The Redhunter

Mr Trooprally took shovel and pickaxe in hand to work at clearing the area on the sidewalk where we stand to greet the cars coming out of the base entrance. He's looking a bit tired just thinking about it!

Mr Trooprally provides a narrative

"[Mrs] T and I arrived at 6PM and pulled into an icy parking lot, wondering who was standing next to the entrance. Upon getting out into the low 20 degree air, we met a cold Lurker Adam. He hasn't been at WR for a while, but he was dressed warmer than in the past. Some greetings and he got into the jeep to warm up while I unloaded the shovel and salt. The driveway up to the parking lot was salted down. Before we could start clearing the corners of ice pack, a call came in from Nina0113 . She was at the Metro station, cold and needing a ride. Leaving [Mrs] T and Adam there in the cold (they didn't know how to get to Metro station), I left to get Nina . ...

Returning with Nina, I saw [Mrs] T and Adam had a good start on the NE corner. [Mrs] T got into the jeep with Nina while Adam and I proceeded to clear and salt the other four corners. As other FReepers arrived, they helped in enlarging the cleared areas."

TFroatz and Fraxinus also put in a lot of effort at pickaxing the sidewalks. Thank you guys!

Here are Lurker Adam and Mr Trooprally cleaning the NE corner, the one directly across from the main entrance:

We quickly put up the flags and got our our signs. It was far too windy for the MOAB, but the flip side of that was that the flags look great flying in all that breeze.

Here are tgslTakoma, Kristinn & TFroatz standing on frozen snow while setting out flags

Cindy_True_Supporter and Nina0113 are all bundled up on the NE corner. The first thing you learn about FReeping in cold weather is that you don't dress for the first hour, but for the last! Chemical pack hand warmers are a must

I took up a station by Lurker Bill on the SE corner and we soon started receiving our usual high quota of friendly waves and honks from passing cars. Many are police cars, and one lady officer used the car's loudspeaker to say "Thank you for coming out to support the troops!"

Sometimes cars will stop and speak with us briefly. On this evening one of the cars coming out of the hospital stopped by the NE and spoke with Olney-Keith and Albion Wilde, and say "thank you" for being outside in the cold to lift the spirits of those inside. He said he was a Vietnam vet who worked with new troopers who had just arrived from the war zone (which could be Iraq or Afghanistan). He helped them through their issues.

Here is Olney-Keith's account of the encounter:

Kristinn and I were standing on the NE corner and a car exited WR and stopped along side the two of us. He reported that he had been wounded in Vietnam and visits the troops often. He wanted all of us to know that even though we might not actually see or meet many of the soldiers, they know FR will be standing guard every Friday night. He said it does volumes to the psyche of the troops. I was also present when the soldier who lost an eye said he is planning on going back to Iraq. I'm 32 years old and I almost broke down right there on that street corner.

Later that evening, while standing at the NW corner, VAFlagWaver, Mr Trooprally and I met a young soldier who was coming back to the hospital. He said that he appreciated what we were doing, we told him that we appreciated his service, and we shook our hands. He said that he had lost an eye but was still going back to Iraq in a non-combat role. Far from feeling depressed over his redeployment, he seemed proud of his service and that he was going back. What an amazing bunch they are, and how fortunate as a nation we are to have them protecting us.

Here are Lurker Bill(foreground) and I greeting the cars on the SE corner

And here's Olney-Keith holding down the NE corner

Meantime, here are VAFlagWaver(foreground) and I on the opposite corner

The "Young Pubs" Arrive!

At around 9:15 about 10 members of the GW College Republicans arrived to take up stations around the four corners. No matter the cold, they add a burst of energy to the FReep!

And Here is the Obligatory Picture...

...of the sad bunch of Pinkos down the street. They don't fool anyone with their "vigil" sign. It's an anti-war, anti-troops protest plain and simple.

The Buses Arrive - and Stop!

As the buses came up Georgia Avenue this time I noticed something unusual; they were in the right lane. In order to turn into the hospital they should be in the left lane, I thought. Surely they'll move over to the center.

But they didn't. Rather than put on their turning signals they turned on their flashers and stopped right in front of Lurker Bill's corner. At the time I was on the opposite corner with VAFlagWaver

"Well isn't this interesting", I thought. Something's up.

After stopping I noticed someone getting out of each bus and walk up to the FReepers on the corner. Then I saw Mrs Trooprally and tgslTakoma get onto the big bus.

The troops and their familes just wanted to say "Thank You" to us for greeting them every Friday. The feeling was quite mutual!

