My Avitar picture

[325abn]

My fellow Mapletraders

Some of you may have noticed the picture I was using as my avitar. For those of you who did I want to tell you about it.

My prior avitar was a picture of my year and half old Son holding my rifle prior to me leaving Italy for a extened field problem deployment to Turkey circa 1986. The baby boy in the shot is now an Infantry Officer in the 101st ABN just having returned from his second tour in A-Stan. He joined the service when he was 17 even before graduating high school. He moved up though the NCO ranks, served in Iraq, and was a Drill SGT. before going to OCS as a SSG to get his commision. I am very proud of him and all of his Brothers for serving us and doing what they do. :) I am very proud of that shot and of him. :)

[happy thoughts]

Thank you 325abn not just for that explanation but especially for the service you and your son have given this country. I have to admit that pic did stir some emotions in me and not all of them positive in light of recent events. I hope your new avatar will picture you both enjoying the fruits of your labor together in the sugarbush. Nothing says family like sugaring.

God bless, stay well and have a great season. I hope your son is stateside for the duration. I will keep him in my prayers, and again, I thank him for his service.

[whatever]

I never saw your avatar but i would enjoy seeing it. If you don't stand behind your troops feel free to stand in front of them..

[Kim]

I think happy thoughts said it best, so I am going to close this thread. This has nothing to do with whether we support our military or not (which we do, by the way). It simply has to do with the fact that this is a site for talking maple and as owners of the site we reserve the right to remove anything that has the potential to provoke arguments. I feel allowing this thread to remain open has such potential.
Thanks.