The Death Watch

Moderately to extremely morbid, but I am on the Department of Defense listserv. Everytime they identify a casualty, I get an email. Partly I am tracking the number of Latinos dying in the mideast, but mostly I am trying to honor their ultimate sacrifice.

In the world we live in currently, we don't get to see the coffins come off the plane. If the soldier isn't local, we don't hear her/his name. Occasionally we get to hear a heart wrenching story of one soldier thanks to npr. But don't every single one of them deserve to be honored for their service, mourned for their untimely death, and sympathy sent to their survivors?

So I witness. Particularly now when it is three years from the beginning of the latest conflict in Iraq.

I don't believe in this war, but I appreciate the service of each and every one of those soldiers, even the ones who have behaved inappropriately.