COLTON RUSK USMC

Earlier this month a fine young man lost his life … he was only twenty. He was handsome, athletic, helpful, and kind. He didn’t lose his life driving drunk, taking a crazy dare, or by doing something foolish. No, he died defending our freedom in Afghanistan. He hadn’t even been in uniform for a whole year yet. His name was Colton Rusk and he was a Marine. I never met Colton, in fact I don’t even know his parents … but my wife does. She is from the same small town of Orange Grove, Texas (not far from Corpus Christi).

We went to his funeral service, as did many others, to pay our respects to his family and to show our appreciation for the sacrifice he gave. Lisa (my wife) has known his parents for years, but as things would have it, she’d never met Colton because by the time he was born she’d moved away from home. She’d just recently reconnected with her old home town in October when we went there for homecoming weekend … she even visited with Colton’s Mom and Dad that very weekend (just 2 weeks after Colton’s deployment).

The funeral made me feel both sad and gratified. Sad for the loss the family has suffered and gratified that there are young people like him around that aren’t ashamed of their country and believe in serving it. I was impressed to find out his motto was “Don’t be afraid to go after your hopes and dreams, but don’t be afraid to be willing to pay the price,” … and pay the price he did. He paid the ultimate price. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends”.

I was also sadden at the thought of losing one of my kids. It is one thing to lose a loved one suddenly, and even more devastating to lose a child that way. We worry about our kids safety and keeping them healthy. We feel sympathetic to friends and family that have lost a child due to an accident or illness. But a military Mom and Dad live with the constant fear of getting that dreadful notice that their son or daughter will not ever be coming home again. How do you deal with that? It is easier in times of peace, but we lose Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines at those times too … but in time of war, those notices come much too frequently.

We are blessed with having an all volunteer military. Those men and women know that they are entering into a contract that is literally a life or death package. Thankfully men like Colton willingly volunteer. I have several cousins that are serving in the armed forces today … my prayer is that their parents never have to face the loss that Colton’s family is going through now. My brother-in-law retired from the Navy this year and, fortunately for us, he made it through twenty years unharmed (even though he’s been involved in both Gulf Wars). But in retirement working for a company in Afghanistan his base was mortar attacked. That left us all worried. But he was safe. I only wish that more families could say the same thing.

The funeral also left me impressed with we as a people. There were so many that went to the visitation, and to the Church and still more lined Hwy FM624 all the way from Calallen to Orange Grove … and then more at the Cemetery, too. I’d never seen such a turnout. I’ve lived in or near San Antonio, TX, all of my life … it is a major military town, an Army and Air Force city in fact. Yet I haven’t seen anything like this. A friend of mine lost his father during the first gulf war in 1991, in fact his father was amongst there very first casualties of that war. He was killed when the C-5A he flew in crashed in Germany. The crew consisted of mainly Air Force reservists from San Antonio, my friends father was one of them. Looking back, I don’t think the funeral for those victims (as sad as it was) was as moving as that of PFC Colton Rusk.

Freedom isn't free...we are free because of the brave.

There you have it.
Pass it along if you like or let me know if I don't have a clue.

Eddie