Blogs by Rep Bob Lynn

Blog site of Representative Bob Lynn, Alaska House of Representatives,District 31 Anchorage, Alaska. Blogs consist of public comments during legislative sessions, speeches, political commentary, as well as personal observations, and some journal type entries. Comments are invited.

Name:
Location: Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Member of the Alaska State House of Represeentatives since 2003. US Air Force, Retired; military bandsman; F94C interceptor pilot; Vietnam service as radar controller (Monkey Mountain), radar site commander(Pleiku); Government Contract Management; Public school Teacher, Retired. Married 55 years to Marlene Wagner Lynn, 6 children, 20 grandchildren, 1 great-grandchild. Member St. Elizabeth Ann Seaton Church. Former Tucson Arizona policeman, Ambulance Driver and Mortician's Assistant, Realtor (currently on referral status).

Saturday, November 12, 2011

ROLL CALL OF WARRIORS

ROLL CALL

Listen to news reports, read the paper, watch the war in Iraq and Afghanistan on TV. Learn the statistics of the war dead. Yes, we know the meaning behind the statistics – intellectually. It’s terrible. Obviously terrible. But unless somehow personally involved, numbers without names don’t really “connect.”

Thanks to the Student Veterans of the University of Alaska Anchorage on Veterans’ Day 2011, the numbers became more connected.

A National Roll Call was conducted on the UAA campus of some 6,300 (currently) America’s military warriors in Iraq and Afghanistan “killed in action” – euphemistically softened to “KIA.” Turns were taken intoning the names and ranks of our fallen warriors - page after page, after page, after page of names names names. Names read, one after the other, from nine in the morning until five in the afternoon.

I imagine few of us who read or heard the names during the Roll Call knew the human being behind the name. But after the calling the roll name-by-name, there was some connection. A connection more than before. It brought it all somewhat “home.” I read just one long page of names. It was an “experience.” An experience made more poignant by being a veteran myself.

Male, female, private, colonel, army, navy, air force, marine - names on the Roll Call. Made no difference. Only volunteer human beings dying on a battlefield on the other side of the world. God Bless you.

1 Comments:

Blogger cubbsfann1 said...

Representative Lynn,

I am writing a paper for my high school English Class and I was wondering if I could have a quick 5 or 10 minute phone interview with you about why the drinking age should be lowered. If you could please email me at cubbsfann1@gmail.com with either your regrets or your available times.

Thanks for your time,

Andrew Cassioppi

7:20 PM  

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