On Veterans' Day, Ctd

A reader writes:

That picture you posted features my son front and center.  I spoke to him last night and he expressed what a moving ceremony it was.  This has impacted him deeply and his unit was hit quite hard (3 of the fatalities and 11 wounded).  One of those killed, PFC Pearson, was in the same basic training class as Josh. 

I have been in constant contact with him since the day it happened and his spirits remain quite high, despite the circumstances.  He remains proud to be in the service (I sent him a text this morning telling him how proud his step-mother and I are of him this Veteran’s Day and his response was a resounding HOOAH!) and his resolve has strengthened somewhat about his coming deployment to Afghanistan.
 
Thanks for finding that photo… it was a wonderful gift to see the son I haven’t seen in almost a year standing tall and honoring his fallen brothers with a look of quiet, yet anguished, determination on his face.  I will be forwarding that photo on to everyone in our family.

The Dish has a multitude of odd connections and associations every day. It's the joy of the internet. But connecting this son to this father this way is a new and moving serendipity.

And thank you, sir, for your sacrifice and your son for his service.