The South Carolina in the Civil War Message Board

One of "ours"! A Southern Hero in Iraq.

After seeing this posting on the Civil War Flags Message Board, I wanted our contributors on the message boards to see one of our "own" defending our freedom in Iraq.

http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/boards/cwflags/index.cgi?read=889

The gentleman in the photos is Mr. Geoff Walden. Geoff is a noted authority and writer on a number of Civil War and Military related subjects. He is best known as one of, if not THE authority on the Civil War era Enfield. In addition, Geoff is an avid and leading CW Reenactor and instructor on the Manual of Arms, Tactics and Authenticity. He is an outstanding resource for information on Kentucky and Kentuckians in the Civil War.

Geoff was deployed to Iraq early on and has frequently been in harm's way, but even so, when he was able to access a computer with an internet connection, he has continued to visit our message boards, letting us know he's alright and still attempting to answer other poster's questions.

We have a number of contibutors here on the message boards who have been called to active-duty since September 11th and due to the war in Iraq. Some, like Jeff, are on the other side of the world willingly bearing the burden for our freedom. Others are stationed here in the United States guarding installations and providing support for our Homeland Security efforts.

To all of you, I say thank you and "God Bless You". I am so proud of these men and so humbled that while far away from home and doing such important work, these men still visit with us. I hope we can offer them a "little taste" of home and normalcy and that these sites allow them to "get away from it all" for just a while.

To Geoff, Tom Ezell, Gerald Hodge, Jr., Anthony Rushing, Donnie Penhale and forgive me for anyone I missed, I want to say "thank you". YOU ARE MY HEROS...

... and in my prayers,

Jim Martin