Here is the gathering outside the big bus:

And here is Mr Trooprally getting onto the small bus

This is hardly the first time we've heard these sentiments from the troops and their families. We're heard it hundreds of times over the past 18 months. Anyone reading this who thinks that our standing outside doesn't mean anything and that it's all for show doesn't know what they're talking about. Word has spread far and wide about our rallies inside the hospital, and indeed in Iraq as well.

Here's the view from inside the bus as tgslTakoma and Mrs Trooprally speak with the troops and their families:

Cindy-True-Supporter sends this account:

"I had the great opportunity to get on the small bus along with tgsTakoma. It was a trill to be able to express our appreciation of their sacrifice and service. The addition I made to Takoma's very heartfelt expression of love and thanks, was that we reprecent a strong support group across the nation. I wanted them to know that there are tens of thousands of very supportive, true Americans that respect, value and realize the job they've done.

They are increditably, amazing, selfless individuals.
Words just can't express what I feel about them."

One more of the scene at the corner. Mr Trooprally is getting on the small bus. Lurker Bill is at left beside his sign.

During all this VAFlagwaver and I decided to stay where we were because sooner or later the buses would pull into the entrance and it would be good if they could see people on all four corners.

In the face of all that our troops do for us in Iraq, Afghanistan, and all around the world, if we can lift their spirits a little by doing what we do ourside Walter Reed it's worth it times a hundred to stand outside for a few hours.

Acknowledgements and More

Don't be shy! We'd love to have you with us one evening! If you'd like more details please send FReepmail to me or any of the other participants.

* A special Thank You to Mrs Trooprally for taking the photos for this AAR. All of her photos for this FReep can be viewed here.

* Thank you also to BufordP for maintaining the BIG LIST of all Walter Reed FReeps

* Tom the Redhunter blogs at The Redhunter

This post can also be viewed on FreeRepublic.

Update

Mr Trooprally provided this additional commentary about the buses:

"My best decision in a while was tonight, when I joined Lurker Bill on the southeast corner. He was by himself, holding the banner's supports because the wind was playing havoc with all the banners. He was partially hidden by a tall traffic signal box and was behind some cars, not nearly as visible as he normally is. And there was no flag on his corner. While there, a car drove by and yelled to those on the NE corner that the buses were coming. We eagerly watched for the buses, knowing that soon we'll be breaking down and getting warm.

Several buses stopped two blocks from us and several feeble, unsure calls that the Walter Reed buses were in view were heard. But they stopped two blocks away. Are they OUR buses or metro buses? The first looked white, but the wind kept our eyes watering and unclear. I'm not sure about the others, but Lurker Bill and I were confused.

Then they started up and came towards us, the yells of "buses, buses" now being loudly heard among the FReepers. Strangely, the inside lights that normally go on when they are several hundred feet from us, didn't come on, and they were in the wrong lane to turn into WR. Now we were really confused. Do we all have hypothermia and are hallucinating?

Then the buses stopped!! With the small bus besides Lurker Bill and me! Jeez, we were dumb founded as what was going on. The inside lights came on and the door to the both bus opened. We waved to the troops inside, getting eager waves back. We were again surprised that the driver motioned for us to come over. Lurker Bill couldn't let go of the banner support so I walked over to see what was up.

At that time, a lady from the big came over and said several of us can go onto the buses. There is a GOD!! I called over to the other corner and they quickly came over. The lady tried to say that only two or three could get on, but the FReepers and Young Republicans overwhelmed the buses.

[Mrs] T, I and a Young Republican were among the first of our group to get onto the big bus. Once we got up the steps, the troops and their families erupted into a loud round of applause for us, FOR THE FREEPERS, LURKERS AND OTHERS WHO STAND THERE EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT! (one minute, screen getting blurry just like Friday night). I mean, everyone on the bus was applauding for their FRiday night supporters who braved a few hours of cold while their lives have been changed forever. Looking down the inside of the bus at the troops, it looked like it went on forever with clapping troops. Overwhelming is the only way I can describe it.

Being surprised and not being as quick as our silver-tongue Kristinn, I didn't say anything memorable, just that we support them. [Mrs] T did better than I did and thanked them for their sacrifice, telling them that Friday nights are the least we can do for them. It seemed that those who got to talk to the soldiers said something different, so they received real heart-felt words. No talking points here.

We didn't forget Lurker Bill. I offered to hold the banner for him so he could go into the buses. He graciously declined. I guess with the swarm of Freepers already there, he felt he didn't need to go. Lurker Bill is a real stand-up person. At both WR and at Olney he puts up the blue banner, most of the time by himself, and holds his post in all types of weather, and quietly leaves afterwards. He is also part of Soldiers' Angels.

[Mrs] T and I were also able to get onto the little bus and thank the troops. When [Mrs] T mentioned that our Marine son was soon to go to Iraq, they wished him the best of luck."