It`s nice to know people are staying informed on FASTC and the devastating impact it would have on our county.
The conversation that hit me the hardest was with a 19-year-old soldier. He was home on leave soon to deport for Japan. He was born and raised in Queen Anne’s County and lived in Ruthsburg.
Dressed in his fatigues, he stood proudly, his hat in his hands and his arms crossed. He said, “It will be hard to leave. I will count the days until I can come back home.” He brought up the facility. He said, “Ms. Dean, we don’t want that here. It will be terrible. It will ruin our county. Don’t let them tell you that the gunfire and explosives won’t be bad. It’s real bad. Don’t believe a thing they tell you. You can’t let this happen.”
As he hugged me goodbye, I tried not to let him see my tears of pride. He chose to be a soldier, to defend and protect others. I can’t stop thinking about his deployment.
I think about what he will experience. I think about him not returning to a community that he loves without it reminding him of his harsh experience as a soldier.
I hope to God that when he returns we can tell him we won the battle.
MONICA POTTER DEAN,
Centreville