A Local Hero

I took this picture in 2007 and it's one of my all-time favorites. Airman Bill Long stands in salute as a mournful "Taps" sounds from a single trumpet at the graveside services for Long's brother, Spc. Braden Joseph Long Sunday afternoon at Cedarlawn Memorial Park in Sherm

an. Spc. Long was killed in battle in Iraq Aug. 4, 2007. In the background is an honor-guard detail from the Sherman Police Department, also standing in salute and further back is part of the line of Patriot Guard surrounding the grave site holding U.S. flags. Member or the Sherman Fire Department were also present to honor Sherman's fallen warrior.

The story of Spc. Braden Joseph Long, by Joyce Godwin:

A 2005 graduate of Sherman High School, he is remembered for his infectious smile, love of cars, love for his family and the intense desire to serve his country. 

Spc. Long died of injuries sustained when his Humvee came under grenade attack in Baghdad Aug. 4, just three days shy of his 20th birthday. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

During his short military career, Spc. Long earned the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Combat Action Badge, Iraqi Campaign Medal and Global War on Terrorism Medal. He served as a gunner.

Chaplain Ken Sorenson told mourners at Faith Church of Sherman that one of the outstanding features of Spc. Long was his smile. His father added in a later telephone interview that his son's smile was always there. Sorenson used the letters in 'smile' to describe Spc. Long to family and friends who flocked to his funeral. 'S' was for Specialist, Braden's army rank. 'M' was for military. He said Spc. Long wanted to join the military since he was a little boy. 'I' was for his intelligence in choosing a supportive wife like Teresa and for choosing the Army. 'L' stood for likeable. Sorenson said Spc. Long was an incredibly loving person. "I can see why Teresa would fall in love with him," Sorenson said. 

Lastly, 'E' stood for excellence. He described Spc. Long as determined to do the right thing. He would always fulfill his commitments. 

Sorenson referred to the scripture Romans 5:7-8. "Christ died for us," Sorenson said. "There is something about a man who is willing to die for those he doesn't even know...day after day, a willingness to sacrifice his all for people who didn't know him, much like his Savior did 2,000 years ago." 

Later in the service, Sorenson said, "Freedom is never free and his (Spc. Long's) death serves as a reminder of the cost." 

Following the final prayer of the funeral, the cadence of marching military began to echo across the auditorium and grew louder as the military honor guard advanced through the church isle to retrieve Spc. Long's casket. 

Mourners poured from the church and the unmistakable roar of motorcycle engines could be heard as the Patriot Guard prepared to escort Spc. Long and his family to Cedarlawn Memorial Park for the final farewell. This was the third part of the Guard's mission for Spc. Long. 

Riders met the plane bearing Spc. Long's casket at Grayson County Airport last Thursday and escorted him to Waldo Funeral Home in Sherman. Then the Guard stood in a protective formation around the funeral home during the family's visitation Friday. 

With flags unfurled in the wind, the motorcycles escorted Spc. Long and his family and friends to Cedarlawn. 

As the procession passed each police sentry at various intersections on the procession route through Sherman, the officer sentry boarded his unit with lights flashing and joined the end of the procession until there were 10 cruisers bringing up the rear.

Sherman firefighters also honored the fallen hero with a U.S. flag suspended between two ladder trucks for the procession to pass under as it turned into Cedarlawn from Texoma Parkway. From that point, the procession stretched west on FM 691 all the way to U.S. Highway 75. 

Inside the funeral tent, the awards earned by Spc. Long were each presented to his wife, Teresa, his mother, Melanie Thrasher, and his father. 

When a mournful "Taps" sounded out from a single trumpet, military and police alike raise their hands in salute. Then Airman Bill Long, Spc. Long's older brother who was sitting with the family, stood slowly, turned toward the ceremony and raised his salute. Airman Long, served as escort for his brother's final return to Sherman. He was his mother's support along with her husband, Bobby Thrasher, throughout the services. 

