You are among the last of your kind, a professional soldier
A dying breed of soldier who was forged in the fires of Hell

You have given your entire life to your country
You were forged in the hot jungles of Vietnam

You fought and spilled your blood in the Sudan
The Congo called and you answered her call

Your brothers you left sleeping in her arms
Your blood was left in her jungles and mud.

You bled in Malaysia and the jungles of Columbia
The Balkans called and you answered and left your blood

Your uniform tells your story, the story of a soldier.
Your row upon row of battle awards and medals

To those who do not know they mean nothing,
But to those who do know, they tell the story....

The story of a soldier who has served in hell;
Those who know only nod their heads in respect...

In respect for all that you have done;
All that you have done and of the battles fought.

Hash mark upon hash mark upon your sleeves
Master Parachutist Jump wings upon your breast

The Combat Infantryman's Badge worn with pride
The Ranger Tab below the Airborne Tab....

And worn above the Sword of Special Forces.....
Badges adorn your shoulders showing all that you do

You wear a hat, a funny green hat that does not keep
Does not keep the sun from your eyes nor the rain...

Nor the rain from your face, yet you wear it with pride
You wear the flash of the 5th Group, whose colors...

Whose colors were those of The Republic of Viet Nam
You wear a badge that means "To Liberate the Oppressed"

You wear high shiny leather boots, jump boots they are called
You also wear jungle boots and when the need arises...

When the need arises for no traces to be left you wear....
You wear leather leggings from those who raised you

You have fought and bled from the jungles of Vietnam
to the mountains of Afghanistan and the streets of Bagdad

You came from the deserts to defend our shores
For 40 years and more you have spilled your blood

You spilled your blood on foreign shores to protect
To protect the country of your birth and the land that you love

You gave up your youth to the Gods of War and were molded
by the battles you fought and the brothers you could not save.

Your blue eyes never blink as they stare thru me into eternity
You hear the beating of butterfly wings as they fly among the Ocotillo

You are as hardened steel and there is no mercy for a foe
And yet I have seen how gently you hold a child or a kitten

Your time is almost over but what of the future for us....
Who will answer the call when Soldiers are again to be called?

Where will they come from, are there anymore like you
Will there be Eagles and Ferrets and Hammers and Vipers

Will there be Bright Lights and Prairie Fires and Shining Brass?
Will there be those who will go and leave no trace, and do what they must?

You are among the last of your kind, a soldier who has served;
Served with honor and pride in his country and his mission

I only hope that as war now rages in the sands and mountains...
I hope that from that horrible quagmire there will emerge...

That there will emerge some more that are like you...
Like you and your kind emerged to follow those ahead of you.

It is time for you to rest now; you have given all that you can.
The future we cannot see, but we can pray for more of those...

For more of those like you;
a dying breed and among the last of your kind

Alison TwoBears © 2006

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