One year ago today, we lost two members of our squadron and two came home severely injured. More lives were lost and injured in the crash, but these four men belonged to us. I'd hoped the emotional intensity of it would have decreased at least a little by now, but I'm not sure that it has.

Today especially, the question of our troops getting paid in the midst of all this government ridiculousness just makes me more angry and sad. Many, many things can be closed for a while or delayed- your troops don't have that option. If they stopped working temporarily along with the museums and, yes, your trash pickup, we would all be in major trouble.

I would hate to think our men were lost and injured in vain.