this poem is so moving and poingiant i have read it many times my husband told someone about it as he was looking for something for his friend who had died in afghanistan read it has it funeral everyone wanted to know where he got it no one had ever heard it and all where moved by it

Thanx for alowing me to sign your Guest book.My name is Mike, i do this on behalf of my father Jimmy Dean Pruitt, he
was in the Army in Vietnam, fro Dec65 to Dec66, his unit "2ND/20TH Artillery 1st Cav
airmobile....In 1993 he committed suicide
PTSD and alcoholism, a terrible combo, got the best of him. Today, i have the courage
and strength to deal with my Fathers death
by researching the Vietnam War, and what really caused my Fathers demise.I have a
"tribute" of sorts on Face Book, please visit it, its a work in progress and plan to build a website. It will be for ALL vets really, but the Vietnam Vet is dear to my heart of hearts.....Thanx to all, and a BIG WELCOME HOME HUG TO ALL Vietnam Vets!!!....Mike, son of a Vietnam Vet and FREAKIN PROUD!!!....

Thanks for your SERVICE!

This poem is wonderful thank you so much for sharing.

"And the wolves will learn what we've shown before. We love our sheep, we dogs of war." Russ Vaughn -

Owner here: This book will shut down as soon as I can find a book where entries have to be approved first. Please keep posting real messages. I'll keep taking out the "trash!"

This other stuff has got to stop and I don't get here every day.

My apologies that you have to see this *##%* before I delete it.

WELCOME HOME!

"And the wolves will learn what we've shown before. We love our sheep, we dogs of war." Russ Vaughn -

I guess I have to keep saying it. If you post ANYTHING other than thank you's and tributes to our Veterans, I will ban your I.P. without hesitation. There will be NO #@*%!, blathering urls and phony links. This is not a place for your graffiti. Take your nonsense elsewhere!

This site is for our Heroes to have their say if they want to post here and for their families.

GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS! WELCOME HOME!

I just lost my nephew 5/21/11 while on he was on duty with the state troopers. This poem appeared on his memorial page. He was also an officer in the Marine Corp. He was only 39 y/o. I found so much comfort from these words, I just wanted to say thank you! May God continue to bless you & your family.

Thank you for this poem. It made me cry the first time I read it, and has touched many members of my family.

O.B. Stoltz, US Navy, WWII
R.E Wright, US Airforce, Korea
S.T. Clark, US Airforce, Desert Storm
J.C. Wright, US Army, Desert Storm
A.W. Williams, USMC, Iraqui Freedom
J.H. Luoma, US Army, Iraqui Freedom
K.L. Luoma, US Army

Thank you! for such a beautiful website! May our good Lord continue to bless you as you honor Him through the gift He has given you! I am a spouse of a USA retiree and the Very Proud Mom of two Marines! Thank You for touching my heart! GOD BLESS!

Thank you very much for a beautiful poem. My husband and I are both retired Army and he started in Viet Nam as a pilot. We both served in Operation Iraqi Freedom. May God Bless you and take care of you as we know He will.

I found this poem through a story I was reading and looked it up. When I read it to my mom she nearly started crying. You see most of my family members are in the army and while some came back the others were MIA or POW.
This made her day. Thank you for finding and founding this page.

Thank you Joshua,
This is a very moving and beautiful poem. God bless and may he hold you in his hand forever.

This is beautiful...I am a Veteran and this was a awesome read...Thank You !!!

I served 8 years in the Army, Been there and done that. Now my Son and Daughter both served and now my Grandson is serving.
God bless us all.

Semper Fi!!

Thank you Joshua,
I am a Vietnam Vet and this poem really hits home.
God Bless You and all who serve.

Thank you for this beautiful poem. It moved me to tears. I have posted it on my page several times as a tribute to our troops - I am pleased now to be able to credit the author. I do believe that there is a special place in heaven for our Warriors, whose brave actions are always on behalf of others...it simply would NOT be heaven without these brave men and women there - for a much deserved rest, able to stand down at last. Thank you, sir, for your service to our country...and bless you for your poem. I hope that you continue to heal: you will be in my prayers.

I love you JP! This is as beautiful as it was the first time I read it... Thank you so much for all you have done for us!

I have a nephew in the Marines and my huband served in the 80's. Thid poem is so powerful and beautiful. I had never seen the second part before today. Thank you for both your words and the invaluable service to our country.

I will keep you in my prayers for health and healing. You are mmy idea of a true hero.

Thank You and God Bless <3

I cannot stop myself from crying everytime I read ths poem. My son has recently joined the Army and is at Fort Benning with F Co 2nd BN 192nd Infantry Brigade. What an honor to have him at the same place Joshu was for his basic. HOOAH!

Thank You!

God Bless!

Keep up the good fight,rest will come.

I read the first half of this poem and I cried because I know someday that will be my dad, my mom, my uncle, and so many other people I have known in my life that served and are serving. Thank you for sharing this with the world.

My husband is away and we have our first baby on the way that he wont be here to see born. Reading your poem helps remind people that not everyone can do what those serving do. I am so proud of my husband and i thank you for the beautiful poem. Always in my heart prayers.

thank you from an old 60's airman

Thank you for the poem. I saw it posted somewhere and googled it to find the writer. My son is currently stationed at Ft Sill, OK also. He will be deploying to Afghanistan within the next four months. I am sending him this poem to take with him.
Thank you for your service to our country.
SD

Get well soon! You have lived the true meaning of your poem! your in my thoughts, and prayers.

