Thread by @CAHutch1990

A Letter from a Dad to his son on the Brink of War.

30 years ago tomorrow, the ground war of Desert Storm began. I was in a front line infantry battalion, so that's when things got really hopping for me.

I needed courage. 1/

This was all before cell phones and email, so letters from home were our lifeblood.

Kirstan and I had just been married and we wrote faithfully. We would also get the occasional, unpredictable phone call whenever I could make it to the rear - precious, fleeting moments. 2/

Dad also wrote me almost every day of my 7 month deployment. Mostly newsy, chatty letters I could hardly read. Terrible handwriting. But I could read his love.

He also typed a few. As many of you know, Dad passed away this past summer. I found a file of his old letters to me. 3/

And here are parts of one he wrote in response to a letter in which I expressed my doubts about having joined the army, and the danger which lay ahead.

Dad had himself served 21 years in the Navy. Here are his words (lightly edited), also found here: 4/

lowertotem.wordpress.com/2021/02/22/a-l…

Sep 25, 1990

Dear Christopher

I continue to pray for a peaceful solution.

I appreciate you sharing your thoughts about not being free while trapped in the Army. I, too, have had in my naval career those same thoughts. 5/

They seemed to rise to the surface more frequently during times of crisis. At the Naval Academy, especially during the first year which was really rough on the plebes, I thought often about quitting. I missed my home, my freedom, my family, whom I was not allowed to see. 6/

And later, after marriage (as in your situation), when I was forced to leave on extended submarine cruises, I, in my slight depressed state, wondered why I had to be part of such treatment. Why I had to leave my wife and deploy for freedom’s sake. 7/

The last time I really felt that way was when I was ordered to Guam and knew I had to separate from my wife and children. Again, I felt trapped. I still had an obligated service my MIT schooling, so I couldn’t resign my commission. (below: a post card from 1972) 8/

In my mind, and you have correctly identified it, it is the “lack of freedom” that is the major drawback to serving in our armed forces. 9/

As for declaring as a Conscientious Objector, I admit the thought did cross my mind more than once during my career, but I could never rationalize for that in any of my assignments. Of course, your present assignment is far worse than any I faced. 10/

I would not recommend you pursue that course because of what our country and, indeed, most other major countries are attempting to do in the Middle East. I think, for what it is worth, Saddam Hussein is evil, but not crazy. 11/

And I believe that we, as a Christian nation, should attempt to thwart evil. And not sending forces to the area would be letting down brothers and sisters who would great suffer if that evil were to subject them to his rule. 12/

I know that you really think things through logically, for you have one of the most rational minds I have known. And I know you desperately miss Kirstan and all of the niceties of home. 13/

And we all know that those emotions will cloud the normal process of logically thinking things through to a proper conclusion. 14/

I know that if you could properly place those emotions aside, you could arrive at the conclusion that our national policy in the Persian Gulf Crisis is one of helping peace loving people who are scared of the evil Iraqi leader – 15/

- and that help comes in the form of troop deployment for defensive purposes and in a cautionary use of force while exploring every avenue to resolve the issue without bloodshed. 16/

And I believe in that approach, even though I hate to see you and our forces in such a perilous situation. And I believe that policy is working. I would certainly submit such a serious decision to prayer and seek other opinions. 17/

My advice would be to continue to pray, ask others whom you feel close to and respect, and to try to put all emotions aside when you think it through. Ask @jdhutch64, who has been in a similar situation. 18/

Grandmother called last night and said she has been praying so hard for you and your men. She said she finally made up her mind last night that she was definitely going to remain at the Presbyterian Home. 19/

I love you, admire, you, and am very proud of what you stand for.

Dad

~~~~~

What a Dad. Empathizing and opening up, but also setting a young man straight with what I needed to hear. Miss him. Grateful beyond words I will see him again. 20/20