‘straya
Eyes of soldiers taken before, during and after Afghanistan. Photographed by Claire Felicie (clairefelicie.com) and Joseph T. Blutarski (Blutarskireality.com)
Every day is Memorial Day.
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have taken a hardly comprehensible toll on the lives, and psyches of those involved. Closing in on 12 years of war, 49,897 American young men and women have been wounded in actual ground combat in these wars, with 7,024 who have made the ultimate sacrifice. (These numbers do not include the 9/11 attacks.)
56,921 total lives forever changed.
Here’s a little bit of theory on numbers-
Let’s say that every one of these lives has 2 parents, 1 sibling, 1 significant other and 2 close friends. That makes for 6 more lives which will be directly or indirectly effected from these wounded service members or fallen service members. This makes for 341,526 people whose lives have been directly effected by the over decade-long, dual-fronted war on terror.So as a minimum total, 1.1% of Americans have been impacted directly by the result of this war.
America has had it easy. Yes, there have been rises and falls in the past 12 years. The Economy went up and down, Gas prices went up and down, news coverage of the wars went up and down, but nothing really happened here that interfered with our normal day-to-day lives.
Americans are extremely talented at ignoring the issues, and pretending that every thing is fine. How many times does it happen in a day? In passing, we ask each our fellow citizens how they are, and the only appropriate answer is “fine.” or any of it’s similes.
I’m not going to try and get the world to take action or go up in arms about how false we are with one another, but maybe every once in a while we can put some actual effort into it. Memorial Day is coming up. For many Americans, this means a day off of work, a barbecue, a six pack, and maybe a sale at Macy’s. However for at least 1.1% of Americans, I guarantee that it is a day of remembrance, reckoning, and often times mourning. For survivors of combat, every day is memorial day.
Do something. I am almost certain that every person in America knows a Veteran. Say hi. Give them a hug. Take them out to dinner. Offer to watch their kids. Anything. These people have given so much. What can you give back?
09/06/2010 - Afghanistan
“A helicopter takes the body of Sergeant Konrad Rygyel, killed in action a few days earlier.”
Credits: ADJ A. Karaghezian / SIRPA Earth
An Indian national from the 1st section “Les Aigles ” (the eagles) of the 2nd REG (Régiment étranger du génie), serving as a soldier with the French Foreign Legion, at Forward Operating Base Tagab-Kutschbach near Tagab in Kapisa Province on January 24, 2011. The French Foreign Legion, a military unit established in 1831, was created for foreign nationals of any nationlity wishing to serve in the French armed forces. AFP PHOTO/Joel SAGET
Dat Surrender handle
Ain’t nobody got better surrender equipment than us.
Did you know?
FAMAS stands for Fusil Anus Manipulateur Automatique Syphilis which is French for “I love you”
Tragically beautiful.
@taco-man-andre
Montenegro
So…from left to right…Montenegro, Croatia, Germany, United States, and Italy.
