But what I will tell you about is the smell inside an envelope from home. Where you can actually smell some of the things that where there when the letter was written. You can close your eyes and recognize the smell of the familiar little one who wrote you the letter. You can pick up on familiar surroundings like the pledge cleaner that was used on the table where the letter was written on or remember where the flowers are in your home that are neatly placed and accompany your letter. The smell of the room where the letter was written in cuts through the familiar burning tire trash smell you're currently surrounded in. It's a nice treat to get mail regardless who it is from. You get the letter here in a country that doesn't even have a mail system. It might have been a week old which is better than past wars where it could have been months before you received a piece of mail, it's a special piece of home.

I can tell you about the sacrifices your service members have made in this war alike the ones in the past. The birthdays you miss, the graduations that are complete minus dad, the dad that has to be both a mom and dad. The feeling a young Marine father has who stands guard on a post during a national holiday while his kids open presents back home. Having to deal with monsters in closets and taking off training wheels at home while their warrior is away helping a country take their training wheels off as well. The simple words from a youngster saying "I just want my daddy home" can carry a ton of weight just as much as a warrior says, we will prevail and we are here to help. Both know the meaning of sacrifice, both smell the envelopes from their loved ones.

Your service members and families know sacrifice because they not only feel it, they live it. Not just from Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, Vietnam, Beirut, but as long as this country has had to make war, we have made sacrifice. Sacrifice as a country at home and a far. Its not easy, its not always fun but when we make a sacrifice it is for the good and a good cause. We help others who have no hope, we dedicate our loved ones to complete the mission. We don't take it lightly and we play to win. We know the sacrifice and we are proud of what we do. The next time you write your service member a letter, know what is going into it and what they will get out of it. While in the country of America, I have seen a lot of great things transpire, people stand up and a country become proud and strong.