Commentary: Of friendships forged in honor, duty Published Aug. 13, 2008 By Master Sgt. David Strickland 18th Medical Group diagnostics and therapeutic flight NCOIC KADENA AB, Japan -- As an active duty military member, I sometimes find myself reflecting on all of the souls I have encountered on this magnificent journey. I think about those influences that were both good and bad and how I have been molded into the man that I am by them. Many of the people I have encountered in my career have separated from military service or long-since retired and moved on to civilian life. For a select few, I still stay in touch with them, and I think it is no small coincidence that I have been deployed with them in various missions around the globe. We reminisce about those deployments and how much closer we feel to each other, having gone through those "trials by fire." I feel that I have a stronger bond with them, even more so than those friends who have come after them. I feel that the reason behind this "connection" is that they had placed their lives in my hands, and I have placed my life in their hands. This is a level of trust that most people cannot even possibly fathom. But we have our brave Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines who do this on a day-in-day-out basis with no expectations of recompense or reward other than seeing themselves and their compatriots completing their duties and returning home with honor. You don't have to go "downrange" to experience the types of friendships that I'm speaking of. I know of many of our brothers and sisters-in-arms who have bonds that are just as tight. It all hinges on the quality of your service you give to your fellow service members. Now with the technology we possess, it's a simple thing to look up someone via e-mail and send them a note asking "Do you remember when ... ?" I still stay in contact with friends I made in the military over twenty years ago. They are as much a part of my life as I am of theirs, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Some of you may find yourself asking "Well, how do I separate the good people from the bad?" Well, I hope that all of you who read this are adult enough to know right from wrong. If you'll allow me to use a quote from the classic film Rocky "If you hang with good people, you'll get good friends; if you hang around yo-yo people, you'll get yo-yo friends. It's simple mathematics." Now, I know that life can't and won't always be that simple, but you know a positive influence from a bad one and it's up to you to make the positive choice for your life. A few of these friendships will last you a lifetime and some may not last as long as the next scheduled "Freedom Bird" takeoff. But remember that if you can take away something positive from the experience, then it was more than worth the trouble. Never forget that ours is not a job per se, it is a trust. It is the trust of the person next to you. It is a trust given by ordinary people, to extraordinary men and women, to accomplish nearly impossible tasks ... never forget your friends who helped you get the job done the right way and with honor.