troop letter: preparing to head home

January 04, 2010

I cannot thank you enough for everything

Bob,

I cannot thank you enough for everything. I am preparing to head home
tomorrow after 6 months here at Manas and have a new understanding of
what the world is and how people make it better and worse. While I am a
member of the armed forces, the most important lesson I learned out
here, is that the children really are the future. I have had the
opportunity to travel off base and meet the children here in this
country just as I had the pleasure to meet many children speaking at
schools back in the states.

I am a guardsmen so of course going home my first priority is to get a
job, hopefully in my science specialties or the government. But I hope
to mirror what you have done over here for the troops for the children
of many of these central Asian and middle eastern countries. I know now
what power they possess and even though a lot of time is necessary to
see the benefit of our efforts, it is worth it. Because a day will come
when I will be in some kind of important position in the government and
these children will the leaders, ambassadors, and statesmen for their
countries. And to see peace in the world, we have to all want it.

But the other side of the coin of peace is war. It is just as important
to see through our soldiers until the very end because democracy is
worth it. Everyone deserves the chance to see their voice heard and
their world change for the better. So thank you for everything you have
done, are doing and will continue to do. Your work was an inspiration
that I intend to follow. If you are ever in Virginia, look me up and
I’ll show you the sites. God bless.

Respectfully,
Christopher

P.S. We are taking the picture tonight and I will be mailing it this
week. Unfortunately, we have not received any letter or coins. If you
need any help or representation, let me know. I’ll do anything I can to
help