My brother is back on US soil! I don't have any blood brothers but this man is closer than blood, best friends throughout middle and high school, lived with me at my parents our junior and senior years, got a place together after high school and were always in bands together. He joined the Marine Corps, a few months later I joined, were both stationed at Pendleton and our wives are pretty much best friends so we got to hang out often when we weren't pre-occupied with deployments, etc. Well he has just returned home from his 3rd combat deployment today(1-Iraq, 2-Afghanistan), his wife posted these pics on facebook, wish I was there but super stoked he's home safe.
Our last deployments we were in Afghanistan at the same time with different units in two different areas of the country but we still managed to run into each other, it was great. (for the record the pistol is not pointing at him as he is behind me and the barrel is slanted, hard to see in the pic)
“So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none.When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision.When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.”
~ Chief Tecumseh