While the author of part 2 may be Sgt. Helterbran, its doubtful that part 1 is. Explain how a soldier gets overtime pay to pay bills in the 5th paragraph.

Just doing a bit of research shows that the original was likely written in regards to police and not a soldier.

Sgt. Helterbran might have modified the original police slanted poem but to claim it as an original piece is just plain wrong.

Its been a long time, since I have been on the internet. I lost my memory in a heart attack and have slowly been regaining it back. My eldest sister moved me to Katy, TX where I live in a care home. I miss hearing from people.
Where is a safe site for e-mail, folks?

Heartfelt thanks for publishing this poem. I'd only seen the first verse, but I'm going to share the second verse as well as the bio.

MY thanks goes out to the families of all those who lost loved ones. We all played a part but some were given a more difficult part than the rest of us. God bless those who are still fighting the battles.

God Bless you for this poem.

I love this poem and believe it to be a GREAT tribute to our men and women in the armed forces. God Bless

I attended the funeral of a young Marine here in GA yesterday. This poem with author credited was used in the program. I was so moved by the words, I looked it up. Thank you so much for posting it here.

We have lost 6 of our military this month. Since I ride with the PGR, I am so very aware of the loss of each of them to their families, communities and to our country. I ride and stand in respect for the loss of their family member.

May God Bless all of our men and women, past, present and future.

Thank you for this site.

This is your moderator-

I have banned i.p.'s from most of Romania, and Russia. I will ban any i.p. that posts anything other than tribute and respect to our Soldiers. I will NOT tolerate hyperlinks to drug, sex, or any site other than Military....that goes for pinko, leftist, commie, libtards as well.

GOD BLESS OUR MILITARY - LAND OF THE FREE BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE!

Beti & Buddy
owners of Vetstribute

Awesome

I just found your web site. Great work. Keep it up. Everything looks great. Thank you. MAX

Amazing, it really makes you stop and think. It helps calm my thoughts, and lets me prepare for what may come. To all of my family and friends that are at lands so far away, i miss them and i pray for them everyday.

Salute!

I have read your poem many times and now have it posted in my office window along with the flag of names from Sept. 11. I wish you and all of our soldiers a safe return home. I hope that you are recovering nicely and will be home with family soon. Thank you and all soldiers for keeping us safe. May God bless each and every one of you. D

Thank you for sharing this wonderful poem and for fighting for my freedom. I appericate all that you do!

God bless America and God bless the soldiers that risk their lives for us!

Just wanted to say thank you to all that serve. God is with you always. "Love God, Love Others, Serve The World" This is the mission statement of my church and I think that our solders have carried this out better than I ever have. Thank you all

I have had this poem printed in our Funeral Director monthly, I am a funeral arranger, and have had many people coming in to ask for a copy, I support H4H and have funeral directors up and down the country supporting also.To date we have raised in excess of £25.000.00, I will also be supporting the 70th Battle of britain commemoration this year, proceeds going to the RAF benevolant fund. A million thankyou's to all our troops past and present, what would we do without you godbless you all X

Very nice site, I enjoyed it a lot. Thank you. Good idea to do the web this way!

Two very beautiful poems. I extend my wishes for a quick recovery for Sgt. Helterbran. Thank you for gifting this country with your works, and your service. If you find yourself in need of friends to help in the recovery process, the folks at Ride to Recovery are amazing, and always welcome more to their family.

Thank you so much for your dedication and service brother. I heard this poem for the first time on Extreme Makeover;home edition when they did a soldiers home and it was his inspiration. I now am also inspired by your words and thank God that we are Free by our works and his Grace. Thank you again for your thoughts put to pen. Equipment Operator First Class Jim Bryant US Navy Seabee NMCB15

I just want to start off by thanking you for all you have done. THANK YOU!
On August 18th,2010 I was watching Extreme Home Makeover. They were doing a home makeover for an Army Medic named Louis Rodrigez. He had lost his leg in Iraq while in the field tending to our hurt soldiers. When Ty and his team went in to start working on the house, this poem was on the wall in Louis' home. I had to look up the p#@*%! and read for myself. I cried, it is so beautiful. Has alot of meaning for me. I lost a nephew in Iraq in 2006. My heart goes out to you and your family.
I just wanted to express my feelings and for you to know that I aprreciate the sacrifices that have been made for our freedom and to this country!

THANK YOU!!!
Nicol S. Rossi

Dear Joshua,
For all you've done for your country, the people who live in this great country and for your fellow soldiers, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your faithful service. As a U.S. Navy widow, I know the sacrifice you and your family have endured. Your peom was inspirational and heart felt. I am a better person just for reading it and getting a little insight into the mind of a true soldier, I wish you a speedy recovery, God Bless you and your family,now and always. And thank you again for your service to this still wonderful country. And thank your for making sure me and my children sleep safe in our beds at night. God Bless America!!
Sincerely Yours,
Jacqueline Decker

I am the mother of a female in the MP in Virginia-the 266th MP CO.She has been to Iraq and mde it home safely and in 17 months she is heading to Afghanstain.As I sat here in my living room and read this poem, I cried.Because I know I am one of the lucky parents whose child came home.This poem is so heart warming and touching.God bless all the men and women who are fighting for our freedom.Bless you Joshua for taking the time to write it.

I never thought a poem could mean so much until you lose someone that is close to you. These words hit home for me and although many have made it back home safely, including myself, others are still out there fighting. In loving memory Sgt Leston Winters 7/15/2010