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Christmas by the Fireplace Posted by Hello

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One year out- Remembering Dale Beatty

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I looked down the hallway at Walter Reed Hospital and saw a Veteran in his late 30s being pushed in a wheel chair. At first, it was just a normal sight at Walter Reed to see someone missing legs, but then I noticed a familiar crooked grin and a familiar hat atop his head. The hat read, Purple Heart Homes and the smile meant that it was my friend Dale Beatty. He didn't recognize me in my Army uniform and clean shaven. I looked down at him as we both waited for an elevator and I said sarcastically, "Hey son, what do you know about Purple Heart Homes?" He looked up at me and said, "I'm the co-founder and we do critical home repair for disabled Veterans!" The excitement in his voice was contagious. I smiled back and said, "I know you Dale" Then the reunion began as we rode up in the elevator and for the next 2 hours we continued in conversation, Dale, his wife Belinda and me....just reconnecting. As I was leaving that day, Dale gave me a coin ...
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Some people have mottoes that they say, you know "The buck stops here" and "I did it my way" and other life mottoes that people spout off. Most of the time they are really just words. Words that have no real value attached to them because the words are not accompanied by any such action. But when you come across one of those rare individuals that has a motto and then lives by it, now that is something to take notice of. Then you find a guy with one of those mottoes that is so high above the standard, so far from the norm and then that guy lives by it, brothers and sisters, you find out what makes that guy/gal tick and you get some of that. Now, my friend Jeff Pugh would be appalled if he knew I was writing this. Because guys like him don't seek the spotlight. Jeff is Major in the Army. He's a commander. In the civilian world he's a police officer and a commander. He has a commanding presence and no he's not 6'3" and built like Arnold. He...
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