shortly after.   Now I think I may have been wrong in my thinking.   I wanted OCS very bad, but things didn't happen that way.   I ended up in Aviation-- and the Army usually does what it wants and gets away with it.  The good part is:   I made it home alive after two tours of duty!   I think that I am finally putting all this in prospective, but it's like dealing with cancer or diabetes--  you can't cure it, but you may put it in remission.   Just my humble opinion.   And as terrible as war is, I think that it's more scary now than when I was in battle!   Because... at least we had some sort of control over our destiny if we were sharp with good commanders and crew members fighting together with the 'right stuff', helicopters, and big guns/ fire power.   Now days after turkeys like Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton cutting the heart and soul out of our military with thousands of equipment are rusting and in-op for lack of repair.  Not having enough body and Hummer Armour to protect the troops in battle.  Not being aggressive enough to support the troops in action and treating them badly in cases of disgraceful VA policy and neglect and living conditions at VA hospitals.   Things have not changed all that much since I got out in 30 March 70.   It just a sign of the times -- the slippery slopes and end times before Jesus comes back to call up his true servants-- and then deal with all the heathen unbelievers and hypocrites.   This is my main priority and focal point as I grow older.   If only I could be more physically active so as to have a larger part/ participation in spreading the Word of God before the 'doors of the Ark close.'
        My wife, Sharon, is looking forward to her next [2nd] helicopter ride at the County Fair, and I love to see the farm animals and exhibits and people!

Have a great day!
**********************************************
Letter of permission to share-- from my cousin, Donna, whose son, Adam, is ready for this Fall deployment in Iraq, U.S. Army Airborne.  Your prayers for his safety are requested, please.  
~Tom
7-21-08

Hi Tom,

 

Of course I will keep in touch via e-mail and hopefully the occasional phone call.  Please do feel free to share my e-mail with family.  Adam and the rest of us can use all the prayers people can manage to send our way.  I got an e-mail that the first PRE- deployment meeting will be this week.  Of course I can't run down to Ft. Bragg for a meeting but the leader is wonderful about keeping me updated by e-mail and I can call her whenever I want.  Still, getting that e-mail about getting ready for deployment made my stomach start doing flip flops.

  2 Attached Images

Pix of Adam  - [some Schuckman blood].

 

Talk to you soon,

Donna

 

Tom


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