Was watching a couple of excellent programs that I had recorded on my TiVo. The first was called Mega Plane,  which was about the gigantic and cavernous C-5 Galaxy US Air Force transport airplane. The other was the The Fight for Fallujah, which documented the US Marines battle against the terrorists in Fallujah, Iraq in April 2004.

     I titled this blog "Remarkable Men" because the men portrayed in these programs definitely demonstrated the bravery and intelligence that they possess that required them to operate either heavy, complicated machinery or to fight in deadly battles. To see all the logistics and planning that it took to load the C-5, to fly it and then { as I was awestruck to see} the skill it took to refuel the plane while in flight. There could be no error as the fueling plane and C-5 flew closer and closer to engage in the fueling process. The pilots of both planes had to fly or maintain certain speeds  many times in very dangerous weather conditions to make sure there was no collision. Remarkable how accurate these pilots had to be in engaging the fuel line otherwise an unmitigated disaster would occur.

     I've always said that the US Marines were the bravest and  toughest soldiers in the world. However, I may have come to understand that marines usually don't like to be called soldiers. So I will simply correct myself and say they are bravest and toughest warriors in the world. In Fallujah, we continually see the remarkable resolve that these marines possess as they must go from house to house to root out these terrorists. As was stated in the program, these men were not second guessing their assignment even though the commentator of the program did indicate that the marines or their commanders would have preferred to just arrest the men responsible for killing four civilian security men a few days earlier and then hanging their charred bodies on a bridge. Despite miscommunications and politics, the US Marines simply went out and performed their job with the utmost professionalism. Remarkable, remarkable, remarkable.

     How can anybody not be in awe of such men and women. By titleling this article "Remarkable Men" in no way minimizes the role women play in defending our great nation. I just use "men" in the generic sense; but all this brings to light, as the Fourth of July holiday approaches, the continuous feeling of gratitude that we must convey to those that defend us and our way of life. Many salutations to our remarkable men.