Cheat Seeking Missiles

his Veterans Day, I’d like to tell a story of one of the veterans I respect the most, my brother in law, Brian “Doc” Burry.

Brian got his nickname in Vietnam, where he served as a Special Forces medic until, as our enemies so frequently do, the Viet Cong got him in their sights as he was working on a wounded comrade, and took him out of action. His wounds were awful, but he eventually healed, and went on to serve in the Army Reserve for several decades before finally retiring a couple years ago.

Now a police officer, he’s on the board of directors of Brotherhood of the Badge, a group that solicits contributions of used police equipment - vests, helmets, radios - from departments across the U.S., and ships them to Iraq and Afghanistan to equip police forces there. Brian has been to Iraq several times and Afghanistan once to oversee the distribution of equipment. (That’s not Brian in the picture, but it is a Brotherhood of the Badge operation.)

So for this effort, he recently received this email:

Hello;

Why don’t you collect ballistic vests for innocent Iraqi KIDS and their mothers and fathers?!

I’m sure the police can afford to BUY THEIR OWN !

Or are the lives of police more important than civilians?

The same goes for steel pots!

I’d be happy to contribute if your group ever decides to give INNOCENT CIVILIANS things they really need (besides our troops handing out cheap junk like: candy and used clothes)

Mike Korman
misterfact@yahoo.com

Maybe they like candy and can use used clothes, but that’s beside the point. Despite Korman’s abusive tone, Brian answered politely:

You obviously do not see the true picture here sir. We have been to the villages where these new police officers are working, sat and broke bread with them and discussed their families, their precious children and their aspirations for democracy and self-determination.

Our mission is quite simple, all countries have laws and civilian rule; these police are the Thin Blue Line for their communities. The sooner they take over, the sooner we can have our troops come home and to date, as of last week 13 of the 18 Provinces are now turned totally under Iraqi control. We are contributing equipment to police and firefighters in Afghanistan as well with similar results.

War is a terrible thing, no one likes war, not even us, however the rule of law in all countries is the foundation for civil peace and freedom. I have been a combat medic in war, and we treated all people, just like in this war, for ailments of all types. We taught sanitation techniques for fresh water and disposal of sewage and garbage.

Here we are merely working to end this war and it is working. Over 60 police officers in Iraq have been shot and their lives saved due to our equipment. It is recycled, used but serviceable gear, yet those fathers, husbands, sons and brothers are now alive for their precious children.

It is unfortunate we do not agree; however that is the great thing about democracy, we can do so.

Respectfully,
Brian “Doc” Burry
Director, Brotherhood of the Badge International

Nice, huh? But that didn’t keep Korman from firing off one more round:

Thanks for the reply.

I guess that giving the same equipment that saves the lives of police and firefighters to innocent civilians, doesn’t interest you. You didn’t give a reason why you aren’t doing so.

Then, maybe it does but you don’t have the money. Maybe you might ask the public for the money and/or more ballistic vests. I’ll be happy to donate when you do that.

You obviously have the ability to send these items. When you decide to make an effort for ALL war victims-let me know!

Also- maybe the police of our Thin Blue Line will take over a lot sooner if more innocent civilians are ALIVE than DEAD. They certainly will get the job done if they have the SUPPORT of grateful civilians who are ALIVE.

Mike

I wonder if Mike has similar compassion for the many civilians al-Qaeda deliberately targets, or if his bleeding heart is limited only to the few civilians we accidentally kill.

Brian’s response? He emailed me this: “I refuse to respond to this character any more.”

Not a single bad or insulting word came from Brian on the whole matter! That’s what comes from putting your life on the line to protect our freedoms: A respect for freedom that transcends even unappreciative recipients of the fruits of your sacrifice.

God bless ‘em all, and keep them safe.

Update: Bookworm comments:

I assume that, using his own logic, Mike Korman believes that every civilian in South Central LA or the South Side of Chicago, or any other blighted district in America, should have unlimited access to the same guns police use, so that they too can keep themselves safe. It seems to elude him that police willingly put themselves on the line to protect others, so they should be granted the gift of more protection for themselves. What a [moron].

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