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Colonel sadler
I am planning on attending Colonel Sadler’s memorial next week. I never met the man but, he and the men of SOG dramatically affected my life. I was a Plain Vanilla, Ass in the Grass Grunt in the 101st working in the FSB Birmingham/Bastogne AO near the Ashau. I was completely unaware that SOG existed, and what they did. I have come to believe after reading Major Plasters book, other articles and meeting some Special Forces soldiers who enlightened me further. Colonel Sadler and the men of SOG bought me 43 extra years of life with their blood. This is what I have done with those years. I have been married to the same woman for 31 years. We have three children, each born in a different country and on different continents. I was a Cop and then went back to college and earned a BA and MBA. I went into ROTC, received a commission stayed on AD for another decade, and later went into DoD where I recently retired. I have been allowed to professionally support Special Forces and the Special Operations community in a few endeavors that you gentlemen may or may not have found useful regardless, I gave you my best. I have never been arrested, divorced, bankrupt, or in treatment. Our son recently left the Army after serving in Iraq with the 82nd and he is now in college. Our oldest daughter graduated from college and is about to bless us with a grandson. Our youngest daughter took some time off of college to work for a Libertarian group because in her words “if her Grandfathers, father and brother served, she thinks she should do fighting for our values as well!” Since becoming aware of the unearned gift of life, the Grace that was given to me by the men of SOG with their blood, not a day goes by that I do not say a prayer. Unfortunately, I do not possess the eloquence to adequately describe the feelings I have, especially when I am surrounded by my family and am so acutely aware of the price that was paid by others for the life I have today.
This is what I have done with the Gift the men of SOG gave to me. It seldom seems enough considering their sacrifices but, I have never and never will break the faith by quitting or dishonoring the gift with pedestrian behavior. I found a calling that allowed me to contribute to the US military and be of service to the men and women who live and die at the pointy end of the Spear. I will pay my respects to Colonel Sadler with the greatest humility and Light a Candle for him, his family and all of those SOG men and their families.
Thank You and God Bless!
Noslack
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