Message received, and you're welcome

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jeff Walston
  • 917th Wing Public Affairs
Barksdale AFB, La. --  Preparing for a deployment overseas or just away from family and friends for an extended period of time is not only a necessary painstaking meticulous chain of events, but a mentally exhausting experience to say the least.

The process, which has to be accomplished, involves paperwork, phone calls and coordinating meetings with very busy people, more than I have experienced in almost 30 years of military service. I dare to wonder what the pressure would be like with a wife, kids and a dog to worry about. Halfway through my process I was asking myself why I volunteered in the first place.

Whenever I told someone I was headed for Iraq, they were so sympathetic and sad. I felt guilty about the way they felt. With all the thank yous for my service, offers of prayer, pats on the back, and the 'Stay safes' I was receiving, I just felt guilty all the time. I appreciated it, but I felt like I did not deserve it. I was miserable all the time.

Miserable was the mood I found myself in Sunday afternoon, May 18, while driving down the road just to think about things and ask the question, Why had I volunteered?

As I rounded a curve in the highway, I saw four teenagers sitting on the side of a hill next to a big yellow banner with red letters that read, "Thank you Veterans, We will never forget." Now, that's what I called emotional timing. All I could think was, 'Thank you.'

I know what you're thinking. With gas prices so high why aren't you contemplating your decisions from the sanctity of your lawn chair ? Point taken. Still, there they were, waving as I drove by. My conclusion was someone was trying to send me a message. At that particular moment, it was working for me.

A couple of miles down the road there were some people on an overpass waving American flags. Still more people on the next one. Farther down the road there were more people. There were banners. There were American flags on poles and a really large one draped over the railing of an overpass. I started thinking, 'Maybe I wasn't being sent a message after all.' So, I pulled over to see what was going on.

I talked to some people, and it turned out that I had ridden up on a story idea. It seems like the main body for the Southern Route of the Run for the Wall 2008 was due to roll through that area any minute on their way to Washington D.C., to take part in the Rolling Thunder Parade on Memorial Day Weekend. Now I was thinking that more than 350,000 motorcycles in the parking lots of the Pentagon on Memorial Day Weekend would make a pretty good story.

As a small group of bikers passed by, one of the Vietnam Vets, a former-Marine, I'll call him Mike, explained to me that they were just road guards sent ahead of the main body to block the off ramps to avoid accidents. Mike and I talked at length while we waited in the shade of the overpass for the main body to arrive. We talked about a lot of things, mostly about military things, some experiences and our careers.

When the 300 motorcycles did fly by, horns basting, sirens blazing, arms waving and smiles from ear to ear, well, it was an experience that I will never forget. Luckily I have photos and video to remember it.

After the main body passed and the excitement died down, I said goodbye to my new friends. Mike smiled as he grasped my hand firmly, "Thank you for your service Sergeant Walston," he said. "You stay safe over there."

I smiled and walked back to my car. I looked back to see him climbing the embankment to his bike just as I pulled out onto the highway. A few miles down the road, I realized I didn't feel guilty any more. I volunteered for my own reasons.

Just for the record, there are worse things for a veteran than a bunch of thank yous. From one veteran to another, thank you for your service Mike.

When all was said and done, I came to the conclusion that I wasn't sent a message after all. I was sent to the message.