Under normal circumstances, the typical U.S. military person is half kid, half adult, not yet dry behind the ears. They are for the most part unmarried and with a few material possessions, maybe an older car, possibly a laptop and an iPod in their pocket.

They just got out of high school, received fair grades and have someone they have promised to be true to. They had trouble spelling, but can break down their weapon in 30 seconds and put it back together in 29.

They can describe the nomenclature of a fragmentation grenade, explain how the machine gun operates and use either one of them.

They can dig a hole, apply first aid to a wounded comrade, march until they are told to stop and stop until they are told march.

They have seen more suffering in their lives than they should have. They have stood among the dead, both enemy and friendly.

They have become self sufficient. They sometimes forget to brush their teeth but never to clean their weapon. They keep their socks dry and camelback full.

They can prepare their own meals; fix their own rips, both material and mental.

They will share their water with you if you are thirsty, break their MRE’s in half if you are hungry and split their ammo in half if you are fighting for our life.

They can do the work of two civilians, draw half the pay and find ironic humor in it all.

They have learned to use their weapon as their hands and their hands as a weapon.

They can save a life and most assuredly take one.

It is this half kid, half adult to whom we send our love, our gratitude and our prayers.

—Gordon Rudd grew up in Inlet and currently lives in Central Square. His son, Sgt. Gordon Rudd, is stationed at Ft. Belvoir VA. And is assigned to The Pentagon with a security detachment for The Joint Chiefs of Staff. Sgt. Rudd is also the son of Wendy Rudd of New York Mills and the grandson of Inez Rudd of Inlet.