A Post for Peace from Afghanistan: SGT DUB

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Kabul, Afghanistan.

The news was not good today. Suicide bombers rained blasts in the streets of Kabul today in an all-too-familiar soundbite in this forgotten war.

In the heart of Taliban country, SGT DUB can be found doing what soldiers do best. Working alongside and training Afghanistan National Police Officers, chasing down donkey carts with potential explosives, building connexes , studying algebra (he's getting a degree in the middle of a war zone) or finding comic relief (plus food and inspiration) in packages from home.

This is, without a doubt, one of the most fascinating blogs I've found - for a myriad of reasons.

On November 7, 2006 many of you participated in the first BlogBlast for Peace via my blog and posted your Peace Globes en masse around the blogosphere. I only wish we'd had more military blogs representing the effort; a top-of-my-list goal for the next Dona Nobis Pacem Day.

My passion for this project was fueled once again as I began to read through Sarge's well-written and down-to-earth posts about his second tour of duty in Afghanistan. It did - for me -what no CNN news story could ever do. Suddenly, our non-partisan efforts on behalf of world peace on Dona Nobis Pacem Day became very real in the words of one SGT Dub, who daily stands in the midst of this war, so closely mirroring similar conflicts across our world.

Then, one day not long ago I got an email from him.

Amazingly, SGT DUB took it upon himself to submit a Peace Globe after the fact - in honor of fallen soldier 2Lt Scott Lundell, whose memorial can be seen here as well as a special dedication to this remarkable young man on SGT Dub's site, written on the day he assisted with an honor-laden ceremony.

I was truly honored to receive it and humbly share it with all of you.

This alone makes me proud of what we all began on November 7th.

Sergeant Dub is not unique in the sense that he serves his country - as a police officer back home in Oklahoma, as a National Guardsman or as a soldier. There are thousands like him. And scores of Mrs. Dubs, of which he often speaks, explaining that his blog is a way for his wife to know he is safe and sound.

Second Lieutenant Scott Lundell is, unfortunately, not unique either - in the mind-numbing fact that four children no longer have a father and his "Mrs. Dub" can no longer be assured of his safety.

That is the reality of this war.

Take some time today and discover a little about this God-forsaken place and learn what makes SGT Dub and young soldier Lundell remain steadfast in their commitment to serve and protect all of us.

I am most proud of his kindness.

In a land of daily brutal horrors he manages to find time for children and laughter and things that matter.

Afghan schoolchildren pic from Todd Larkin's Task Force Phoenix 5 blog. Operation Enduring Freedom/Oklahoma Battalion.