“Where Do We Get These People?”
I don’t know ~ never have. But I’m thankful beyond words we do.
In this season of gratitude, Bill Krissoff has a different notion of thankfulness than most of us.
…Bill and Christine Krissoff had a right to think their family had already sacrificed enough for the country. Both of their sons, Nathan and Austin, “were heavily influenced by 9/11,” Krissoff recounts, and enlisted in the Marine Corps. The older, Nathan, a graduate of Williams College who was an accomplished piano player, a talented athlete, and a natural leader, was killed in combat in Iraq in December 2006.
The idea came to Krissoff that he, too, wanted to serve the Marines, as a surgeon…
…Only at age 60, he was too old. He wanted to sign up with the Navy so he could care for Marines, but the Navy politely turned him down. His second choice, the Army, told him it would take at least a year for an age waiver.
Then the Krissoffs were invited to a small gathering with Pres. George W. Bush, who was in the area meeting with families of the fallen. At the end, Bush asked if there was anything the White House could do. Krissoff said he wanted a waiver to serve in the Navy Medical Corps. The meeting was on a Tuesday.
On Friday, Krissoff had his waiver.
Read the whole thing.
Semper Fi, sir. And Happy Thanksgiving.
Military Thingies | tree hugging sister | 
November 24, 2010 4:27 pm
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We are indeed blessed as a nation to have such people.
Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Amazing story.
In a just world, songs would be written for these heroes.
Nice story. But there are plenty of surgeons who do not go in the military but volunteer their time in military hospitals, especially in Germany where Iraq and Afghanistan military personnel are usually sent.
Happy Thanksgiving to the Coalition … and to the Krissoffs.
AllTheBest,
Rob&Patsy
Blessings to all in BingleyNation from Yojimbo and She Who Has Never Been Wrong.
Happy Thanksgiving!
A wonderful and humbling story.
Happy and joyous Thanksgiving to all!