I've always felt as Lt Col Strobl

There was a moment in the film when I felt I most related to Lt Col Stobl's feelings. It was his conversation with the VFW vet, Charlie Fitts, regarding his own service. I served in the first Gulf War and was also deployed to Somalia. But I was not a combat soldier. I served in echelons above corp as a communications specialist.

I live outside of Pigeon Forge TN. During their entertainment shows, they like to recognize all the veterans and have them stand to give them thanks for their service. I always struggle with doing this. Not because I am not proud of my service. My service is the proudest moment in my life. But I think of all the others who can't be there to stand and why I am there. And I feel I haven't been thru what the soldiers of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam went thru and even what the soldiers of today are going thru. But it was like Charlie Fitts was talking to me when he told Lt Col Strobl, "...Without a witness, they just disappear."

This was a great movie and I'm glad I got to see it. Thank you to all veterans and their families who have sacrificed to serve for our proud nation.