Don't be a fool and die for your country. Let the other sonofabitch die for his.
-- General George S. Patton
January 29, 2005
Marine Rejoins The Proud, The Few To Serve With His Son In Iraq
I'd like to know the particular of this story. It is unusual to hear of someone this age rejoining the service:
PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - A 51-year-old Marine veteran is returning to the military to serve along with his son in Iraq and fulfill a personal dream of serving overseas, he said on Friday.Jim Flaherty put in 24 years in the Marines, retiring in January, 2001. He got an e-mail last December from a military contact in Iraq inviting him to sign up for a 12-month tour working on the rebuilding of Falluja.
Flaherty, married for the second time with 18-month-old twins, had doubts about whether to go, but figured this was a last chance to satisfy a dream to serve overseas.
"I'm thinking, 'What am I? Nuts, when I've got two little kids?"' he said in an interview.
His stint with the Marines is expected to start in February or March.
In Iraq, Flaherty will join his son, James, a sergeant in the Marines who has been on active duty for about eight months. He may also be joined there by his daughter, Shannon, also a Marine, who expects to be deployed in April.
Flaherty's desire to serve overseas was almost fulfilled with a posting during the first Gulf War, but he missed out when Operation Desert Storm ended in 1991.
Flaherty said he did not think the request for him to return to active service at age 51 reflected any problems the military might have in finding enough people to go to Iraq. U.S. troop numbers were raised to 150,000 last month to strengthen security ahead of this Sunday's elections.
Flaherty, currently director of facilities for Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania, played down the danger of his mission, pointing out that he will be working on construction projects rather than being in combat.
"Have you ever walked through North Philadelphia or Camden (New Jersey) at night?" asked Flaherty, referring to Camden's status as the murder capital of the United States. "It's not going to be any worse than that."
I am impressed that a Father, who has already served his time would be willing to rejoin to serve alongside his son in Iraq. It is an amazing story.
If anyone has any other information about this story, feel free to place a link in the comments.
SlagleRock Out!
I think we would all be surprised at the number of veterans,that giving the chance to go,would jump at it.I mean veterans in this age bracket.
I personally don't believe that we should be in Iraq but given the chance to go and support our troops,I would be hard pressed to decline.Unlike,Jim Flaherty,I have been out for thirty years so I doubt that I would ever be considered.
I have said it before and I'll say it again.I may not agree with this administration but the GIs have a job to do.I support our troops 110%.