09/11/2026
He says three hundred million Americans sleep safe tonight because he and his buddies do not.
Right now, he is out there in the dark. It is easy to go about our days and forget he is awake at three in the morning. He has sand in the seams of everything he owns. It is in his pockets and his boots. The world moves on back home, but his clock is stopped in the dust.
American soldiers live in these quiet hours while the rest of the country sleeps. It is a strange thing to be alive and working hard on the other side of the world, while the people you protect do not even know you are there.
Play the video again. Look at his face just before he asks you to follow. There is a tiny hesitation in his eyes. He is checking to see if anyone is actually listening on the other side of that screen.
He is not asking for a medal. He is just asking for a nod from the people back home. It must feel lonely to stand watch in a place where the wind never stops, wondering if anyone remembers you are still alive.
We owe our troops a moment of our attention. The least we can do is let him know he is not invisible while he stands watch. 🫡
Please leave a comment below. Type a simple hello to show him you are listening.