Photos:
The Unknown Soldier
(By Mohammad Reza Yasini, the Martyr's Brother)
In 1373 (1994), I was drafted into the army for the holy military service. My parents were living in Shahin-Shahr, a suburb of Isfahan, and they wished me to get through with my mandatory service in the nearest city to have easier contact with them. Since they were aged, I myself also wished to be as close to them as possible.
Ti is worth mentioning that we were bereaved of two of my brothers. One was martyred during the Islamic uprising in Iran, and the other one was martyred in Chazzabeh-starit, during the imposed war. We were from Abadan and the enemy's brutal attack on the city forced us to abandon our house and leave our belongings behind and this was another sorrowful event in our life. We abandoned our hometown and moved to Shiraz and then to Isfahan. The tomb of my martyred brother was in this city and my parents paid a visit to the place every week and this was the only thing to condole them. In such a condition, I was drafted into the army. Some day my brother (Martyr Yasini) visited my parents in Shahin- shahr.
Alireza, my son: "Do you know that your brother is going to be drafted?" My father said:
"No, I didn't know that, "My brother answered." Ali-Reza, would you please arrange for him to get through with his military service in a nearby town, if possible, Isfahan or Shahin-shahr for example, it would be a great favor for us." My father continued. He was listening to my father with his head drooped, but said nothing. After a while, I was drafted and transferred to the Air Force University to take up my basic military training course. My brother, although he was the deputy co-ordination commander, and was able to do whatever he wished in the Air Force, he did nothing for me and I remained an unknown soldier on the base. Nobody knew that I was the general's brother. My brother was a top instructor pilot, and he would visit the base once or twice a week to teach at the university. Once I was walking in the university premise and saw my brother in his patrol car. I stood rigid and saluted him. I was sure that he would stop and talk to me, but he didn't. He didn't want to disclose the secret that I was his brother. Otherwise the base commander would pay more attention to me and he would treat me differently from others. When on 15/10/1373 (05/07/1995), the airplane crashed and my brother, together with a number of the air force commanders, was martyred, the base commander received a message to grant me a leave to participate in my brother's funeral. "I don't believe that the general's brother is among our soldiers, if he were here the general would have told us." The base commander said. When the air force university commanding general saw me during the funeral he said: "Why didn't you come to me to introduce yourself." "My brother didn't want me to be treated differently form the others". I answered.
In 1373 (1994), I was drafted into the army for the holy military service. My parents were living in Shahin-Shahr, a suburb of Isfahan, and they wished me to get through with my mandatory service in the nearest city to have easier contact with them. Since they were aged, I myself also wished to be as close to them as possible.
Ti is worth mentioning that we were bereaved of two of my brothers. One was martyred during the Islamic uprising in Iran, and the other one was martyred in Chazzabeh-starit, during the imposed war. We were from Abadan and the enemy's brutal attack on the city forced us to abandon our house and leave our belongings behind and this was another sorrowful event in our life. We abandoned our hometown and moved to Shiraz and then to Isfahan. The tomb of my martyred brother was in this city and my parents paid a visit to the place every week and this was the only thing to condole them. In such a condition, I was drafted into the army. Some day my brother (Martyr Yasini) visited my parents in Shahin- shahr.
Alireza, my son: "Do you know that your brother is going to be drafted?" My father said:
"No, I didn't know that, "My brother answered." Ali-Reza, would you please arrange for him to get through with his military service in a nearby town, if possible, Isfahan or Shahin-shahr for example, it would be a great favor for us." My father continued. He was listening to my father with his head drooped, but said nothing. After a while, I was drafted and transferred to the Air Force University to take up my basic military training course. My brother, although he was the deputy co-ordination commander, and was able to do whatever he wished in the Air Force, he did nothing for me and I remained an unknown soldier on the base. Nobody knew that I was the general's brother. My brother was a top instructor pilot, and he would visit the base once or twice a week to teach at the university. Once I was walking in the university premise and saw my brother in his patrol car. I stood rigid and saluted him. I was sure that he would stop and talk to me, but he didn't. He didn't want to disclose the secret that I was his brother. Otherwise the base commander would pay more attention to me and he would treat me differently from others. When on 15/10/1373 (05/07/1995), the airplane crashed and my brother, together with a number of the air force commanders, was martyred, the base commander received a message to grant me a leave to participate in my brother's funeral. "I don't believe that the general's brother is among our soldiers, if he were here the general would have told us." The base commander said. When the air force university commanding general saw me during the funeral he said: "Why didn't you come to me to introduce yourself." "My brother didn't want me to be treated differently form the others". I answered.
