Email from an Old Friend

This war touches us all.

Whether you agree with the reasons we are there or not. Whether you think you are affected or not there is no way to avoid the truth. If you live in this country, you are being affected by the war.

Like so many other civilians here at home, I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about the war other then when I hear about it on the news. And even then, it’s become something that is so “familiar” that I have a hard time remembering the details of what is being said at the time I am hearing them.

But now, I have received an email from a friend and I find that I am more affected by it than I have been by anything else that I have seen or heard to date on the news or in the papers, or on the Internet.

You may have seen emails in your in box, or postings on web pages that talk about things like this before. I know I have. But there is always a feeling of disconnection when I see them. Like they aren’t written by real people. That they were somehow culled from some anonymous source and spontaneously came to be there. I hear so much about how websites are automated to be updated with the latest news feeds that it seems like there is less and less human interaction with the stories. That makes it easier to be casual when reading about some atrocity or another that is taking place many miles from where I am.

This is NOT one of those stories. I can attest to the legitimacy of the author of the email. He was my Drum Instructor while he lived here in Phoenix. He’s in Chicago now teaching kids about the glory and thrill of Rudimental Drumming. He is a Marine. He signed his email “Former Marine” but I have known enough Marines to know that there is no such thing as “Former” when talking about the Corps. The boy he is writing about is a Marine as well. Here it is…

-----Original Message-----
From: Fagiano U.S.A.

Sent: Monday, August 09, 2004 9:44 PM

Subject: L/Cpl. Jonathan Collins U.S.M.C. 19 yrs. old.

Dear Friends,

I am writing this email about a young Marine I really never new. But I do know His Mother Angelic and His Father John. And more so His little 13 yr. old Sister Devon, who is one of my drum students at a store I teach at in Crystal Lake Illinois. I know His mom marched in the Phantom Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps. in 1976. And His sister loved him very much and was so proud of Him. And always wore a Marine jacket he had given Her. As I watched the news tonight in Chicago, I was devastated to hear He was killed in Iraq Sunday. He had four weeks to his duty was done over there protecting people who really don't care about us or America.

As I got on my web page and went to the picture section of the 2004 drum contest. I looked at the page two at the bottom right corner, with Devon wearing the jacket that her brother gave her. And then it really hit home. I guess I am writing this to try and ease the anger of hearing about another young U.S.Marine (U.S. Soldier) dying for who knows what. If anything, please don't forget about our Soldiers and say a prayer for them daily, and there families and love ones. If He was anything like His Family, He was one hell of a Young Man. And being a U.S. Marine, (US Soldier) He was one of the best.

God Bless You Lance Corporal Collins.

Semper Fidelis (Always faithful)

Sincerely,

A Former Marine