Dear Eric,

I followed you to your site from Fun with Hand Grenades after your honest observation that you had a desire to serve but were a coward.

That's such a powerful assertion... it got me wondering... is cowardice a permanent condition, damning one to a lifetime of fear and inaction? Or is it something that can be overcome... more akin to fear? Are you confusing fear with cowardice?

Fear in the face of danger is normal. Cowardice when your friends are in danger is permanent dishonor.

The great thing about military service is that ordinary men find that they are capable of extraordinary effort. Prior to deployment, this is accomplished through training, exercise, and more training. Training through exhaustion, stress, and adversity. The training is what allows you to function when fear comes.

A coward? I don't know. Fearful of the unknown? Surely. Everyone is. The big question is, are you willing to find out? Is it time to grow up, and pitch in, and do something honorable.

God... how miserable it would be, years from now, a grandchild on the knee.... "...yep, a lot of men brave men fought there...but I didn't go..."

Or conversely "....yes, there was a war... I served..."

What are you afraid of? Death? Death can come at any time... it's how you live that matters.