Where Has the Money Gone

The below, under the heading, "Scott Hagan is in Washington D.C. is a posting by Scott Hagan on Facebook (click his name for his FB account or search @jefferyscott88 for his X account).  They are not my words.  They are his words.  I simply felt they were well written and thought they were worth sharing.  

Scott is an Army vet and works in the United States House of Representatives as a Director of Veterans Affairs for a representative from Montana.  I do have one issue with what he says I don't think it is just the elite liberals but it is many on both sides of the aisle that have taken advantage of our tax dollars.  

What we are seeing is drastic.  For many of my family and friends it seems a bit frightening as there is some uncertainty.  Yet this is not the first time drastic measures have been taken by the executive office.  It has been done by both Democrats and Republicans in the past.  Is this more drastic than the past, likely, but we are further down the road of debt and thus more drastic measures are needed to save this Constitutional Republic we call the United States.

There is no way we would be able to manage our households the way the government has managed the country.  It was not too many years ago when I was a Resource Manager for the Religious Support Office at Fort Drum and I was managing the money in the way I had learned in order to be fiscally responsible.  I got in trouble for not spending at least 5% more than I was budgeted.  The reason is, "they can always print more money."  If we do not spend all the money plus we will get less money next year.  I was also held accountable for the money we spent.  Should not those above my level then be held accountable for the money they spend.

I was shocked and amazed but quickly understood why our country was in the financial situation we were in.  We cannot sustain our households continually piling up debt.  Our country cannot maintain if those in D.C. continue to pile up our national debt.  How many of you are unaware of where your money is spent.  We must be accountable personally why shouldn't our government be accountable to us how they spend the money.  I guess the difference is the our tax money is like a rental car, it is not theirs so what does it matter drive it like you stole it.

For those who are fearful of what is happening I can tell you in the moments of my greatest fears I have always found peace in my faith.  It doesn't change the situation often times but in the midst of the storm I can be in peace.  The Bible tells us 1. God does not give us the spirit of fear 2 Tim 1:7, 2. When we are concerned or worried we are to give everything our worries and concerns over to God in prayer Philippians 4:6 - 9 says,

“Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks. Then God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, keep your thoughts on whatever is right or deserves praise: things that are true, honorable, fair, pure, acceptable, or commendable. Practice what you’ve learned and received from me, what you heard and saw me do. Then the God who gives this peace will be with you.”

I do not want to seem unsympathetic to anyone that is feeling stress or fearful of what may happen.  I have faced fear.  Fear of when my family will have their next meal, fear of survival in combat, fear of an investigation over false allegations.  I get it.  What I also get is the one who knows all, who I call my Lord and Savior, is faithful to carry me through those times of fear.  In the midst of those times I can have peace.  The situations did not change.  I had to walk one step in front of the other through those storms I faced but on the other side was great celebrations.  So I am both sympathetic and empathetic to the situations.  What is happening is happening to people very close to me so I do not take those concerns lightly.

The uncertainty of the times you are feeling right now will bring about a celebration because our country will be stronger in the end.  More importantly we will still have a country.  My prayer is what is happening will cause you to dig deeper in your faith and pray for wisdom in our leadership.  We are instructed in scripture to pray for those in civil authority.  It also says in 2 Chronicles 7:14, 

“However, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, search for me, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear ⌞their prayer⌟ from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their country.”

Scott Hagan is in Washington D.C.

"The phone lines to Congress are still melting down, and the calls have only intensified this week. What are we to expect? The cuts are likely to hit everyone in some way. Where will the next major layoffs be? Our universities. The shutting down of grants is about to wreak havoc on college campuses. Is all this beneficial to America? Have we ever gone through something like this before? Yes, in the words of Margaret Thatcher, “Yes, the medicine is harsh, but the patient requires it in order to live.”

DOGE, Trump, and Elon Musk are the only defenders of our rights. Human rights, gay right's, women’s rights, ect…Let me explain… 

Take a hard look at how our system operates. The lavish lifestyle of DC’s elite liberals is sustained by you, the taxpayer, all without your say-so. Thanks to the transparency provided by Musk, we now have the receipt's.

