Deploying

I'm not much of a person for calling people a friend lightly and calling someone my "best friend" is a singular distinction. There's one guy though that I gladly grant the title "best friend" to and it's been that way since he and I served together. The two of us have remained friends over the years whether we've seen each other every day or not. Whether we've lived next door to each other or were separated by hundreds of miles. We've grown older together and raised our kids. He stayed in. I did not. He's deploying. Sadly, I am not. Please don't take those to be hollow words spoken lightly or the bravado of a dime-store Rambo. I would gladly deploy with my friend. If for no other reason than to be there to cover his 6. This friend is currently serving in an artillery unit of the California National Guard that is deploying to Iraq. In my e-mailbox this morning was a brief note from him (his notes are always brief - he's not a man of many words unless you feed him a few beers). In it was a link to a tribute done by the Contra Costa Times for the deploying guardsmen. I thought it fitting to share with all of you. Please click the title link or the picture and enjoy.

Be careful and bring your butt home in one piece! I miss you bud!