A Note from Afghanistan

Justin Guarini describes his feelings watching a "Fallen Comrade Ceremony" in Baghram, Afghanistan. See our previous blog entry for more details on his USO trip.

Justin here, writing to you for Baghram airforce base in Afghanistan. It's about 4:55 in the morning here and all is well. To say that it's been an amazing trip thus far, is to severely undervalue the experience. I've traveled to many places all over the world, but never to the Middle East. It's a truly beautiful place, even though it's a war zone. There are so many amazing experiences that I can't really fit them here. So I'll make you a deal. If you give me a day or two. I'll post the pictures I have, and even give you a little taste of the stories and experiences that we all are having here. I'm going to ask the other Idols with me to sit down and share their experience with me on tape, then I'll put it up on blogtalk, or my site. Cool?

My head is a little foggy this morning, so I don't think I could write too clearly any way. Besides, I like to talk my time with my writing. Would you believe it took 4 hours to write some of my Fancast blogs about Idol? Especially in the beginning when I was trying to describe (as richly and vividly as possible) my experience as an Idol.

I will tell you this though. I am up at this hour for a very good, albeit sad, reason. At around 2:50 this morning, there was a service known as a "Fallen Comrade Ceremony". An American soldier wsa killed in action and his body was due to be transported from the base back to the States.

Instead of just letting him go in the middle of the night, the soldiers here line the street the body is driven down. With practiced precision they stand rigidly at attention and salute as the casket, resting on the back of a modified HumV and draped in an American Flag goes by. It was a beautiful sight. The street was lined, on both sides with soldiers from the Army, Air Force, Marines, and even soldiers from other countries that are here supporting the fight. With guns slung across chests (almost everyone here lugs around automatic rifles at all times) and in perfect silence they wished their comrade in arms farewell. I'm not a soldier, so like the other civilians at the ceremony I stood along side the soldiers and placed my hand over my heart as the coffin drove by.
I was reminded of my own mortality, as well as where I was, and what our men and women (most of them younger than me) are going through and risking every day to preserve our way of life.

This trip has completely and irrevocably altered my perception of the armed forces...for the good.

More to come.

Justin