This is how we’ve learned DC operates: The non-profit pays a liberal $300,000 or more. A married couple takes in $750,000 together, and often much more. Off of your back! If they want a free ski vacation in Aspen? Well there's a conference being held annually. The non-profit will of course fly them there and provide accommodations. Every meal is of course non-profit related. Eat well. Take Chelsea Clinton’s NGO, which received a jaw-dropping $84 million in taxpayer funding, and paid her a staggering $1.3 million solely for her “travel.” Yes, that was her “travel budget!”

In 2000, 30% of nonprofits took in federal dollars—by 2023 it was 68%. The number of nonprofits has DOUBLED in 20yrs. 

Washington DC has the highest median household income in America (outside of San Francisco tech bubble 126k) at 122k a year. It’s not a financial center, like New York City ($95k) or Chicago (87k). It’s not the home of any large ports, New Orleans ($61k) or Boston (98k) It doesn’t even have nice weather, like San Diego or Honolulu (both 101k) 

But what does Washington excel in? Extracting value from the federal government through your tax dollars! Astonishingly, 26% of households earn over $200,000 per year, more than any other city in the United States. In fact, five of the seven wealthiest counties are nestled within the DC Beltway.

Yet, rampant government corruption looms large. The head of the Social Security Administration stepped down after 30 years because she refused to let DOGE employees in. She earned $225,000 a year while the average SSA employee makes $99,000. Remember, all 42,000 government employees protested and convinced Biden that they needed to work from home until 2029 for their COVID safety. Which company has its entire workforce working remotely? Why do government employees earn, on average, $20,000 more than the average taxpayer? Once DOGE finally gained access to the building, we uncovered over 20 million people on the Social Security benefits system who are over the age of 100! Shouldn't we be purging these rolls? Is this really efficiency?

And the DISGRACE continues! The White House is unable to track $6.2 billion dollars sent to Ukraine.

California is unable to track $24 billion dollars to combat homelessness.

The Pentagon is unable to track $2.3 trillion dollars of military spending.

The U.S. Treasury is unable to track $5 trillion dollars of pandemic spending.

In just the first four months of our current fiscal year, we’ve racked up an $838 billion deficit—a staggering 15% increase from last year—as Democrats continue to block Trump and DOGE’s efforts to cut down on federal spending.

The statistics are staggering: Interest payments on our national debt now eclipse military spending, with the total debt skyrocketing to a staggering $36 trillion. Yet Schumer and Jeffries are committed to “choking off” any chance of budget cuts.

Unless we alter our course, guess what awaits us? Bankruptcy.

It’s a unique time to be a Republican; I often hear murmurs within the halls of Congress that “Elon Musk is moving too fast,” or that “some Republicans are about to lose their fortunes.” The reality, though, that we’re merely a decade away from government insolvency. This is the dark secret within DC no one would dare speak publicly. 

It’s alarming that this grim reality is an open topic in Congress, and yet there’s no political will from either side to confront it. Is Musk really moving too fast? Let’s not forget that Bill Clinton famously fired 12% of the federal workforce to bring balance to the budget. Is he now branded as a villain? The left is merely frustrated, caught in a tide of emotion and manipulation.

How is Trump and Elon protecting our rights? This is the cold, harsh, pragmatic truth of the world. There are no rights. No one has rights—rights are an illusion. They are a luxury enjoyed by the citizens in a thriving society.

Our government has grown too massive, and our spending is utterly unsustainable. Musk and Trump, both successful businessmen, understand money in stark black and white. It’s about profit and growth (let’s expand into Canada!) versus the risk of bankruptcy (think K-Mart, Blockbuster, or the Soviet Union).

On the global stage, equality and human rights are mere façades. You’re either a superpower dictating terms or you’re at the mercy of those who are stronger. The voices and lives of Ukrainians are but whimpers; Russia and America will ultimately decide their fate without their input. Is Israel’s war in Gaza ethical or just? It’s of no consequence—Israel holds the military might, while the Palestinians do not. Was the U.S. invasion of Iraq justifiable? It doesn’t matter; one million Iraqis—alive in March 2003—fell by March 2004.

If we collapse like the Soviet Union, when the lights go out and the water stops running, the results will be dire. If we lose our super power status, and are unable to properly defend ourselves, it’s not going to be pleasant. 