Hours after the funeral, Spc. Long's father described their son as a normal teen while he was growing up. "But then, when you look back, you see a teen that almost never caused trouble," William Long said. "He was focused in wanting to go into the Army and that's what he did. He was a fantastic kid and a wonderful husband for his wife, and we are really going to miss him." 

William Long commented on the military honors during his son's service. "The amount of people that showed up was way beyond our expectations," he added. "We knew the Patriot Guard was coming but we didn't know how many there would be." 

Sparky Cox of Sherman served as one of the Ride Captains for the Patriot Guard along with Mike Grove of Bells and Gary Winters of Sherman. Cox reported there were 129 motorcycles and several cars carrying Patriot Guard members who came from as far away as Waurika, Okla to the north and Fort Worth and Garland to the South. 

William Long said his son was doing what he wanted. "He wanted to join and signed up and enlisted right after his 17th birthday, but couldn't go in for basic training until eight months later," William Long said. "He was unbelievably proud to wear the uniform and his whole family was very proud of him." 

Spc. Long was sworn into the Army Oct. 2, 2004. He left for basic training June 28, 2005 and did his basic training at Fort Knox, Ky. A Web site set up in his memory states he left for his first duty station, Ft. Riley, in Nov 2005. He was deployed to Iraq Feb 8, 2007. 

He is the fourth military personnel, and the fifth over all, from the Texoma area to die while serving in support of the war against terrorism. 

Using shorthand

Sitting next to a friend in my Wednesday morning Bible Study recently, my friend noticed an element in my note taking that is something she doesn’t often see. I still use Gregg shorthand that I learned in college. In the same session, I took out my iPhone to make some adjustments on upcoming dates as they were announced.

My friend commented on my use of technology as well as my use of shorthand in the same conversation, and it struck me later the dichotomy of the two.

I love to stay up with technology and have the latest to work on, but most times can’t afford it. I did splurge to get an iPhone, though, and now I think I can’t live without it. It’s really a hand-held computer for all the things it does.

On the other end of the technology spectrum, I also use shorthand when I’m taking notes, and I’m thankful I never stopped using it.

To the unfamiliar eye, my scrawling looks much like a foreign language, and in a way, it is. People often look at what I’m writing, and I’m sure they wonder if I know what I’m doing. The use of shorthand has diminished greatly in the business world with the increased use of dictation machines, and later, computers. It seems to be a dying art, and therefore, not as many people are familiar with or know about shorthand as in the 1960s.

I was surprised to see, through a quick look on the Internet, there are still some courses available where someone can learn a shorthand system, but they don’t seem to be very plentiful.

I learned shorthand in 1968 but have never used it in business until the past 10 years working for the Herald Democrat. The system made it easier to take more complete notes in college, but then I couldn’t lend my notes to someone who missed class. That also meant there were fewer people willing to lend me notes when I missed. Everything has a trade off.

I do enjoy the quizzical glances I get as those who aren’t familiar with shorthand try to decipher what must seem like hieroglyphics scratched across my pad. 

For new moms

Tiffany is a family friend who went to school with our daughter Jamie.

I wrote this to her on the day she went back to work after becoming a new mother.

Dear Tiffany,

Today you leave your sweet baby princess for the first time of any length to return to work.

It’s a tough day for most new mothers and many repeat new mothers — that first day back to work — and today it’s yours. It will continue to be a tough separation for a while but it will get easier with time.

Soon you’ll be a pro at managing all the little details involved with leaving that special bundle who sleeps in her room under the letters of her name. It’s a room that shows a mother’s love in every detail.

We all understand what you feel today because we’ve been there. But that doesn’t lessen your anxiety or stress.

Remind yourself and take solace in knowing, she is not going to change while you’re gone and she’s always going to know who you are, i.e., the most important person in her sweet life. Remember also that God has his hand on you and her, and when God is in control, we get only the VERY best in our lives.

There are many more disappointments in store for you as your little one grows up. That’s motherhood. But those disappointments will melt away through the joys you will feel as you share your life with this new little one who’s taken over your every waking thought.

Your love will grow exponentially day by day, year by year, and a life of joy will totally overshadow the sadness of days like today.