Deployment Journal: What if Santa got hit by an ‘RPG’

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Kevin Wallace
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
HERAT, Afghanistan --  Do you ever sit around wondering what the world would be like if Santa was shot down by an RPG?

There's probably a mental health professional reading this right now, and the hair on the back of his neck just stood straight up.

But, while queued up in line at Camp Arena's mess hall today, I thought about that very thing.

It's not all that unimaginable that an insurgent could pick off the jolly old man using their rocket-propelled grenade. After all, Rudolph's nose is anything but tactical.

Then I thought to myself, "Why would anyone want to kill such a jolly chap - an old fella' who only wants to bring smiles to children's faces."

I realized it's not a strange idea at all. These same people will destroy a girl's school in a heartbeat. They'll take out a bridge, or steal food and water from a starving family ... even hold a small child in front of them and make that poor child their makeshift ballistic armor.

Those who would do pretty much anything to extend their radical beliefs - or, more realistically, expand their drug entrepreneurship - are all around sick people, in my opinion. I don't doubt for a minute that they'd kill Santa.

Fortunately, from what I've seen, these people are the exception. Most Afghans are caring people who want improved living conditions, security, stability, education - they want to build a better future for themselves.

Soon it will be Christmas. For me that means a whole lot, and I hope to have some joyful times to share kinship with my comrades here this Christmas.

That's not quite like being home, but it's the best I can do this year.

I don't want to be insensitive to anyone, so I'll put it like this: If you discount the true meaning of Christmas and focus on the Santa Claus and Christmas tree side of things, it's plain to see that goodwill to others remains the theme.

So why not extend that from your very home or work place?

I wish that wherever you are at this year, whether you are reading this during a long, hard day of work or from the comfort of your living room, that you are thankful for what you have. I'm certainly thankful for what I have.

I hope that you can toss a baseball with your kid, help your spouse out with the dishes tonight, or go and lend a hand to your neighbor. I hope that you do something to show others you care.

Rest assured that I will definitely think of my mother and her ailing condition, my father who's an angel at her side, my wife and terrific mother-in-law watching over my kids, and, of course, those whom are right in front of my face ... people who don't have much of anything.

In a way I'm glad to be here. I'm living in a land of hope for the future, a land that can only improve in the years to come.

I'm among my heroic comrades who will make certain that this year Santa does not get shot down on his way to Afghanistan.

Where ever you are, I wish you a very Merry Christmas.