Since returning from Iraq in July, I have been looking for the day to day stories of soldiers. I learned about SFC John Cartwright, Sgt John Cartwright, Jr, and Cpl Chris Cartwright from one of my contacts from CENTCOM. He wanted to know if I wanted to talk to a family that had a father and two sons serving in Iraq at the same time. These amazing men serve with the Tennessee National Guard Unit 278th Regimental Combat Team. As a result of that contact, I spoke with SFC John Cartwright. In typical form, he was humble about what he was doing. SFC Cartwright looked at what he was doing with a unit he's been associated with all of his adult life as service to his country. When I asked him how his sons got involved, he said it was a natural thing. They had grown up as a part of this unit, and when they reached adulthood they wanted to serve. The elder Cartwright has led his sons to serve their country by his example. His example made me wonder how I could do a better job of leading in my own life.
I didn't get a chance to talk to John, Jr. or Chris Cartwright; they were busy doing their jobs. When I asked SFC Cartwright, how his family at home was holding up, he said that they worried, but this has been a way of life for his family. That is the way it is with a lot of families in America, but there is a special kind of connection to the military in the South, in mountain areas and in rural areas of this country. If you are close to the land, it seems you understand the sacrifice of serving this great nation. That is not to say that our brothers and sisters in the cities do not want to serve, but there is a different feeling about America and patriotism "across the fruited plain."
Sometimes you hear the stories about the anti-government folks that live in the mountains of Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina; they are the exception, not the rule. Most of these men serve or have someone in their family that serves, and that is a way of life. Some people would call that love of duty ignorance, but it is not--it is the understanding that it is a gift to be an American, and it is something that must be defended and encouraged.
The Cartwrights are like the Jarrards of Gainesville, Georgia; they have a history of service. Tom Jarrard served in the Army in Viet Nam. His two older sons have made a career of the Army, and his youngest son is a Marine reservist and a teacher at Riverside Military Academy. There is a history of service in many of the families touched by this War on Terror.
John Cartwright is a man of few words, and he was a little embarrassed that I was making a fuss over him on my radio program. I am pretty sure the only reason he did the interview was that his Commanding Officer asked him to do it. He's the kind of guy that thinks he's not very special; that he is only doing what anyone would do. That is what makes him special. I was humbled to be able to talk to him.
The truth is, the Cartwright family is special, and we should value them. We should keep them in our prayers every night especially the families that they have left behind. They are giving a great sacrifice for this country and her freedom, and I am proud of them. Look around in your family and in your neighborhood; there are people that are serving everyday in some way. Look for the Cartwrights in your life, and Godspeed to the Tennessee National Guard Unit 278th Regimental Combat Team.
Each week, Martha Zoller will tell another story about someone serving in the military. Her first book, "Indivisible: Uniting Values in a Divided America," will be out November 2005 from Stroud and Hall Publishers. Please tune in every weekday for The Martha Zoller Show on WDUN AM 550. You may email her at [email protected].
http://accesswdun.com/article/2005/9/126997