Several days ago, I posted that Chris was given a great honor. It is with incredible pride and gratitute that my happy thought for many, MANY days to come is that on 17 Dec, SSG Chris Falkel will be made an honorary Golden Knight!!! I STILL can't believe it!

I have never told many people, but when Chris was very young we went to an air show in either Ohio or New York. Chris could have cared less about all the aircraft on the tarmac - ALL he cared about was the Golden Knights soaring through the air and landing in the infield! His "1000 meter target" was to become a Golden Knight after HALO school and his SWC tour. It is something that he wanted to do almost more than anything, and so for him to receive this honor, truly makes my heart smile!

So, to the Commander and 1st Sergeant - I can NEVER thank you enough, but I will spend the REST of my life trying!!!:D:D:D

molon labe:lifter

Tatonka316, we are very pleased to hear of this honor, but to be honest, we are not surprised that Chris is being remembered in this fasion, it's kind of a SF thing, agreed?

Tell us, how many have been given the honor of being a Golden Knight post the ultimate sacrifice of laying down their lives for their country?

I'm betting the number is few.

SSG Falkel, rest is peace little brother, thank you for your service to this great nation. You will always be remembered and never forgotten.

molon labe

Congratulations!

Thanks to Joe as well for making this happen.

TR

Tatonka316, I am very happy for you and your family. Although I only know Chris through YOUR book, I know that he must be looking down and smiling today. I think of him often as I see the book waiting for my son on his shelf. Hats off to those that made this happen.

Tatonka316, that is just fantastic news! Kudos to those who made this happen.

My children are happy and healthy and excited for the holidays. We took them to get their pictures taken for our Christmas cards.

My wife just sold her 2nd and 3rd books with an option for the 4th.

My son will be marching in his first parade as a Cub Scout this evening.

I am truly blessed.

Merry Christmas, everyone, and a deep-felt thank you to all of those who are away from home defending our nation and promoting freedom.

Beautiful children PedOncoDoc! Congrats to your wife! (perhaps you can post info on her books in the Library section...?)

Beatiful children, PedOncoDoc!

Don't take this the wrong way, but in a few years from now your daughters could probably win more prizes on Halloween than Pete's daughters did! :D

Thanks ZD.

From the time they came into this world I have been instilling in a strong since of responsibility for their well being into their older brother (who's birthday IS Halloween.)

If you ask him what his most important job is he says without hesitation, "Keeping my sisters safe." He has thrown himself in harms way on a few occasions when he thought they were in danger.

I'm gonna need all the help I can get keeping an eye on all the boys who will come calling, and I believe laws exist against grown men hitting teenage boys (whereas an older teenage boy might get away with it.) :D

Christmas was beautiful here in Page, Arizona.

There's a nice overlook about ten minutes from the house.
Snapped some shots of the lake and a local with his home-built hotrod.

During the last two weeks, I've endured a couple of howling snow storms near Cheyenne, prayed for olfactory shut down near Greeley, and dug a couple of holes ten inches in diameter and nearly four feet deep through the pavement in county roads in both Wyoming and Colorado...I've been cursed at because of the disruption drilling oil wells brings and been begged to move another's well up the drilling schedule (I have nothing to do with either)...I walked ankle deep in cow shit to survey a center pivot and have spent a good deal of time wondering why two seemingly competent surveyors have a disagreement over the location of a boundary by 26 feet...I've found a monument that "doesn't exist" and been mystified a couple that were supposed to be easy to find...

It's nice to be back in the saddle again...hopefully, the economy will start turning around for everyone else, too...

Getting Wet with some friends on the day after XMas:cool:.....

Too cool.

To what extent are you certified?

AOW/NITROX/RESCUE/CCS, etc, etc