I would much rather engage in frivolous debates over trivial matters—like bathroom access based upon gender or egg prices—than face the dystopian reality of bread lines, rampant sanitation diseases, or the ominous presence of Chinese bombers dominating the skies over Los Angeles.

Trump’s idol, Teddy Roosevelt, imparted an essential truth: “The curse of every ancient civilization was that its men, in the end, became unable to fight. Materialism, luxury, and safety weakened the fiber of each civilized race until they became pacifists, easily overrun by those with the virile fighting power that ultimately makes all other virtues irrelevant.”

We either do away with the bread and circuses now and get our house in order, and confront the reality of our situation, or some other power, one that shares none of our values, will step in and do it for us. The great historian Thucydides warned us 2,500 years ago—“the strong do as they will, the weak suffer as they must.”

The billionaire who cut his teeth and made his wealth in one of ruthless buisness cities in the world—grasp this harsh reality. 🇺🇸"

Blessings, Ric

Restarting The Blog

I am restarting the blog I started in 2009.  It was always active but in the midst of the craziness of my life I had stopped blogging.  In fact I have not blogged for so long I could not remember where my blog was being hosted.  Thankfully for my wife she knew exactly where it was.  I was looking over this blog and found it was around Memorial Day 2014 since I last blogged.

When I started this blog I called it, "Life In This Multi-Color Leisure Suit."  This was in reference to the camouflaged uniform I wore while serving in the United States Army.  After 38 years and 3 days in uniform, in September 2022, I finally retired and for the most part hung up my uniform.  There has still been opportunities to wear a uniform but it now spends more time in my closet than on me.  With breathing life back into this blog I decided I needed to change the name so welcome to "Life After The Multi-Color Leisure Suit."

In the last week or so I have been feeling led by God to revive this blog as well as my other blog "Rambling Through Scripture" https://rmechapsdevotions.blogspot.com/.  These two blogs have two different purposes.  Rambling Through Scriptures is simply my ramblings as I work through the Holy Bible.  This blog, Life After The Multi-Color Leisure Suit, will look at various topics.  You could say it will be just my ramblings.  Sometimes it will be spiritual sometimes often times it won't be as spiritual as my devotional blog.  I do not separate my faith from who I am.  My faith is who I am and so often there will be spiritual overtones to anything I write.

The point of this blog is to simply share things about life.  In the past I have restricted what I shared on my blog simply to the fact that I was in uniform and as a Chaplain and commissioned officer I needed to be cautious in what I said.  Now that I am not in uniform I can be more open to share on many different topics.  I look forward to exploring with you my interests.  I do plan on being more political in this blog.  As a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army I had a responsibility to remain apolitical.  In other words I had my opinion about the political landscape but I kept much of my opinions to myself and in the voting booth.  I am learning to have a political voice which comes with great training because I am still that Soldier in uniform in my head.  When I do blog about the political landscape I will do my best to speak truth and hopefully as a chaplain provide some peace.

I have not decided on how often I will blog.  I am not sure if it will be daily because I am just not sure I have that much that is that important to say.  When I do blog my prayer is that it will not just be worth while for me to spend the time sharing but it will be worth your time to read.

Thank you for stopping by my blog.  If you are new here take the time to look at what I have written in the past.  The last time I wrote was almost 11 years ago.  Much in life has changed since I wrote those blogs.  There may still be some nuggets that will benefit you.  Do not forget to stop by my Rambling Through Scriptures blog.  The only thing new there, for me at least, is I have redesigned the page.  I will be doing my best to blog there on a daily basis concerning the scripture passages I am reading.  I pray that blog will help you grow in your walk of faith.  If you don't have a faith may you come to know the God I love with all my heart.

Blessing

Ric

Memorial Day 2014

    Today, 26 May 2014, is Memorial Day in the United States.  For all too many the day will pass as just another long weekend to bring in the long days of Summer.  For those who have been personally touched by war it will never be just another long weekend to enjoy.  As it should be for all, today will forever be a reminder of the ultimate sacrifice on a battlefield in a distant land.  As I sit in my office on Kandahar Air Field just outside of Kandahar, Afghanistan I find that my mind wanders to the memories of 24 Soldiers that I have personally been involved in their memorials in my career and the number of others that I have supervised. 19 of those 24 were killed while deployed to Iraq in 2004 - 2005. I refuse to allow their memories to be forgotten. 

