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Christmas traditions set aside for a short time

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                                                              CHRISTMAS with COVID Sipping a hot mug of coffee is a good time to ponder current events. This morning was such a moment. With statewide travel restrictions and fear of infection on people’s minds, COVID seems to have accomplished what the Grinch could not. Christmas might not happen. It looks like we won’t be able to visit family or follow our normal traditions. Have I ever been in similar straights? The answer is a simple yes. So, have many of my closest friends and family. Afghanistan December 2001 is a good example: Nobody wants to be deployed during the holidays It’s no fun being away from your family. Most guys compensate by decorating their bunk area with Christmas lights or holiday bobbles. Quite frankly, I just tried to ignore it. In my opinion, Christmas was for home. My wife always went overboard decorating. She and the boys would decorate our Clarksville home with plenty of holiday cheer. I, on the other hand
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America's Response 2001

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  On this night nineteen years ago, one MH-47E and two MH-60 DAPS departed Task Force Dagger’s staging base at K-2 airbase, Uzbekistan. The secret mission was a key piece in America’s response to the horrific attacks of 9/11. The three helicopters were saddled with delivering Special Forces ODA 595, a team that would gain the moniker, Horse Soldiers. I was the flight leader of this momentous mission. After crossing the first mountain range, nicknamed ‘the bear,’ our three fuel-thirsty helicopters descended into a narrow valley to rendezvous with an MC-130P tanker to extend our range. This vital jet fuel would get us deep into Afghanistan to deliver our precious cargo, ODA 595, but would not be enough to make it home without another refueling track. The weather was clear and cold. The dark sky revealed stars I’d never seen, and my favorite constellation Orion. The temperature would only drop as we ascended the elevations in Afghanistan. The gorgeous sky and twenty miles of visibilit
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Location: New York, NY, USA
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