Dear Terrorists,

"I got this email forward the other day, and thought I’d share the text of it, because it rings true to me and just about anyone serving in uniform.

Dear Terrorists,
I am a Navy Aviator. I was born and raised in a small town in New England. I come from a family of five. I was raised in a middle class home and taught my values by my mother and father.

My dad worked a series of jobs in finance and my mom took care of us kids. We were not an overly religious family but attended church most Sundays. It was a nice small Episcopal Church. I have a brother and sister and I am the youngest in my family. I was the first in many generations to attend college.

I have flown Naval aircraft for 16 years. For me the flying was never a lifelong dream or a "calling," it just happened. I needed a job and I liked the challenge. I continue to do it today because I feel it is important to give back to a nation which has given so much to me. I do it because, although I will never be rich, my family will be comfortable.

I do it because many of my friends have left for the airlines and someone has to do it. My government has spent millions to train me to fly these multi-milliondollar aircraft. I make about 70,000 dollars a year and after 20 years will be offered a pension. I like baseball but think the players make too much money. I am in awe of firemen and policemen and what they do each day for my community, and like teachers, they just don't get paid enough.

I respect my elders and always use sir or ma'am when addressing a stranger. I'm not sure about kids these days but I think that's normal for every generation.

I tell you all this because when I come for you, I want you to know me. I won't be hiding behind a woman or a child. I won't be disguised or pretending to be something I am not. I will be in a U.S. issue flight suit. I will be wearing standard US issue flight gear, and I will be flying a navy aircraft clearly marked as a US warplane. I wish we could meet up close in a small room where I could wrap my hands around your throat and slowly squeeze the life out of you, but unfortunately, you're hiding in a hole in the ground, so we will have to do this a different way.

I want you to know also that I am very good at what I do. I can put a 2,000 lb weapon through a window from 10,000 feet up. I generally only fly at night, so you may want to start sleeping during the day. I am not eager to die for my country but I am willing to sacrifice my life to protect it from animals like you.

I will do everything in my power to ensure no civilians are hurt as I take aim at you.

My countrymen are a forgiving bunch. Many are already forgetting what you did on Sept 11th. But I will not forget!!

I am coming. I hope you know me a little bit better, see you soon...sleep tight.

Signed
A U.S. Navy Pilot


Our Soldiers are one of our greatest assets! God Bless

Great thoughts. If you’re thinking of going Navy, here’s their Oath of Reenlistment to give you an idea of what you’re getting into. Just kidding. Or am I?.

If I were to write my letter to terrorists, I guess it would go something like this. Thank you to the anonymous Navy pilot for the base text, the credit goes to you.

Dear Terrorists,

I am an Army Infantryman. I was born and raised within the shadow of the Pentagon. I come from a family of four. I was raised in an upper-middle class home and taught my values by my mother and father.

Both my parents were career military, my dad in the Navy and my mom in the Marine Corp and Navy. We were not an overly religious family but attended church on most Sundays. It was a Catholic Church across the street from where I attended college. I have one sister and am the youngest in my family. I followed in my parents’ footsteps to college, but am the only member of my family without a masters degree.

I have been an infantryman for less than three years. For me, being in the Army was never a lifelong dream, but rather I joined in response to the world around me. I already had a good-paying job when I joined the Army, but September 11th had a profound impact on my perception of my role in the world.

I do it because my uncle was almost killed while working in the Pentagon more than four years ago, and I realized there are more important things in life than money (bold realization for a Finance major). I do it because there is no job in the world I would rather have than leading men into combat. I do it because there is so much evil in this world, but I think I can contribute some good. I do it because somebody has to do it, and I can’t expect other people to do it if I don’t do it myself.

I make about 45,000 dollars a year. My wife has given up two different jobs to follow me to duty stations, and her job as an Army wife is 10 times harder than mine. I love sports, but prefer college sports to pros because the players play for the love of the game, not money. I think teachers don’t get paid enough, and CEOs get paid too much. I think firemen are heroes and policemen have the toughest job on the block.

I respect my elders, and always (try to) use sir or ma’am when addressing strangers. I hold doors open for women, and I am a little bit old fashioned at the end of the day.

I tell you this because when I come for you, and I will, I want you to know who I am. I won’t be hiding behind anyone. I won’t be disguised or pretending to be something I am not. I will be in an Army Combat Uniform. I will be carrying my standard issue M4 rifle, and I will roll up on you in a 13,000 pound Humvee.

I wish we could meet up close in a small room where I could wrap my hands around your throat and squeeze the life out of you, but unfortunately you like to cut and run. If I do run into you in a small room, I will treat you with dignity and will detain you so others can decide what to do with you. But if you threaten the lives of me or my men, I will not hesitate for one instant to send you to meet your maker.

I want you to know that I am very good at what I do, and every last one of my soldiers is very good at what they do. They can put a 7.62mm bullet through you from an M14 at 800 meters, drop a 40mm grenade on you from the sky at 250 meters, destroy you and everything around you with 7.62mm rounds from a M240B machine gun, or we can kick in your door and do it up close with M4s, M9s and shotguns. Your choice.

We own the night, so you can’t hide in the shadows, but don’t fool yourself—we’ll come looking for you 24/7, rain or shine. We don’t take holidays off and can go a year without a weekend. I am not eager to die for my country but I am willing to sacrifice my life to protect it from animals like you.

I will do everything in my power to ensure no civilians are hurt as I take aim at you, because America is better than you, and I am better than you. My countrymen are a forgiving bunch. Many are forgetting what you did on September 11th, but I will NEVER forget.

I am coming for you. My men are coming for you. And if you never get the opportunity to meet me, you can be sure that you will meet men just like me.

Signed,
This U.S. Army Infantryman
Baghdad Guy

Posted in full because I liked it. I hope the author does not mind