I get all the email from the Air Force at work, so I was able to follow along with this. Several days ago, a local (National Guard?) soldier's house burnt down. His family was safe, but his belongings were almost entirely destroyed. There was a call for clothing and emergency household items (they had put his family in base housing on short notice), and I got to hear about the Army side of it as my battalion chipped in to make sure they were clothed.
Early today, an email went out as a short notice tasker to help this soldier out again. The city had decided that the debris from his house (burnt pile of rubble) was a hazard and he had today to clean it up. Airmen from around the base went out and assisted him in cleaning up the mess, and only stopped at tearing down the rest of the house when the city officials told them they would need a permit to do so.
The final email I received on this today ended with this passage:
Commanders, you should be proud of your Airmen…no one questioned, no one asked, EVERYONE just did their part. PLEASE do pass this message on your Airmen.
A postscript: After many of you left, “Albert” actually went through the few belongings he had left. Here’s what he has left:
- A folded/cocked flag from a family member who served during Vietnam—NO burn damage
- The Family Bible; some cover singe but all pages in tact
- Figurines for the Christmas Nativity Set
- Old (VERY OLD) family photos
I’ll leave you to ponder the symbolism.