Master Gunnery Sgt. Robert Foshee of Andalusia is a soldier, through and through, whose first memory of Veterans Day is the flying of the flags in front of the Western Auto (owned by Ron Column), the Dairy Queen and other businesses on East Three Notch Street.

A 1984 graduate of Andalusia High School, Foshee is the son of Bob and Dianne Foshee.

That following April, he began a now 26-year career with the U.S. Marine Corps that has taken him from the sands of Camp Lejeune, N.C., to the deserts of Afghanistan, where he’s been “down range” since March 5, serving a 12-month tour.

On this Veterans Day, he was hard at work as the operations chief for Regional Command (Southwest) Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTG) Deployment Distribution Operations Distribution Center (MDDOC).

“(On Veterans Day), after having served my entire adult life as an active duty Marine, I feel this day is truly the American fighting man and fighting woman’s day – one that all Americans, veterans and non-veterans, must remember,” he said. “We have been at war in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn and Operation Enduring Freedom for over a decade now.

“Those who joined after Sept. 11, 2001, all volunteered, knowing they had a good chance of deploying to a combat zone, and all did so without hesitation,” he said.

“Many have made the ultimate sacrifice. All of these men and women, those who are still in the military and those who are not, they are the reason America is free and great.”

Foshee said he could list a myriad of things that members of the military have to endure as part of their duties, “both in garrison and forward deployed, but I won’t, only out of respect for our decision to volunteer to support, serve and defend. “

“What I do ask is that all Americans please continue to support your military, regardless of your opinions about the last decade,” he said.

“I think we (as soldiers) are executing (our) mission, proudly and patriotically, just as the thousands of those who have served since World War I to present, those who kept us free.”

 

Editor’s note: Foshee, who completed this interview via email, sent the following message to his family: “I want to close by saying ‘thanks’ to my beautiful wife Sonja, my two wonderful sons, Cayce and Cohl; and my mother, Dianne; my father, Bob; and my brother, Keith, for the untiring support and love. I love and miss you all.”