Another year gone

Hello dear friends.

I know we have this conversation twice year for the last 3 years.... and I feel like it's inevitable, but I can't help it.

I want to honor him.

Last Christmas my mother took me to visit his grave again.
It was so pretty, the outpouring of love hasn't ceased, and I felt the need to take my camera.
Something in me needed to take the pictures
For his mother Kim
and for myself.
So I did.

"Its the guts and its the glory, a hundred stripes a hundred stories
It's the pledge of Allegiance on the 4th of July
Its the handwritten letters from home,
its the sleepless nights alone
It's his newborn baby he left with his wife."

"Mr Red White and Blue
Lay down his life
Mr Red White and Blue
For these Stars and Stripes"

"From the fields of Indiana
to the swamps of Louisiana
To the golden coast of Californ'
Uncle Sam's the only family he's got
His purple heartbeat wont stop
and his 18th birthday was the day he was born"

"Mr Red White and Blue
Lay down his life
Mr Red White and Blue
For these Stars and Stripes

Mr Red White and Blue

Pay the ultimate price"

Those are partial lyrics of a song called "Mr. Red, White and Blue" by Coffey Anderson.

Zack was the youngest of four boys, one of many in his family to serve his country. He was always cheerful guy and that cheer would spread from him when he was around. He was always cracking jokes and just fun to be around. We met in NJROTC our Freshman year and spent the rest of our time at high school doing Drill Team and other related activities. He was a good kid. I was happy to know him.

After we graduated, Zack and I, like many of our friends, had enlisted in the US Military. We all went  our separate ways, and I hadn't really kept in contact with Zack. I knew he was in Afghanistan and we started talking again, he went about a year after I did. The news hit me like a ton of bricks the day I found out that he passed away.

When I woke up this morning, Zack's mother had shared a video that his company had made and I made the mistake of watching it right after I woke up. If you watch this vide --> Bravo 4/3 Deployment <-- At 7:13 on the time line, he's the door gunner prepping his gun before they take off. The rest of the video shortly after that was a tribute to Zack and the other four service members that lost their lives in that crash. It's a great video.... I just needed some tissues.

I miss my friend. Every day. He was so young when he died, but the massive outpouring of love from our little town was and still is amazing. They renamed the VFW after him, of which my mother is now a member. There were signs out for him, and the day they brought his body home they drove through the little town, past the high school, where a lot of people were outside. There were firetrucks with flags, the NJROTC cadets that knew him, saluted him while wearing their uniforms, the pictures were beautiful. They then took him to the local cemetery and laid him to rest. The pictures above show just a little bit of the love that we all have for him.

Rest in peace Zack. You are loved and missed, but never forgotten.
SPC Zachary L. Shannon
28 October 1991 - 11 March 2013

Officially Done

Hello friends!

Yesterday was my last day as an Active Duty Service Member and today is my Medical Retirement date. It's really weird to think of now... I am no longer a Soldier... I'm a retiree moving on to college and possibly a job.

As of today I am officially Sergeant McClure!

So here is some back story:

Due to my medical retirement, I was supposed to be promoted on the day I retire (which is today). I'm not entirely sure why people decided this, but obviously I was just going to roll with it. I've been trying to get promoted since the beginning of the year, and it hasn't been easy. My unit sent me to an Infantry promotion board, which wasn't going well from the moment I walked in. I don't care what people say, yes the Army is changing, however it's taking time. These NCO's in charge of the board weren't happy that I was there (I was the only female there), so the contempt for me was evident. Needless to say, I didn't pass the board.

The amazing news though is that they didn't promote me because of my medical retirement, they promoted me because I met all of the promotion requirements. As someone said to me, I am a legit Sergeant! 

You don't know how happy that makes me.

My CSM once told me that he didn't think people going through the Medical Evaluation Board deserve to be promoted. However, someone way up the chain of command disagreed and decided that I deserved to be an NCO, not because of my medical retirement, but because I met the standards.

Just wanted to share the news!

On a side note... I have to go get registered at the local VA clinic. Which is good because I apparently lost my glasses and I need a new pair. There are some other things I need to handle as well with a doctor, to include some new medications!

Veterans Day 2015

Hey friends.

I just wanted to stop by today and say a quick thank you and Happy Veterans Day

to my brothers and sisters in arms, both past and present.

The above photo was my last unit at Fort Bragg, when I lived in the States.

I love those guys (and girls) and since most of us deployed together

we formed a bond that has lasted even years later

despite most of us being separated.

Today isn't about free meals or whatever else,

and while it's about thanking ALL veterans,

today is not a day to dwell on those that are no longer with you

That's Memorial Day.

Today is meant to focus on those Veterans that are still here

and even more so, those that are still serving.

I also want to say thank you to the families of the Veterans

for all of their support and love

we definitely couldn't do it without you guys.

Hope you all have a wonderful day!