"Good people sleep peaceable in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."

My Father was a punk kid from a broken home born to a teenage mother. He was full of anger and nothing but trouble at the age of 18. If you have been here long, you know his story.

The Army made a man out of him. It taught him discipline, hard work, and respect for himself and others. When he became a Sargent quickly it proved to him what no one had bother to mention to him, that he was intelligent and a leader. He ended up training men older than he was. The Army literally saved my Father's life and gave him a brand new one. One filled with college, law school, a career in politics and a loving wonderful marriage and three children he adored.

He was the greatest man I ever knew. I will always be thankful to our military for all it gave my Father.

I thank all the Veterans today for your sacrifice and your dedication to our country.

In honor of our Veterans, let's take a look at this story that tells us much about our boys in Iraq and all the soldiers and Marines that have served us so well:

In roughly 10 days' time, the first of four 101st Airborne Division brigades will be completely redeployed from combat — about a month ahead of schedule.

About 550 soldiers with Fort Campbell's 3rd Brigade Combat Team returned from a 15-month deployment to Iraq on Friday, and in a few days the brigade will finish its redeployment.

One of his fellow 3rd BCT soldiers, Staff Sgt. Christian Martinez, said when he found out he was coming home early it was a weight off his and his family's shoulders. "It was a relief because you can start seeing the beginning of the end," Martinez said.

He said it was difficult, though, to leave their Iraqi counterparts, who now control the area almost entirely themselves.

"The Iraqi army started crying and shaking our hands," he said.

"I think a lot of us were caught off guard by it," he added.

Imagine that scene for a moment. The men of the Iraqi Army crying. I know why they cry. I bet my Father could tell you.

It's a new life. A much much better one.

via Mudville