Originally Posted by Silberfuchs
Whilst desperate to let us know 'he was really there' he provides no other details wrt time/place of the event other than 'Atlanta, Georgia....last week' sometime, maybe?
Let me fill in some of the blanks for you then. This would have been Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, KATL. Depending on whether the little girl and her mother were flying home themselves, it would have been in the Atrium between North and South Terminals (landside), or in E concourse (airside). I fly in and out of there just about every week. The Omni air trooping flights leave from E concourse.
I wasnt there, I did not see the event. But I'll bet my house it is true. This is a scene that happens just about every day. A few months back, I was idly sitting in the bar, when an older guy pitches up, clears his throat, and announces that he'll buy a drink for every soldier in uniform in the bar. There must have been 100 men and women in there.
The airport itself allows uniformed personnel access to the fast track departure system, the airlines will upgrade uniformed personnel. People willingly give them priority in queues. Particularly those in desert combats.
Occasionally, I have been lucky enough to witness the return of the air trooping flights. The inter-concourse train returns passengers to baggage claim, again between North and South Terminals, all arriving passengers will come out here. At the top of the escalators is a favourite spot to meet people. The USO stand there is a very heart warming thing. I've seen lots of tears shed there, and the scene of a little girl hanging off daddy's neck as he struggles to carry his daughter and his pack. But he doesn't care, because the tears are streaming down his face. He's Hercules at that moment.
The tears are streaming down my face as I am writing this post, because it really gets to me, the cynicism. Downright lack of patriotism over there. I read only this morning that 13% of the oxymoronic "British Muslims" think that the 7th July bombers were martyrs. WTF!!!! Last July 7, I got emails from US acquaintances spread throughout this country expressing their sorrow, and hopes that the tradgedy had not touched me personally, nor my (UK-based) company.
So, enough detail for you, Silberfuchs?
Originally Posted by Silberfuchs
Like most here I have my chest of medals from the worlds slagheaps.....
Me too pal. And I wear them with pride. Especially here.
How poignant that I write this post on Independence Day. I think I just made my mind up too. Thanks.