2-9-2005 --- Note from the webmistress:    I just received this link to an update re: this picture & story (thanks to Lowell H). Thank you everyone who visits here and those of you who took part in this great discussion. I must admit that I'm glad it's a true story (according to Snopes). In my humble opinion, it's just one of those stories that seems to warm our hearts and hopefully, make us appreciate just what our soldiers do for each one of us.

 http://www.snopes.com/photos/military/grass.asp

Sometimes the little things we take for granted - Priceless

Here is a soldier stationed in Iraq, stationed in a big sand box he asked his wife to send him dirt, fertilizer and some grass seeds so he can have the sweet aroma and feel the grass grow beneath his feet.  If you notice, he is even cutting the grass with a pair of scissors.   Sometimes we are in such a hurry that we don't stop and think about the little things that we take for granted.  Upon receiving this, please say a prayer for our soldiers that give (and give up) so unselfishly for us.

It has never ceased to amaze me how Americans tend to make the best of a situation. As a military wife, I was overseas myself, and also stationed in unfamiliar parts of my own country. Sure, there were those that in their unhappiness created problems, either for themselves or others, but the majority "lived" their experiences and even left great impressions of how Americans can be. A great compliment was paid, in general, to Americans involved in WWII when we visited Fort Fermont at the Maginot Line in France. The tour guide, learning our family was American, took us aside and past the roped off areas of the underground fort. He wanted to show us the bunker rooms that had housed American soldiers. What he wanted to show was the amazing graffiti left there. They were the only rooms done this way! There were great artists there, and at the least those that left great memorabilia. Baseballs with faces, showing "streaks" of flying through the air. Some great patriotic symbols. The typical pinup drawn similar to Betty Grable's style. Poetry, a drawn apple pie, and words of home.
According to the guide, the American troops were known to boost the morale of other troops!! That was a great thing for my children to have seen!!

It has been said many tmes that no matter where American soldiers are stationed, they will always make the best out of a bad situation. In Vietnam the Vietnamese and our other allies just couldn't believe the way we lived in some of the most harsh conditions, and yet we lived as comfortable as possible. If we could have put an air conditioner in a foxhole, it would have been done. Of course none of this would have ever been possible without the untiring efforts of the Army and Air Force Exchange Service. Not to mention "midnight requisitioning procedures".:)

NBC News is looking for the source of this photo. Who is this soldier? They want some background. Anyone know?
editor@nopunditintended.com

On 10-4-04, a comment was left regarding this photograph by someone who used "Patriotically Skeptical" for their identification and left no email address to reply to. One of the "rules" of the web journal is that in order to be acknowledged you MUST leave an email address so you can be responded to. Anonymous comments are not only rude, but a show of bad manners, as well as evidence of a yellow streak down the individuals back.

In this case, however, I choose to respond to the comment left by "Patriotically Skeptical". Here's what "Patriotically Skeptical" had to say:

"Has anyone noticed that the date on this photo is November 2000?"

My response (as webmistress) is: No, I hadn't even noticed a date. I enlarged the photo after receiving your comment and the date was so obliterated I was unable to determine exactly what the date was. However, I will take your word for it and offer only this.... The story is GREAT whether you like it or not.

I searched the web for evidence that this was a hoax before I posted it and was unable to find any such evidence anywhere. If indeed this story is a fabrication, YOU are going to have to SHOW us the evidence that it is a lie.

You know what "Patriotically Skeptical"? If someone told me a story like this and made it up as they went along, I'd still think it was a great commentary about our troops.

radarette, webmistress

First and foremost, radarette, you have my apologies for not having read the web journal rules for posting and acknowledgement. I'd begun the day investigating a spam/chain mail on this topic that hit my office on Monday(which had the image available in full size), and saw that your site had the image. I'd never meant the comment "Has anyone noticed that the date on this photo is November 2000?" to be taken as rude as I did not leave an email address to reply to. Bad manners or cowardice, as you suggest, do not come into play for my not including a contact address, but rather ignorance of your site rules in what's required for participation.

