On my way home from a business trip to Georgia I passed through the Atlanta airport this past Saturday. The shuttles, ticket counters, concourses and gate waiting areas were at full capacity managing crowds of holiday travelers, business people like me and Army personnel in desert camouflage BDU’s (Battle Dress Uniforms.) At my gate the soldiers had self-segregated themselves into one area.  It was evident they didn’t know one another – as most sat quietly in personal thought or snoozing – save for a few who chatted.  Perhaps subconsciously they felt a sense of comfort in gathering together, which would seem to indicate their training had clearly been deeply rooted.

Out of curiosity I sat nearby to eavesdrop on their conversations.  Several of the fresh-faced young men of this shaven-head fraternity were comparing the cadence calls their respective drill sergeants had taught them in basic training. Spontaneously they began chanting their favorites for the benefit of one another but in suppressed voices so as not to call attention to themselves.  Across from me a young Asian man was attempting to concentrate on his paperback book – but kept nodding off.  He raised his head and our eyes exchanged a thoughtful glance acknowledging his comrades in camo who now added push-ups to their quiet cadence chants.  He smiled. I smiled.

I asked him where he was headed.

“Seattle, sir.”  he said, with just a slight trace of a lisp.

Over the course of the next half hour we had a most pleasant conversation and I discovered that he 1) had just finished basic training 2) had joined the Army after graduating from the University of Washington with a degree in biology and emphasis in public health, 2) had a younger sister living at home with his parents that 3) he had moved to Lynnwood during college so he could take care of them as they were both in ill health  4) his girlfiend was driving to the airport to pick him up 5) he would be returning to Fort Benning to attend OCS (officer candidate school) in just under 3 weeks 6) he’d grown up in Honolulu and 7) graduated from Punaho School (same high school as Obama) and lastly that he and I agreed Rainbow Drive-In served ‘da kine’ (the best) plate lunch.

Throughout the conversation  he responded to most every comment or question I made with the polite use of  “Sir” or “Yes, Sir” – demonstrating to me that he had, indeed, just been through weeks of intense training. He also confessed to loosing more than 20 pounds of body weight during the 8 weeks of training. I asked him what the most surprising element of his Army experience was thus far and he responded: “The lack of privacy.”

Before boarding our flight I stood and shook his hand, thanked him for his service and asked him to be safe. That got the attention of the other soldiers and I nodded to them and said the same. The best I could do.

Perhaps in my feeble way I view this post as one more little thing I can do to showcase the human side of these men and women who have signed on to serve all of us. I am grateful and can only thank them for their service and hope they stay safe.  Here are some pictures that have been passed around the internet and which, for me, show the very human side of the men and women who volunteer to serve our country and each of us in case, just in case.