John Heinmiller

West Point, 2004

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by an extremely grateful civilian on April 24, 2001:

Dear cadets and families, As I checked my email tonight, I was moved to tears by a cadet friend's email about a fallen cadet in the class of 2004. As a fellow member of the class of 2004, I live the easy life at the College of William and Mary. I have friends at Westpoint and VMI, and I have family members who are veterans. I don't think that the men and women of the armed services are honored enough, especially by my generation. I have the utmost respect for all of you who take up the sacred call of defense. So many of us are not even physically qualified to handle what you go through, much less take the mental, emotional, and spiritual strain. Through the history of this great country, we have enjoyed freedoms and liberties unheard of in other nations. We would be nothing, we would never be able to enjoy life as it is today if we did not have the dedication, the toughness, and the spirit of our armed forces. To the cadets, my undying gratitude for all of your sacrifices -- and all that you are. To the family members who bite their lips and send their sons and daughters, wives and husbands, brothers and sisters into service, thank you for your sacrifice as well. You could not give anything more precious. Please know, as you go through your daily lives, that those of us who will never join the vast gray line -- or the ranks of any other branch of the military -- do remember you. We appreciate you. And at least speaking for myself, we are behind you 100%. Sincerely and with a heavy heart, Jennifer Lucado ('04)

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