"Ode of Remembrance," from "For the Fallen,"

by Laurence Binyon

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them.

     The following is from my speach that I gave at the Memorial Day Ceremony we conducted here on KAF in Afghanistan.

            Matthew 5:4 says, “Blessed are those who mourn.  They will be comforted.”

            Memorial Day for many of us will never be the same because at some time in the last 13 years of war or in wars previous a family member or a friend was killed in combat defending the country they loved.  There are very few of us that have not been personally impacted by the death of a loved one or a friend. 

Because of the death of a loved one or a friend Memorial Day is a day filled with mixed emotions.  Our emotions are impacted by the memories of Memorial Days of years gone by where we spent time bringing in the summer days on a long weekend with family and friends.  Those memories are now impacted by the memory of the death of someone close to us on a battlefield somewhere defending the country we all love.

            We each deal with our emotions in our own way some will do it openly others privately.  They will allow themselves to feel, to hurt, to grieve. They will laugh and they will cry.  They will at times sit quietly and remember and at other times they will share those memories.

            It is events like this one today where we find strength and comfort in the loss of that individual as we gather with family and friends or even strangers for a moment to give honor to those who paid the ultimate price for the freedom of others.  We grieve as individuals and as a country for the loss of that friend or family member alongside one another.  It is not whether we knew the person that was killed it is the point of giving honor and sharing for a moment in the pain. 

It is in allowing ourselves to feel whatever the emotions may be that we find the comfort we need.  We find the strength in people gathering to remember that today is not just another holiday but it is a day set aside to give honor to those who stood up and said I will not allow evil to prevail.  I will do my part to bring good into this world.  It is why each of us are standing here in Afghanistan because we are willing to say not on my watch will evil prevail.  So today is not just a holiday but a holy day, not in that is has spiritual significance, but in the fact that it is a day set aside to bring honor to those who gave all.

Today is not just about feeling the emotions and grieving to be comforted but it is a day to honor all who have stood on that battlefield and said not on my watch.  The fear of many Gold Star Families is that their family member will be forgotten by the world.  That the world will not remember the sacrifice paid by their family member on a battlefield for the freedoms we enjoy.

As much as we have said we will not allow evil to prevail on our watch.  We also need to say that we will not let those who sacrificed all to be forgotten on our watch.  Romans 13:7 says “Pay everyone whatever you owe them.  If you owe someone respect, respect that person.  If you owe them honor, honor that person.”

We owe those killed in combat and their Gold Star Families respect and honor.  We must do our part to show that honor and not allow these individuals to be forgotten.  We do this by sharing the stories of the individuals who paid the ultimate price.  The fallen may be gone but let us not allow them ever to be forgotten. For in giving honor where honor is due we then provide comfort for the grief.

Blessings of 2013

     As the New Year comes I often reflect on the past year.  It seems that I do this even more while deployed.  So here I sit in Afghanistan reflecting over 2013 as I watch the last few minutes of this year tick away soon a fresh year will begin.  As a Facebook post I saw said, "Soon an old year will pass and you will have a fresh 365 pages to write on in the new year.  What will you write on those pages."  
     Before I begin to write on this new year's pages I want to reflect on the blessings of this past year.  I see this not so much a longing for the old as it is giving honor to God for what he gave me this past year.

     I will always consider myself blessed that another year has gone by and I have my bride still by my side.  This past year we celebrated 27 years of marriage and 28 years of being together.  She has put up with much over these years and once again another deployment.  FaceTime is a great thing for even now I can watch her as she busies herself around the house to prepare for her own New Years celebration with family and friends.  Modern technology is a blessing that allows me to celebrate New Years with her even 7000 miles away.

     A blessing that keeps on giving year after year is our girls in our lives.  God may have not given us children in the way we expected but we are rich to have such amazing beautiful women in our lives and their families.  I am not sure how we came about to deserve such great rewards and honor but yet God has indeed blessed us.

