STOP! THINK! WONDER? WHY? By Rich Wangard I did it. At seventeen. Joined the Air Force. Strictly for adventure and flying Never dreaming of a war zone and war. Never thinking of death. Not knowing of PTSD and neither dd anyone else. Why? Why do so many choose to put all on the line? Money? Adventure? Youth? Benefits? Growth? The reasons are many-just to get out of the house? Get away from a bad situation? Away from a family? I plead guilty to all! But so many-so so many-do it for good and noble reasons! Air Force, Marines, Sailors, Army troops and Coasties! Firemen, policemen, First Responders! The list does not stop there! All never know what the next day brings, BUT They get up each day to serve, protect, answer the call Thousands upon thousands upon thousands Thinking? For you and me! Freedom and liberty, a whole way of life So we can have choices! Apple pie-go where we want-do what we want! Say what we want—write what we want Worship where we want and who we want Or worship not at all! I have NO idea after 73 years how I don’t acknowledge God! You see I should have died so many times! Starting 18 in Nam when I fell off that wing of a huge C-130A. But a mysterious Maintenance stand-unseen from the wing Was there to grab as I fell and another airman grabbed me And hoisted me to safety. Motorcycles crashes, hunting accidents---my goodness!! More lives than any cat. God must have some kind of plan for me or He just plain does not want me! Don’t aske me what the plana is! I try-try to be a good guy and failing miserably! I am a faulty human being-sinning more than most! So why? Tell me Brothers and sisters You all did it too! No, please, no! Don’t thank me for my service. It rings hollow I am a Vietnam Vet Sorry, some kind of bitterness still there 55 years later—with a body all torn up. Too many operations to even care anymore, but that plan I don’t forget about. One friend and that is enough-I still like to isolate I don’t do people well I did so many treatments-enough! Just give me my Harley and this writing Therapy enough! Well, thank you my brothers and sisters for doing what you do! All of one per cent as the branches miss their recruiting goals and tell me---who wants to be a police officer anymore? How is crime doing? Guess what? Without that one percent-without those willing—what country? But then for me-we lost our country on Jan 6, 2021, when one man became abo the law. But that is just me, what the hell do I know?something tells me, the way things are going, that the Romans should make room for us. We can’t get along with each other-total division! I did enough fighting-how many just want a peaceful existence? News flash!! Freedom is not free! Somebody s to pay the price for it! Thinking?