History began about 3000 years ago, around 1000 BC. In pre-historic times, people were born, ate some food, conducted some war, got some sleep and died. I know that because that is what we have been doing for the last 3000 years.

The city-state of Sparta was established about 1000 BC and represents the deepest root of Western Civilization. Following millennia of pre-civilization anarchy, Sparta had a constitution and began our tradition of Democracy. Following millennia of cruelty, Sparta had universal conscription and public education.

At the age of seven, all boys in Sparta were taken away from their parents and trained to be good soldiers and good citizens. Not untill the age of 30 were they were permitted to marry and to vote. From 650 BC for 300 years, the Spartans were the most lethal military force on the planet.

These are two Spartan warriors, perhaps bothers:

These two brothers are part of the most lethal military force on the planet today:

Robin

The three century period of Spartan superpower was a time that did not provide a role for women on the battlefield. But women had a crucial and celebrated role in Spartan society: They produced Spartan soldiers. It was their duty and they embraced it.

“’As a woman was burying her son, a shabby old woman came up to her and said, ‘You poor woman, what a misfortune!’ ‘No, by the two goddesses, what a good fortune,’ she replied, ‘because I bore him so that he might die for Sparta, and that is what has happened for me.’” (Plutarch, Sayings of Spartan Women, 241.8)

The men of Sparta received gravestones only if they died in combat. The inscription would read, “In War” and their name. Likewise, women received gravestones only if they died in childbirth. It is said that the mothers of Sparta would send their sons off to war with the blessing that they should come back with their shields, “or on them”.

Une Spartiate Donnant un Bouclier à son Fils (Spartan Woman Giving a Shield to Her Son) was painted in 1805 by Jean-Jacques-François Le Barbier. With a sense of morality and patriotism inspired by the French Revolution, he depicts a mother of Sparta sending her son off to war.

Glenn Nofsinger had just returned from war. This is his mother, his grandmother and his fine, strong son.

Robin

And this is the story.

On a Saturday morning, I got in line early to have the Harley dealer examine my failed running lights. I had checked the bulbs and the fuses. It turns out that there are fuses behind both side panels. Who knew?

The quick turnaround allowed Robin and me to leave with plenty of time, so we stopped by Lakeshore HD to thank Kory.

Robin

Both Robin and I were bringing cameras. I am not posting any of her flower pictures and only one of her cloud pictures.

Robin

And her pictures of me made me uncomfortably aware of what a pest I must be.

Robin

But heck – it was a welcome-home and cameras were everywhere.

Robin

So I worked-over my Patriot Guard colleagues one more time.

Robin

Don

Don

I know about Sparta because Robin told me. In addition to 23 years of service as a soldier, she produced two paratrooper-sons. The younger spent 15 months in Iraq and two shorter deployments in Afghanistan. He is now a fireman near Dallas. The older has been to Iraq a couple times and is in Afghanistan right now. His mailing address is Camp Salerno, near Khowst.

A paratrooper of the 75^th Ranger Regiment died at Salerno the same day as the Glenn Nofsinger welcome-home. The Ranger’s parents and brothers live 10 miles northwest of Robin and me.

How difficult it must be for soldiers’ mothers.

Robin

The Nofsingers have a second soldier-son. Nathan is soon to deploy. The two brothers rode together down our corridor of flags.

Don

And the Nofsingers have a third soldier-son. They have three active-duty warriors. They are a family of Spartans.

Don

And we are fortunate that there are such families among us.

Robin

I found this group sitting in the shade, eating strawberries and waiting their turn.

Don

Then they took their turn.

Don

There are 8 million of us in the Chicago area. I hope the Nofsingers will forgive those of us who were not there.

Don

Of course it does not occur to them to fault the no-shows. They don’t expect gratitude.

They are entitled to it, but they don’t expect it.

Robin

Happily, the extended Nofsinger family was there.

Don

And so were we. And so was the Bartlett VFW Auxiliary.

Don

And the Bartlett VFW.

Don

Since we can never pay the soldiers or their families what we owe them, we must at least acknowledge our debt to them.

Robin

That is what a challenge coin is.

Don

It is far too little.

Robin

Photo album one

Photo album two

Photo album three

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