It was a long week. Im relieved to start another one. Two of our soldiers were layed to rest this past week. SSG Willie Harley and SPC Luther "Will" Rabon. These men are deployed with my husbands unit the 1221st Route Clearance Company. Their motive is to find IED's along routes and clear them for convoys to safely come through. SSG Harley and SPC Rabon were killed when their vehicle hit an IED during a mission to recover a down vehicle. SSG Harley age 48 was no stranger to deployment. This was his third tour. This last tour in Afghanistan he was joined by his son Christopher who is also part of the 1221st. He leaves his girlfriend Sarah, a daughter Allison and 4 sons Christopher, Calvin, Desmond and Willie III, a sister Barbara, and 6 grandchildren. SPC Rabon age 32 joined the South Carolina National Guard in 2007. This was his first tour overseas. He leaves his wife Catherine, three daughters Summer, Grace and Trinity, one son Noah, his parents Luther and Martha, his sister Amy and his half brother Kyle. These two selfless gentlemen along with thousands of others gave the ultimate sacrifice for another. Their lives! May God greet you as you enter the gates of heaven and lift up the families so that the burden they bear will be easier as the days pass. I attended both services for these two brave men and the only thing I can say is that they were truly honored. The cities of Aiken and Lexington South Carolina are very patriotic and they showed it. When I spoke to James on Saturday he asked if they got the honor they deserved. I told him it was indescribable the things I seen, the number of people who attended, the emotions that I felt. I have never felt more proud to know that my husband served with these two great men, but at the same time my heart aches for the families and their losses. I am truly blessed and thank god EVERY day for watching over the soldiers over there. Its hard to come to the conclusions sometimes that God does know what hes doing. He had a plan for these two men. Maybe not to be there physically with the other soldiers but their hearts they continue to serve their country with their fellow servicemembers. Standing next to them in spirit guarding them through their missions. Again I cannot even begin to describe the emotions that were felt at the services, pride, anger, sympathy, fright, worry and so on. To the Harley and Rabon families please know that we are all grieving the losses along side of you. It is a terrible loss to your family, military family, and our country. But we should ALL remember why. Why so many men and women have risked their lives for our freedom. For me to write this blog, for you to read it, for our children to sleep in peace, for us to know that while we are here living our daily lives there are BRAVE men and women who are mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, wives and husbands over there ensuring this freedom each and every day! God bless them and their families for their support of them.
"For a soldier's honor doesn't end with their death...HONOR becomes their eternal legacy An inheritance left to this earth and mankind Of the blessings of freedom and peace"
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