You seem to ask for further information on the image. This link provided a larger (full size, not shrunken) image where the electronic date is available, which prompted my inquiry on this journal:

http://groups.msn.com/AChristmasStory/wowpictures.msnw?action=get_message&mview=1&ID_Message=2491#RepliesBookMark

The dissemination of this image with the story has only just started in the last two weeks, and only a few webpages include references to this story. I neglected to realize that you did not have a full-size image, so I hope the above link helps to clarify. I really was just asking if anyone had realized that the post claimed to be in Iraq, when the photo obviously (to most, not to the original posted image here) referred to a date preceding even the Afghanistan conflict.

My thanks for your time and candor,

PS (now fully disclosed by email as per your rules)

Please accept my correction for the email address originally posted, this one is the correct one.

I want to commend both Patriotically Skeptical and Radarette for their spirited participation in the public discourse. You are GREAT. My dad used to teach that the opposite of a committed Democrat was not a committed Republican. . . . It's the apathetic drool-meister. Thanks for this Dandy web-log. It's a cool resource. BTW I'm going to download the full image and post it in it's full glory at http://www.utahcountyveterans.org

Thanks for the great site, Radarette. You rock.

Andrew Wilson
President, Utah County Veterans Council

Patriotically Skeptical,
Thank you for your latest two comments on this story and photograph. Apology accepted and no harm, no foul. :) If you felt like I was a bit tuff in my response, I apologize for that.

When I first saw the story, I didn't notice there was a date on the photo so I'm grateful that you sent the link so I could see it for myself. Anyone can see the date on that one!

I did search the web for anything to indicate the story was a hoax, urban legend, fabrication and etc. When I was unable to find any reference to the story, I went ahead and posted it in the journal. Gosh, I really like the story and I sure wish it were true. Maybe there's a soldier somewhere in the world that did that at sometime in our history???? It was one of those "feel good" stories I thought.

Instead of removing it, what do you say I preface it with a note that we know it's not factual as presented. Don't you think it has the potential to increase awareness of the emotional side of our soldiers?

Thank you kindly once again for getting back with me on this. I appreciate your taking the time to further enlighten me.
Radarette, Webmistress

Friday, October 8th 2004 @ 19:05

BTW, at least I know there are two others that had read Utah VVA 924's journal;)

Thank you kindly for your comments and etc. Take care and to everyone who contributed here, thanks for keeping me on my toes
Radarette

First off I will not comment on the story, since i do not know who first planted the grass... but i WILL comment on the picture, since I lived 3 months of my life just 2 tent rows down from that patch of grass. It is the only patch of grass on the whole Air Force base named Al Udeid, located in Qatar (recently declassified). The soldiers who lived in that tent (a constantly rotating crew)all inherited the grass, did cut it with scisors to keep it looking nice, watered it with water from their water bottles, and even posted a "no walking on the grass" sign in front of their tent. The grass is kept shaded by a large tarp awning, so that it doesn't get burned by the 135+ degree sun during the summer months.

ok, here it is, I didn't get through all the comments just yet but, I will. I thought I would clear up any misunderstandings about this picture. That officer in the picture is my brother in law. To Maegan, for being a proud member of museumofhoaxes.com you have not checked the website lately. I have personally spoke with members of the website and cleared up any questions they have had. Now, for this site, here it is...My sister sent this picture to me in Uth)and some people in the office wanted a copy. From there it just took off. My brother in law is in the Army and the picture is legitamate. NBC Nightly News is interested in the story and I have spoke with many reporters regarding this picture and they are using this picture as a feature story for "Thanksgiving". Maybe now is the time that we need to really give thanks for what is truely important in our own lives:)

Veterans,

For reasons that will become apparent, I beg your attention to my fourth novel, FOR WHOM TO DIE, at www.forwhomtodie.blogspot.com.

Thank you,

William Slusher
4th AVN BN, 4th ID, Pleiku, '68 & '69
williamslusher@live.com
www.forwhomtodie.blogspot.com

I seldom leave responses, but i did a few searching and wound up here Utah Vietnam Veterans of America WebJournal.
And I actually do have 2 questions for you if you don't mind. Could it be just me or does it give the impression like a few of these remarks appear like coming from brain dead visitors? :-P And, if you are posting at additional social sites, I'd like to keep up with anything new you have to post.

Could you make a list of the complete urls of all your public sites like your twitter feed, Facebook page or linkedin profile?
jaket