     Facebook has been shown to be a challenge at times in many of our lives.  Yet I found it as a great tool to keep in touch with family and friends as the Army sends me around the world.  Facebook was a great blessing this past year as it allowed me to connect to some special people that I had lost contact with many years ago.  I was just a young boy and they younger then me when, for various reasons and circumstances, we lost contact with one another.  Yet this year I received a tremendous blessing and that was an opportunity to reconnect with cousins from my Dad's side.  One by one I was able to reach out and connect with them through Facebook

     There were times over the years I thought I would never see them again.  Yet 2013 has been a time to get to know them.  To learn of their lives and to be a part of their family.  I look forward to the day that I can see them face to face and we get to laugh and cry and grow closer as family.

     Another blessing is the development of friendships at the church we attend off post in Colorado Springs.  You have to understand that as a Army chaplain I am often leading or assisting at services on the installation I am stationed at.  Rarely having the opportunity to develop connections with those in my denomination.  This year I feel I was able to make friends and solidify those relationships so even if we move away from Colorado Springs I know that when we retire back to the Springs we will just be going home to those at the church.

     2013 has had its rough patches along the way.  Out of the ashes of those rough areas new friendships arose.  What Satan used to attempt to destroy God used to build bonds that were used to strengthen others.

     Proverbs 16:9 says, "A person may plan his own journey, but the Lord directs his steps." I am not sure that I would have planned all that 2013 brought my way, to include a deployment to Afghanistan.  What I have learned over the years is that God does bless the path he takes me on.  I am amazed at where my life has come.  I have done more and achieved more then I could ever have imagined in both my personal and professional life.

     I am not sure what God has in store for 2014.  I am pretty sure that it will likely involve another permanent change of station (PCS) which will be our 7th in 9 years.  Thankfully it will also include a redeployment from Afghanistan.  This I do know that though I may plan my journey I will always pray for God to direct my steps.

     It is now almost 30 minutes into the new year.  My prayer for you is that you too will allow God to order your steps.  That in the midst of trials in the new year you will find blessings.  Happy New Year and may each blank page of each day be written on wisely.

I Have Become What I Avoided....I Am Them.

     I come from a great heritage of military service.  I have several uncles, my dad, my brother and my little sister who have served or are currently serving.  I also married my 1st Sergeant's daughter as a private.  Yes I live life on the edge.  With this great heritage comes great training and understanding of what is important and what is not important as you serve.  Much of what my father and father-in-law taught me as I grew up in and around the military has stayed with me throughout my almost 30 years of service.

     Such things as it is not about me it is about those who are on the left and right of me.  Junior enlisted and those junior to you eat first.  You take care of your troops and ensure they have what they need then you take care of yourself.

     Most of my thirty years have been served at battalion or lower.  In fact I did not move up to battalion level until I took my commission as an officer and joined the Chaplain Corps.  As a jr. enlisted and young NCO the them was battalion or higher.  When I went to work as at battalion level, for there is no choice as a chaplain that is the lowest level we are assigned to, the them shifted.  In fact the them was not even brigade the them was division.

     In 2004 I deployed to Iraq with Task Force 2-2 Infantry, 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division.  We were stationed in a place called Muqdadiyah, Iraq at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Normandy.  A very large former Iraqi military base that had been looted by villagers in the area.  Our lone battalion was responsible for securing this base which was large enough for a brigade at least.  It needed work and though some was done by the previous unit much was still to be done.

    We did what we could to make this place safe and livable for it was our home away from home for a year.  Though improvements were being done daily if you did not live there you would sometimes have trouble seeing the improvements if you did not stay there long.

     It soon became evident that there was an us and a them.  The them was not the enemy it was division.  We heard often that we were not doing enough to improve the FOB.  We heard  it so much that we created a video to compare how us and them lived.  For the them lived in a palace.  No, literally they lived or at least worked in one of Saddam's palaces.  

    The us not so much.  Many of our buildings had no windows or doors.  Our dining facility had concrete slabs when we arrived for tables and snakes would occasionally drop from the ceiling.  Hot water showers were occasional at best and our power would often go out.  We did improve things in the year we were there because we were not going to live a year with the FOB in that condition but there was still a divide between the us and them. 

     Why do I share this because in the last year I have risen to division level and I am now a part of them.  I like to say I have become what I have avoided for almost 30 years.  I do not think I will ever truly become a them because I am sure that my father and father-in-law would have much to say about that if my wife did not get to me first.  Yet I find myself sometimes feeling a bit guilty in the location I am stationed at in Afghanistan.  The room I have is far removed from the place that I was at almost 10 years ago.  I have indoor plumbing and not a piss tube or a outhouse that the tub has to be removed and the human waste burned while you stir.  There is a bit of guilt because I have seen some of the other bases here in Afghanistan and I know they do not live in the standards that I am enjoying at Kandahar Air Field.

