"Soldiers of Today and Yesterday"
" Honor,Dignity & Hope "

I am an American Soldier

I am a warrior and member of a team,

I serve the people of the United States

And live the Army values

I will always place the mission first

I will never accept defeat

I will never quit

I will never leave a fallen comrade

I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough,

Trained and proficient in my warrior task and drills,

Always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.

I am an expert and I am a professional

I stand ready to deploy, engage and

destroy the enemies of the United States of America in close combat

I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life

Supplied by Karena Nicole Simonis of Colorado Springs, CO.

The following letter was found in the pocket of a dead Marine, in 1969 in South Vietnam.

Take a man and put him alone, put him 12,000 miles from home empty heart of all but blood, make him live in sweat and mud. This is the life I have to live, this is the soul to the devil I give.

Have your parties and drink beer, while young men are dying over here. Plant your signs on the White House Lawn "Get the hell out of Vietnam."

Use your signs and have your fun, then you refuse to use a gun.

There’s nothing else for you to do, then I am supposed to die for you?

There is one thing you don’t know that is where I think you should go!

I am already here and it’s too late, I’ve traded all my love for hate. I’ll hate you till the day I die, you made me hear my Buddy cry. His blood-shed, I saw his tears and then I heard them say, "This one’s dead. " It was a large prize for him to pay. To let you live another day. He had the guys to fight and die. To keep the freedom that you live by his dying, your life he buys. But who gives a damn if a Marine dies?