[katezbox]

F16,

A true story...

A couple of years ago I was on a flight from Charlotte to Hartford. At that tine I traveled extensively, so almost always got an upgrade. This flight was no exception. The amazing thing was, that USAir had not yet updated it to their newer configuration that has fewer seats in first. This aircraft had 26 seats in First Class. There were about 5 of us sitting in them.

We watched as a group of around 20 soldiers made their way to the main cabin. A couple of us got the same idea and went to cajole the flight attendants into giving our seats to these soldiers - who we learned were on leave from Iraq.

It took some persuasion, but they finally agreed. We all got up to move to the back - but the soldiers were having none of it. One said to me, "Ma'am, I can't take your seat." I decided there was only one way to handle this and said, "Soldier, let's move it. Get up and move to seat 3-F or get down and give me 20." Everyone started laughing and clapping and they went - every last one of them. They ate up the entire supply of snacks in First Class and the flight crew was glad to hand them out.

Across the aisle from me in my new seat, a man was crying. He was in the reserves himself and his son was in Iraq. The thanks he gave me were in no was proportional to the small act kindness.

As we left the plane, the soldiers formed two rows on either side of the gate and saluted us as we left. It is a moment I will never forget.

As other posters have said, we should do all we can.