Welcome!

I love getting mail like this: (unfortunately, it's few and far between, since I tend to piss most people off after a while.)

Hi Chuck

I just wanted to say thank you for opening my eyes to your world and the world of a US soldier. I found your blog after a bunch of milbloggers took over Michelle Malkins' blog (found her blog after seeing her on The O'Reilly Factor) and one of those guys linked to your site. I've got limited exposure to the military, even though my dad and step-dad served in the air force, and my grandfather was in the army. It was all before I came into the world. My best friend's husband is a reservist in the marine corps and through them I got the slightest hint of what sacrifice is.

It's easy to say "I support the troops" but talk is cheap, right? I'm registering to become a "Soldier's Angel" and hopefully will be joining their letter writing and wounded TLC teams. If I get the hang of things I will adopt a soldier. I'm also going to donate to the Project Valour-IT program, for which my company will match at 100%. I work for a medical technology company and the corporate department is really big into social responsibility so I'm hoping I can eventually take the giving even further but that's down the road a bit. Needless to say, I'm a different human being than before.

Just wanted to thank you again for starting your blog. When I saw my first few blogs pop up on the internet I thought - wow, some people really think that a bunch of total strangers want to read their personal diary on the web? But I spent the last week going through your entire archive completely hooked from entry to entry. You have stories and viewpoints to tell that represent your fellow soldiers and those stories should be heard by every American.

My sincerest best wishes to you and your family,

//Name withheld//
Oceanside, CA

Making a difference, one person at a time.

--Chuck