I receved the following from a friend whose son is in the Navy. I think all of our Senators and Repersentives should read it.

Everyone,
As I have said before, being deployed gives me a lot of time to think. When I first got underway I don't think I totally understood how important the mission of the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group really is. Today I attended one of my first Intel briefs on the situation in the middle east concerning Afghanistan. The brief was given by my ships ground liaison officer Sergeant First Class Reardon from the Army. Basically what he and his superiors do is set up the air missions that our pilots fly in the middle east.

Most sailors join the Navy to see the world. Most of the time the liberty ports are what everyone looks forward to when we go on deployment. Those "diplomatic" deployments where we basically just show off the ship are nonexistent right now. I have been on my ship for almost two months now without stepping foot on land. I couldn't even tell you when my next port visit may be until we start to head back. Unfortunately the mission we have been in trusted with does not allow us much free time off. I do however feel lucky. I get to see the whole picture of what is going on half way across the world that only 3% of Americans in the military get to see.

Most sailors dread going on deployment. However when the soldiers, airman, sailors, and marines on the ground herd there were going to be two carrier strike groups in the middle east morale skyrocketed. I never really thought about what the US Navy truly brings to the fight.

ONE TEAM, ONE FIGHT! Everyday our pilots save countless soldier, marine, airman, and sailor's lives. Without the air support the John C. Stennis provides along with the artillery, and smart bombs so many men on the ground would be left out to die. I know that my last few statements are a bit repetitive but our mission is that important. Whenever I am having a bad day because I get yelled at, or because I constantly clean the same spot during material condition hour, I think of my fellow sailors who have other problems such as getting shot at everyday.

You couldn't pay me any amount of money to do anything else then what I am doing right now. The reason I can say this is because I know that whenever I hear an aircraft take off, that aircraft is going to save someone's life. That aircraft may be half a world away from you, but it could even be going to save your life. How may people can say they are part of something like that?

For instance, the Prowler has saved so many lives by detecting and destroying improvised explosive devices. Everyone fits into the grand scheme of this war. For instance I maintain my ship's self defense system. I don't think I really understood how important of a job this is until we arrived in the middle east. When we transit through the straits into the Arabian Gulf it is not fun and games anymore. Right now I am going to tell you something you don't hear on CNN. Along the Iranian Border there are dozens of surface missile sights lining the straits. I didn't believe it until I saw them with my own eyes. You can even see the men manning them only but a quarter of a mile away. From that distance it only takes about 4-8 seconds for a high speed surface missile to reach my ship. The status of my equipment during those few crucial seconds determines if people die or not. This not only includes the people on my ship, but also the lives of the people we now can't save.

This war hits home for me. If some anyone tells you that we do not belong over here, this is not our war, or that we should leave, tell them they are dead wrong! Tell them to remember 9/11 and to never forget what happened that day. Tell them that if the enemy could look them right in the eyes they would stick a gun to their face and kill them. Tell them that terrorist groups such as the Taliban want to kill them, their families, friends, and totally destroy our way of life. Tell them we will fight to the death before we allow that. Tell them that the sailors, marines, airman, and soldiers over here are saving their lives. Most importantly, tell them they need not be afraid of this enemy. Tell them that we are here and will NOT leave until we have ridden the world of this evil.

Tell them the reason we serve is so that they don't have to.........

Nick Bowlin