A soldier's story: Hope at the presidential inauguration

When President Obama took the oath of office, it was not just a bunch of words to him. Since his college days, he knows what the Constitution is and what it means. He understands the legal meaning of the words the founding fathers struggled with, as well as he knows how important it is that the rule of law is upheld.

When it comes to the men and women serving this nation, willing to lay down their lives for the sake of protecting and defending the Constitution and the people of this nation, to have someone as Commander-in-Chief taking it seriously honors them.

The Bush administration did not care what it said or what it meant. No matter how you feel personally about Bush, the fact remains he did not honor the Constitution. He abused it. He did not honor the men and women serving this nation now or the veterans that came before them. Again, he abused them. These are very dark days for this country, but as President Obama pointed out, we've been this way before. He has asked us to do what we can for the sake of the nation in serving our countrymen. What better way to serve than to serve those who were willing to lay down their lives in the military, in the National Guards and the Reserves? I'm not saying that everyone should only be thinking of them but include them in serving.

We have hundreds of thousands of veterans with PTSD and TBI unable to work. Can you think of better people to volunteer for your group than veterans? They may not be able to work a job any longer but they are fully able to help out when they know what the need is. Volunteering they can help on good days and within their own limits and take it easy on bad days when PTSD won't let them. They say they would still serve if they could. A lot of them feel as if they have nothing left to contribute until they are reminded how much they do have to give and how needed they are to help others.

Whenever I remind them of how much they can help their fellow veterans, their eyes fill up because they thought their days of contributing were over. They have the heart, they have the passion and the have the ability to work for the "greater good" if only they are asked to do it.

If you have a non-profit group that needs help, ask them. Put out the information on veteran's sites and let them know what you need. Even when their own needs are so great, they still want to help and in turn by helping others, they help themselves heal.

These are darks days but because the spirit of the America people is so strong, there have been some spectacular dawns following even the darkest of times.

I keep asking you to write letters and make phone calls to the elected for their sake, but this is one more thing you can do for them.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

A soldier's story: Hope at the presidential inauguration
Updated: 01/24/2009 04:33 PM
By: Neil St. Clair

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- After Sgt. Jose Sanchez returned from a tour in Afghanistan, he says he had very little and felt even less. But cheering with millions of others as the 44th president was sworn in Tuesday, despair changed to hope.



"I feel more positive, I don't feel as lost. In the past I felt that there was an uncertainty about my future, being a veteran and coming back and even continuing with the military. And now I'm starting to see there's hope and positive changes," said Sanchez, a hulking figure with a hearty laugh.



The 54-year-old Sanchez, a 20-year Army veteran, traveled hundreds of miles from his home in Binghamton for a glimpse of the new commander-in-chief. He suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and this was the first time he'd been in a large crowd since returning from the war. But he says it was worth every minute.



"The speech was incredible, it gave me hope, inspiration, it was everything I was looking for from this up and coming president. He just rallied a people and he motivated them," Sanchez said.

And as President Obama's speech neared its crescendo, he made special reference to the sacrifices of America's veterans.



"We honor them not only because they are the guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service," the president said during his inaugural address.

That was a moment where Sanchez's emotions took hold. click link for more