My Obligatory September 11 Post

I am going to mark the fifth anniversary of the loss of 2996 lives in the destruction of the World Trade Center and the additional loss of life in Iraq and Afghanistan by talking about my brother.

• My twin brother.
• My twin brother, the guy I celebrated every birthday with from the ages of 1 to 20.
• My twin brother, who enlisted in the Army Reserves when he was eighteen and not handling college very well.
• My twin brother, who spent a year away from his family and friends training to serve his country.
• My twin brother, who wrote me some of the most colorful letters I ever received from anyone, during basic training.
• My twin brother, who has given up a weekend each month, two weeks each year for the past fourteen years to serve his country.
• My twin brother, who was "involuntarily transferred" from his quiet little clerical unit in the backwoods of Western PA to a unit on "high alert" in January 2002.
• My twin brother, who was shipped off to Kuwait in the spring of 2002 to serve as support staff to military stationed in Iraq.
• My twin brother, who could not leave his base in Kuwait without an armed and armored escort. In Kuwait, which is supposed to be safe.
• My twin brother, who answers the question "What was it like over there, really?" with "Even if you think you want the truth, I would lie to you".
• My twin brother, who came home safely, thirteen months later.

Two thousand, six hundred and seventy-one soliders serving in Iraq did not make it home.
Three hundred and thirty-six soldiers serving in Afghanistan did not make it home.

My brother did.

Pray for Peace