Comments on: Photos From The Front

By: Jennifer Holsen

Jennifer Holsen — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 03:45:55 +0000

These pictures evoke such emotion. A thank you to Grandson Taylor seems so inadequate when he and his fellow soldiers risked their lives every day in the service of our country. You and your family must be so proud of this wonderful young man. We owe these brave men a lifetime of gratitude, honor and thanks.

By: Jeni

Jeni — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 11:43:15 +0000

The photos are awesome. The most touching photo for me, is the last one. Someone paying tribute to those who serve by holding the U.S. flag. Who is she?

By: Patricia Koerner

Patricia Koerner — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:19:17 +0000

Thank you for sharing those personal photos and glad your grandson is home safe. God Bless him and all his comarades.

By: Dan

Dan — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 18:18:03 +0000

Thank you for sharing the photos, and thank you for your brave service Taylor.

By: L J Rogers

L J Rogers — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 00:49:47 +0000

Pictures 19 & 20: a thousand words

By: GMAX09

GMAX09 — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 21:17:48 +0000

My eldest (step) grandson is in Afghanistan right now with the SD Army National Guard. Your column and Taylor’s pictures make it all too real. God bless Taylor, God bless Chance and God bless all who lay their lives on the line so we can enjoy the freedoms we do.

By: Denny

Denny — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 01:02:22 +0000

Doug, what a great blog. So happy for you and Linda. And, Brenda, bless you for the strength you’ve shown through all of this—-even though no one really knows how hard this has been for you! Taylor, THANKS!!! The U.S. needs more young men like you. God Bless. Later, Denny

By: Carol

Carol — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:09:28 +0000

Doug, some of the pictures made me cry. As mother of a son myself, I couldn’t help but imagine myself in Brenda’s shoes.

By: Paula B

Paula B — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 23:42:10 +0000

God Bless your Grandson and all our troops. Thanks for sharing the pictures. They tear at my heart strings.

By: Brenda

Brenda — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 16:53:55 +0000

I can’t tell you how proud I am of my son SGT Taylor Dale Smith. He led and commanded his troops through the s~~~hole hell he was dropped in. Got his promotion to SGT while there and was truly well deserved. I cannot begin to explain how it feels as a parent to wonder every second of every day if your son or his comrades are the next casualty we will hear/read about. I have to thank God, friends, family AND my employer for bearing with and doing their best to help me cope with the days. Sometimes days went second by second and sometimes the days just somehow went by. The few and very very far between contacts left me so grateful but drained of any and all emotion. It is truly impossible to explain the dread living inside and the sadness when one of the brotherhood of soldiers is killed while defending our country. So thankful that my son was alive, yet so guilty that his friend(s) didn’t make the trip home was overwhelming for me. I can’t imagine how the soldiers coming home feel.
I wish each and every lawmaker who make the decisions to send our children/fathers/mothers/aunts/uncles/cousins/friends over to fight this hideous battle would take ONE DAY and live in the battle as our soldiers have to…….I guarantee it would be over, the planes would be send to bring our soldiers home. Unfortunately they fight the battle from behind their desks and though they think they are making the best decisions they truly do not know because they have not been through or lived the REAL war.