A real face of war

As many of you know I work at a local moving company here in Toledo that is an agent for one of the national moving companies. From time to time we have a number of military shipments that come into storage at our warehouse. Today, a 24 year old soldier's belongings have returned home. The sad news is that this is not a joyful homecoming of a solider. This soldier was killed in Iraq in early July and his truck and 8 boxes are being returned to his family here in Northwest Ohio. I looked up the soldier's name online and was presented with a real person, Keith Kline, which put a face on this senseless and tragic war in Iraq.

I never knew this soldier but seeing his things come of the truck and into our storage put a real face on this war. Before when I had heard of deaths in combat in Iraq, it saddened me at the moment, but I couldn't put a face on it so I would go about my day. Today, I saw his face and I will never let it be a fleeting moment again. Our young soldiers are dying everyday and for what? I don't understand why we are at war and why so many young lives have been lost. What is the best way that we can honor these young men and women killed in the line of duty, a duty that many Americans such as myself do not fully understand. Although I do not support the reason why we are in Iraq, I do support our troops, because they have been sent to do their job, whether or not I agree with the reason for them being there.

For the soldiers of who have served in Vietnam and Iraq and their families, I thank you for your service and sacrifice. You will always be remembered in my heart and I am sure in the hearts of millions of our fellow Americans, even if it is just in passing.