To My Fellow Volunteers

[JoeTomasone]

Dedicated to all of us who perform Missions for America.




Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring, (including PC and mouse).
I had finished the toys, and the tree, and the wrap,
And had just settled down for a few hours nap.
When out from the street there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
From my window my eyes did spy a lone man,
Who was dressed in a uniform, a thing in his hand,
That screamed a loud noise, so horrid and sick,
It was clear in a moment this wasn't St. Nick!
He turned, and he walked, and he looked to and fro,
From the hill up the street to the valley below,
His look was determined; eyes fixed on some quest,
But what could have stirred this young man from his rest?
For what was he searching?   Why wouldn't he leave?
What could be so important this cold Christmas Eve?
I flew open the door and yelled to the man,
"Now, why do you stand there, contraption in hand;
That wails with a noise as if screaming in fright;
What brings you out here in the middle of the night?"
He said, "Be at ease, sir; do not be alarmed,
We're the Civil Air Patrol (and we are not armed),
'Tis an emergency beacon that my team and I seek;
And the signal is fading, indeed is quite weak.
It might be an old unit that was tossed in the trash,
Or it might be an aviator, downed in a crash.
And so we do search on this cold winter night,
In the hopes that all's well; everyone is all right."
Tired and confused; I thought it absurd
That of this strange group I'd heard nary a word;
They weren't well known, I then quickly surmised;
And did thusly comment; he said, "No surprise
That of us you've heard nothing; we tend to be quiet,
But our name is well known to many a pilot,
For many we've rescued; in cold and in fright,
This reason compels us to search here tonight."
"For such service", I guessed, "you earn much through the years."
"Not a cent," he replied, "We are all volunteers.
From my team on the ground, to the crew in the sky."
(Skyward, he pointed, as their aircraft flew by)
"For how long?", I asked, in much consternation,
Said he, "Since '41 we've been serving this nation,
Through wartime and peacetime, through calm and disaster,
We serve this great Country; we practice to master
The skills I now use; and I'm happy to say,
We're training the youth who will lead us someday."
With a shake of my hand he took then his leave,
And continued his search on this cold Christmas Eve.
I returned to my bed, and chuckled, and said,
"He's out chasing ghosts, and I'm snuggled in bed;
He's certainly crazy, it's easy to see;
He searches all night – and he does it for free?"
I thought no more of it, and in the morn did arise,
To find my wife sobbing, with tears in her eyes.
"What's wrong?" I inquired, "And why are you crying?"
"Your father", she replied, "To visit was flying
A small plane he'd recently learned how to fly,
But he crashed in the valley – they do not know why."
She broke down anew; as she fought back her tears,
And said, "He was found by some volunteers,
Who hunted the beacon he had in his plane,
And found him alive, but cold and in pain."
We rushed to his side; the story he told,
Was of those who had searched through the night and the cold,
Until they had found him, of them he did say,
"Son, without them I'd have missed Christmas Day;
Or any that followed; for them I give thanks;
'Tis some outstanding folks that they count in their ranks."
My eyes then grew wide; my heart skipped a beat,
As my thoughts suddenly turned to that man on the street,
How his "mission", I'd thought, had been not worth the bother;
But how likely it was that he'd found my father.
He'd given us Christmas, and New Year's, and more,
And the nature of his calling I no longer could ignore.
The next week I joined up with the local C.A.P.,
With whom I serve our Country - voluntarily – for free.

December 2008
1st Lt. Joe Tomasone

[Phil Hirons, Jr.]

 :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

I've been EPIRB hunting on Thanksgiving. Not on Christmas, yet...

[James Shaw]

Well done sir!

[a2capt]

Woohoo!

I'll trade you a Christmas for Thanksgiving, for I've done that twice plus New Years and July 4th.

[HGjunkie]

 :clap:

[Cool Mace]

Amazing sir! Very well done!

[caphornbuckle]

Beautiful!  Thanks for sharing that with us!  :clap:

[Phil Hirons, Jr.]

Woohoo!

I'll trade you a Christmas for Thanksgiving, for I've done that twice plus New Years and July 4th.

Listened to the Red Sox win their first World Series in 86 years riding up Rt 95 in Rhode Island in a CAP van chasing one.

[a2capt]

Heh... and speaking of Christmas missions - the radio is echoing some chatter ..

[Al Sayre]

That need to be published in the Volunteer.

[peter rabbit]

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa. Did I get them all?

I celebrate Christmas. I have been blessed in many ways, including joining a great group of people in CAP. I wish everyone a joy of living, the ability to see and focus on the good things, the ability to see what is important so they will have the time to enjoy those things, and to be surrounded by friends that live and feel the same way.

[GTCommando]

That need to be published in the Volunteer.

I agree! Very well done, Sir.  :clap:  Merry Christmas to all, and to all, a good night.

[dogboy]

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa. Did I get them all?

I celebrate Christmas. I have been blessed in many ways, including joining a great group of people in CAP. I wish everyone a joy of living, the ability to see and focus on the good things, the ability to see what is important so they will have the time to enjoy those things, and to be surrounded by friends that live and feel the same way.

Joyous Festivus!

[DakRadz]

Amazing, sir. And not just a rip-off of the military versions, this is original.
:clap:

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa. Did I get them all?

I celebrate Christmas. I have been blessed in many ways, including joining a great group of people in CAP. I wish everyone a joy of living, the ability to see and focus on the good things, the ability to see what is important so they will have the time to enjoy those things, and to be surrounded by friends that live and feel the same way.

Joyous Festivus!

Canadian Boxing Day.

[bosshawk]

I happily had a quiet day in the Sierra foothills of rainy California.  In the past, I have had Christmas in such places as Munich and Frankfort, Germany, Tokyo, Japan and Saigon, South Viet Nam, besides many places in the good old US.  US is better, by far.

Thank all of you folks for being there on Christmas, helping us all protect our nation.

[meganite]

That need to be published in the Volunteer.

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

Seconded!! Or thirded or whatever.