Today I went shooting with a new friend, never once giving thought to the awesome freedoms we experience or the Men and Women preserving them.
Two hours into shooting at paper targets I hear the growl of an exhaust note emanating from behind, I turned around to see a blue chevy pick up pull into the parking lot. Without giving it another thought I continued firing my AR down range. After I finished the magazine and cleared the weapon and set it down I heard "Whatcha shooting there", a question I often hear but tend to react with a small amount of disdain. I turned and not paying any real attention to the young man and responded with "it's an AR15". Then I see it, a Military Installation sticker and then I paid real close attention...A wheelchair lift in the bed of the truck, the fresh scars on his face and head. IT HIT ME.
I walked up to him and humbly asked "Army, Air force, Navy, or Marines"? He responded "Army" and all that I could say was "Hooah", I felt stupid almost but it was a familiar saying to me from days gone by. As he was pulling himself out of the cab of his truck I notice the stumps that were once his legs, for some reason it made me feel as if I did something wrong. It's sad that as men they teach us we shouldn't cry, so I held back my tears because I didn't want to offend this young HERO. We then conversed for a minute or so and then two more vehicles pulled up to the range. One young man walked up with a severe limp, a double amputee (both Legs), and another followed in a wheelchair him too a double amputee.
So there we were my friend CJGarza and I standing in front of these three remarkable young men, and then they ask the question "Sir would you mind if I take a look at your AR"? Feeling ashamed I didn't offer it first "I said every round of ammo I have left is yours". So I hand them my two rifles, you know the Evil Black Terrorist type and watch them cut loose with hundreds of rounds of precious 5.56 ammunition. I regret not having more than a few hundred rounds. A couple hours with them felt like minutes, it was a priceless experience one which I will never forget.
Excuse me if I don't share anymore of this story but it is a memory that I will cherish from today on. I stood today in the presence of Men of Honor and made a few new friends, today was a good day in America!
ETA: I'm horrible at writing and apologize in advance for the lack of skill in this department.
The picture is a crappy one from an even crappier RAZR, but it serves as a visual reminder of an amazing day. The middle fingers are to those moonbats that protest this war. The AR's are CJGarza's and mine.
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Originally Posted by gotm4
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