It was only a matter of time before the Lee family got their first piece of "hate" mail. This person is outraged that we took a good working dog out of service "that could save lives" in Iraq.
I probably should not give this person the privlege of being on the same blog as Lex but here goes- It needs to be addressed.
I can not tell if this person has lost a family member(s) in the war or not. It is vague in how it is worded. If they have lost someone in the war, then i am truly sorry for their loss, but to write this letter and send via mail is out of line.
To send a letter like this to a still grieving parent is very low and self righteous.
First let me give everyone some facts....again about Lex.
1).Lex was injured- He can no longer serve in a war or hostile environment. He is non-deployable. The shrapnel that Lex still carries around in himself, keeps him from being able to fly at high altitudes, so he would never go on another tour.
2) "2 more good years".. lets address that...The Marine Corps may have said they pulled a healthy dog from service... but that is not completely true because of the above stated reasons of number 1. Lex is healthy in the fact that he is alive, but Lex is not healthy to serve his country anymore. So therefore Lex would have not saved any more lives in Iraq. Lex would have set in a kennel staring at a concrete wall until it was his time to go into the dog run and do his business.
3) Some people may have suggested that Lex could train other dogs or handlers. Dogs do not train other dogs or handlers. It is the other way around.
4) Lex was already showing signs of depression and was having difficulty in training. (more info you don't get on the news)
So without further adieu, here is the letter sent to Rachel and Jerome
Mr. and Mrs. Lee,
I live here in Albany and have been watching your story on TV. I think
it is very selfish of you to take Lex out of his service of duty early. I have
a nephew in Iraq and a son in the Army, Lex could've been available to save
their lives, could he not? Although I feel for you for losing your son, you
are not the only ones that has lost a soldier, and sadly you are not the last.
Lex had two more good years, that's ALOT of lives he could've saved, I'm sorry you
couldn't see clearly enough to wait two years so that maybe... someone else's
soldier could've made it home safely.
Regards.
C. York
C. York, if you have lost a loved one in this war I am truly sorry because our family knows what you have gone through, the same as the other 3,945 families whom have lost someone in this war.
You have your opinion and I am sorry that you see this wonderful act on behalf of the Marine Corps as a mistake. To us it a blessing. And I will leave it at that.
Kindest regards
Brian Rich
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4 comments:
Of course being Cpl. Lee's Uncle and Brian's brother you know my favor on comments, but due to haste I will underline what my brother said.... it is too bad you do not see the importance of this.. As thousands of other Americans and people from around the world have. It is not just my family, but thousands of others this has brougth hope onto... I pray for a safe and healthy return of your family members from Iraq. After 2 year there myself I know what it is to be home....
Lee Rich
What bothers me more than anything is NOT that C. York feels this way. Thankfully, because of members of our Armed Forces (like Cpl Dustin Lee & Lex) we have been given that freedom.
What bothers me and embarasses me, as a person and a wife of a K9 Handler that went to war in Iraq, is that he/she felt it necessary to put those words on paper and send them to Jerome and Rachel.
Put it on a blog, share your feelings with your friends and family - even write a letter to the editor of the papers at Albany, the Marines, or Congressman Jones, but keep that hatred away from this grieving family.
To call the Lee Family selfish IS AN INSULT TO EVERY PARENT of every soldier that has sacrificed himself/herself during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom and any war for that matter.
I wish that there was a way to repay all the families that have been left empty because they have lost a loved one to war. In this it was obvious that this dog could bring a little happiness to this grieving family. Check the facts, Lex was not deployable. He was done - he couldnt save any more lives in war, but he could and can bring a glimmer of hope to this family and to many others that have followed and have been involved in this story.
I helped get Lex adopted. Please feel free to email me any negative comments:
donations@militaryworkingdogmemorial.com
I haven't lost my first born son.
As I said on the myspace reply:
Kill them with kindness. They do not understand and that is ok. Our heros die to give them that right to not agree. And that has been for many years. Stand strong and when and if you can not WE will stand for you.
Craig S. Hatter
Patriot Guard Rider
I am s SGT in the US ARMY and proud to hell of it first of all because I have easily the single greatest job in the world, I am a specialized search dog handler. I am currently in Afghanistan searching for explosives with my dog Eva who is a 3 year old flat coat our tour has started early due to a great man who has lost his life doing the exact things Cpl. Lee was doing serving his country. Bo SFC Tabb's dog was given to his family as was Lex and if something happens to me filling in his place I want nothing more than my wife to have Eva. Because i know that she trusts Eva everyday with my life now and the time I have spent away from her that dog and now away making that training pay off. Knowing what i know as a dog trainer and handler knowing how attached we become to the dogs and the dogs to us (as my dog lies beside my bed in Afghanistan while i write this letter, she often even climbs onto the bed at night) that dogs do get PTSD (post trumatic stress disorder) and cant work after horrible situations where a dog gets hurt or loses its daddy or mommy given the sex of the handler of course. I guess the point of the situation is that I can give you countless names of handlers whom went through many diffrent DOD schools and every one of them would say that reguardless of how they leave the program they want to keep atleast one of the dogs from their history and if something was to happen to them theres no one they would want more to take their partner than a close family member who will ensure come hell or high water that they will be taken care of and love as the fallen handler would have been for the rest of their days.
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