Some people think life on the assembly line is tough. In fact, it’s Easy Street compared with life on the front line in our nation’s war against terror.



Lance Cpl. David R. Hall, a former assembler at the Ford plant in Avon, OH, died Sept. 1 while serving as a Marine in Afghanistan.Hall, 31, died of injuries sustained during a blast from an improvised explosive device while in Helmand province, in the southern part of the country.

He joined the Marines in 2006 after spending the previous six years at the Ford plant. He spent about seven months training military police officers in Iraq before being deployed again to Afghanistan in June. He was due back home Dec. 17.

Hall left a good-paying assembly job to join the Marines because he felt it would give him purpose. It was a decision he never regretted.

Our hearts go out to Hall’s family and friends. Money is tight for everyone these days, but perhaps we can all spare a few dollars to help our wounded servicemen and women and the families of those who’ve fallen in service to their country. There are many worthy institutions. Here are two:www.freedomisnotfree.comandwww.uso.org.