Sometimes we take a moment to think about what the brave heroes who serve our great country leave behind. We know that they leave loves and kin but we satisfy ourselves that if something happened to love or kin they would get some leave time to tend to it.

Well, it's not always true. There are some losses that are every bit as painful as losing a loved one or a relative. But there's just no leave to succor the loss. Here's a note from one of those times - just this week - from a terrific tough guy with four stripes on his shoulder:

Old Man

The other day I found out that my cat died. His name was Simba. Simba was a cool cat, not just as an animal but as a homie. We used to watch TV together, eat pizza, sometimes share a packet of Carl Budding meat and if I was lucky he would let me pet him, but only if I needed to. This was a lot.

He was funny too. He had brain problems. Probably why we got along so well. He loved chasing shadows. I was always like "dude, it’s a shadow, you can't catch it"...

And he was always like, "Well if I had that kind of 'tude, of course not. But eventually I will. It’s all a part of my ninja training."

So he’d practice and I'd laugh at him, but he did not mind. He knew what was up.

From his Ninja training he gained a heightened sense of danger, a kind of spidey sense, if you will. This caused him to be aware instantly if someone was making a loud, sudden noise. He would then alert me by running like hell behind the couch. Even if I was the one making the noise. He would always take care of me like that.

Simba was a great roommate; I won't degrade him by calling him my pet. You don't own your buddies. Anyway, he never was loud, never crowded my space, and never made fun of me if I was hung-over: just that constant Zen serenity radiating from him (until the next shadow or loud noise).

The greatest thing Simba ever did for me was take care of my girlfriend for me. I had to leave for Korea and was sad that I had to leave my beautiful girlfriend behind. He said "Look Buddy, I know that I'm not feeling too well, but tell you what, I'll watch after her for a while, you know, just to get her through the initial shock, but then I've got to go. I'll be needed other places." So he stayed with her until he decided to move out but stayed in the area so she could still visit him. He was a good shit for that, and I could never repay him, but I know he wouldn't accept it if I could. He’d just say "Screw it dude, get me next time."

I am not sad that he died, death is natural, I'm sad that I won't see his face or share my food with him again. You know that you’ve found a friend, when you can just sit together for hours and not say a word and be comfortable. We did that all the time! I will miss that, but he was needed for other things, but that doesn't mean that he'll be forgotten. Now that you read this you know about the Old Man and though it’s trite to say, he'll
live on.

You may think it foolish to miss a cat and for that I feel sorry for you and hope that one day you could have a buddy like Simba.

Serving half-way around the world, there's no time to grieve for this little friend. There's too much duty to attend to. There's maybe just a brief chance for a strong, strong man to write a note to others that he has had to leave behind to commemorate a passing that he could not attend to.

Oh, Robert, sir, I'm sorry that you didn't have the chance to take Simba down for his last visit to the vet. I know it hurts. I know that it's a burden that you choose to bear. Please know that we are eternally grateful that you choose to fly and fight in our stead and we hope that the pain of all of your losses will be eased by our constant and abiding love.