PRESERVING A MILITARY LEGACY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
The following Reflection represents SSG James R. Laudermilk’s legacy of their military service from 2004 to 2015. If you are a Veteran, consider preserving a record of your own military service, including your memories and photographs, on Togetherweserved.com (TWS), the leading archive of living military history. The Service Reflections is an easy-to-complete self-interview, located on your TWS Military Service Page, which enables you to remember key people and events from your military service and the impact they made on your life.
Where Was Your Favorite Place Visited, Either Through Deployment or R&R, From Your Time in the Service? Can You Recall Any Memories of This Place You Found Particularly Impressive or Enjoyable?
Back in 2004 2006, I was a Sergeant deployed near the northern border of Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Our base was rough, the mission serious but even in a warzone, God finds ways to remind you of His goodness.
One day, we got the chance to visit a nearby orphan village. I ll be honest my first time off post, I was praying nonstop. My wife had mailed over a mountain of clothes, school supplies, and snacks for the kids. We packed it all up and headed out, not knowing what to expect.
When we arrived, those kids were absolutely overjoyed. They slipped into the clothes right there, whether they fit or not grinning ear to ear like it was Christmas morning. You d have thought we were handing out gold when we gave them pencils and paper. Pure joy. Simple things we take for granted they are treasured.
Afterward, the village chief invited us into his home for a traditional meal. Lamb. Let me tell you, that lamb was so good it should ve come with a standing ovation. Hospitality like that in the middle of a warzone? That s grace.
Once we finished eating, I went back outside to hand out snacks and figured I d break out a little magic. I used to be a semi-pro magician performed in Korea during the All-Army Talent Show, even did some singing and dancing (don t ask for an encore). So I pulled out a deck of cards and started doing tricks. The kids were amazed they d never seen anything like it. Before long, they started taking the cards as souvenirs. I let them. Watching their faces light up was worth more than the whole deck.
On the drive back, we found a dog abandoned, missing a foot. In that part of the world, damaged animals are left behind. But not by us. We brought him back to base and made him our unit s mascot. He might ve had three legs, but he had the heart of a lion.
For a day smack in the middle of a combat zone, it was one of the best days of my life. We laughed, we gave, we loved and by God s grace, we all made it home safe. SSG James Laudermilk 121St Inf Long Range Surveillance
Read the Military Memories of our Runner-Ups.
PRESERVE YOUR OWN SERVICE MEMORIES!
Boot Camp, Units, Combat Operations
Join Togetherweserved.com to Create a Legacy of Your Service
U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Coast Guard
SHARE:
0 Comments