     In a way having the above video is a reminder to me that I may be up with the them but I do well in remembering that there is an us that my responsibility is to serve and not lord over.  The scripture verse comes to mind of John 17:14 - 19 that speaks to being in the world but not of the world.  Just as the disciples were in the world and effected change maybe I can be them in order to effect change not in the way it was done when I was in 2-2 but in a better way.  I guess if I want to impact the Army in the way I want to it is better to be at this level for I impact more.  May I do it in such away that I never lose sight of the us.

Why I Serve...

Basic Combat Training 1985

In my 29 years of service the question that I have heard most often is why do I serve.

     I have often thought long about that answer. My initial reason for joining was simple.  I joined because of love of country, love of military and most of all because of the call to serve and before I became a chaplain I wanted to experience being a Soldier.

     My continual service has to do with my love for God and the place he has called me to be and my love for Soldiers.  If I was asked today why I serve it would because of the following stories about two Soldiers.

     I often sit back in amazement that I get to serve along some of the most amazing men and women in the world.

     In the very early morning hours of 6 Oct 2013 a unit went on a raid here in Afghanistan.  The raid went downhill fast and there were many wounded and a number killed.  All the Soldiers in the raid are an inspiration, two Soldiers standout to me.

SGT/Team Leader 3rd PLT 670th MP Co 2nd Row 4th from left. Late '80s

     Soldier one who I can only imagine was either the medic or a leader of some sort.  Arrives at the Role III hospital (the highest level of care before going to Germany) and steps off the aircraft injured with a tourniquet around one of his arm.  He drops his gear and only when he knows his team is being taken care of he allows himself to become a patient.

     Solider two is lying in the ICU.  Tubes sticking out of him and he is incubated.  His right arm is wrapped and splinted.  The command arrives to do a Purple Heart Ceremony for the wounded from the night before. The medical staff is sure that this Soldier will not respond and likely not to remember the event.  The command presents this Soldier with his Purple Heart.  They begin to present his Combat Infantry Badge when he begins moving his right arm.  The doc presses in and attempts to calm the kid down.  The kid continues to move his arm from under the blanket.  They continue to attempt to calm him down.  He finally gets his right arm out from under the covers and then fights with the tubes and splint and he then presents the best salute that he can render under his conditions.

Battalion Chaplain 2-2 Infantry Regiment 2004

     Two men who are an amazing inspiration to all.  One put his men before himself the other in the midst of his medical condition still renders appropriate honors.

     This is not the first time I witnessed such greatness.  I have been blessed to see such greatness over and over again in the last 29 years.  I serve because God called me here.  I serve because of great men and women like these.

     I am honored to serve along such greatness.

Love

This year my wife and I will celebrate 27 years of marriage. In today's world that is forever. Yet I feel like I have only just begun since my grandparents this past year just before my grandfather died celebrated 70 years. 

To say it has always been wedded bliss would be a lie. We are two individuals who come from different backgrounds. We have had our ups and downs. Yet I would not return a single year back. Well save the around four years I have been gone with the Army. I would exchanges those for four years to be home. Apostle Paul sad there would be problems in marriage. 

We were married young she 19 me 18. She was my 1st Sergeants daughter. Yes I live life on the edge. I was a mere PV2, E-2. Barely had mosquito wings to hold down my collar.

She interestingly enough said three nevers and got me. Never marry someone from her home town. Never marry some one in the military. Never marry a minister. God must have been laughing hard when we hooked up. 

As she sleeps here beside me I cannot help but think about my up coming deployment and her once again taking care of the home front. I long to stay home with her. Yet I raised my right hand and swore to support and defend . . . .  My evaluations have always said to send me to the toughest jobs, and that the Army has done. 

I am proud of my wife for with each tough assignment she has been there to support me during the good, the bad, and the ugly. There has been much ugly. 

Proverbs says that a man who finds a good wife has found a great thing. I am extremely blessed to have found my bride. I love you babe.