Memories and Pride for Clinton
Kenneth Murray
September 27, 2013
Since Ken
and I are doing volunteer Mission work here in the Congo, we are unable to join
in on the very special festivities for our son, Clint, as he becomes a Colonel
in the United States Army. We want to join in some fashion. Words are my thing
and a quiet pride is Ken’s.
Little green
plastic soldiers were his toys of choice. And GI Joes by the dozen filled his
gray Blue Grass Army Depot Ammunition box. Santa brought the Iwo Jima Mountain
Battlefield, jeeps and guns. He and his “men” won the front and side yard war
games with the neighborhood boys. An old Army helmet and ammunition belt were
part of his daily garb. As a young boy stories from two Great Uncles who served
in World War II and Korea mesmerized him. These two men talked to him as an
equal. One of the uncles had not talked about his war years until Clint asked
him! And he talked to this “man child” for hours!
The other
side of Clint’s interests came from going with his dad to work in the Athletic
Training Room from age 2-3 on. He loved band aids and Ace wraps. He saw blood,
puke and guts and he was fascinated. He was at practice when a football player
suffered a broken neck. As a young elementary child he stood quietly on the
side realizing the gravity of the situation. At supper that night he asked his
dad about each detail of the afternoon. He had missed nothing in the care of
the young player!
When asked,”
What do you want to be when you grow up,” the response never wavered! “A doctor
in the Army!” So an ID he has become and he loves the “Chase” – to find the
elusive cause of what’s hurting his soldiers.
This child
of ours has become a husband to LeeAnn and a father to Callie and Sidney. They
have the greatness of heart to understand the difference in his duty and his
love for them. They too have counted the days and eagerly awaited emails. Our
three brave “girls!”
He actually LIKES
the PT part of the Army! He learned how to jump out of a perfectly good plane.
He speaks initials, wears initial named clothing and tells time in 24s. He is
confounded when his Dad asks about an award or promotion that he has not told
us about. What he does not realize it that when he is deployed we read Psalm 91
morning and night and live on the internet and look for every back door to
“stuff” there is. And we often find one! So after his return to safety our
habits continue- especially Ken’s!
While he was
deployed in Iraq with the Big Red 1’s Forward Support Battalion to Ramadi and
Fallujah, we sent care packages. But ours were unusual requests-“Dad, go to these
specific Lubbock surgeons and get their books on these surgeries and send them
to me ASAP!!” He met and helped “Special” friends in the dead of Iraqi nights
and treated one famous Marine. He never did tell us about it. The Marine did
when he was speaking in Lubbock! “Son,” I asked, “why didn’t you tell us?”
“Mom, he was a patient and needed care.” he responded. And that was the end of
that. When deployed to Afghanistan recently his girls asked,”Dad, get us a
picture of Prince Harry!” “Girls he is a soldier and busy.”
We raised
him to care for others, to have unwavering honesty and that right is right no
matter what or who. We have always asked him to be and do the very best he can.
So he pushes himself and now pushes others to be the best they can be.
So who is
this new Colonel in the U.S. Army of whom we are so proud? Here are the
attributes we have seen in his years as “ours.”
Committed
Others above self
Lionhearted
On many occasions-gentle
Nerve and fortitude are ever present
Enthusiastic and emotions in check
Level headed with backbone and
convictions
Confident, and consistent
Loyal
In-touch, inspires, initiative
Nose to grindstone
Tenacity, tact
Overly instinctive
Never lacks patience or forbearance
Empathetic, emotional stability
Never lacks self discipline
Never fears social boldness
Ever dauntless
Tolerant, tough minded, true grit
Humor, humble, high standards of self
AND others, honest
Unselfish grace and patience
Resolute, realist
Ready with spirit and sensitivity
Adventuresome, ability to delegate, appetite
for learning
Yes, we are proud of our Army son!
Congratulations!
Love, Mom and Pops
Amen and Amen. We loved him from the get-go!
ReplyDeleteLeeAnn's Mama
This is beautiful, Lenore! And from your heart!
ReplyDeleteHow I'll miss your blogs when you get back to Texas!
Thank you so much for your impressions of Congo today, and your memories of our years out there. Your descriptions of life there are just priceless, and I've enjoyed them.
Thanks, Katie