In September of 2007, I had the opportunity to take a tour of the Pentagon. But more important to me, was that I got to participate in a welcome of the wouded soldiers. There are a lot of soldiers who have come back from the war with major injuries. Most go to Walter Reed Medical center up in Bethesda to get treatment for their injuries. Every once in a while, those who are well enough are invited to go on a field trip to tour the Pentagon. A lot of times this is the first time that the soldiers have been out of the hospital. Their families are also invited to come on the tour with them. So, each time these soldiers come to the Pentagon, all personnell line up along one of the corridors with a little flag. The army band plays, and the wounded soldiers come walking, wheeling, hobbling down the corridor. Everybody claps and waves their flags. I had to plant a big fat smile on my face so that I wouldn't cry. The only time I almost lost it was when a mom was pushing her son in the wheelchair and she was bawling and thanking everyone. I had to look on to the next person or else I would have broken down. It was very touching. But I made sure to look each person in the eye and smile at them. It really breaks my heart to see these young people come back from the war zone. Some don't have any physical injuries, but the mental trauma they all go through is debilitating enough. I'm not quite sure how to feel about the war or what to agree with in regards to what we are or aren't doing over there, but I do know that my heart goes out to all those who go over there to fight for whatever cause they are told. The experience that day at the Pentagon was something I will never forget. I hope those soldiers who came through that day at least felt some of the appreciation that I was trying to demonstrate.
