A Salute To Our Vets

[Unchained 587]

You are my heroes. Thank you is never enough,but it's all I have. To the currents and the ones who have done their bit already,thank you so much for the blood,the sweat,the tears.....Freedom isn't free,and often that price is dear,but you do it anyway to make sure we sleep safely and soundly in our beds at night (while you are often dodging bullets,grenades,and landmines/traps). To the brave men and women of the United States millitary: We are the great nation that we are because you made/make it so.

__________________

[Nadoball 18]

You are my heroes. Thank you is never enough,but it's all I have. To the currents and the ones who have done their bit already,thank you so much for the blood,the sweat,the tears.....Freedom isn't free,and often that price is dear,but you do it anyway to make sure we sleep safely and soundly in our beds at night (while you are often dodging bullets,grenades,and landmines/traps). To the brave men and women of the United States millitary: We are the great nation that we are because you made/make it so.

__________________

 

Amen!!

[Deleted Account 5,203]

Great post, and I totally agree!

[barondawg77 115]

Great post! Thank you to all the vets and my prayers are with you and your families!

[Unchained 587]

I know that this post wasn't sports-related,but I put it on the football section because I knew it would get more views there. Many folks on here don't browse the General Discussion section. I apologize to the mods for the confusion.

[Dane55 10]

You are my heroes. Thank you is never enough,but it's all I have. To the currents and the ones who have done their bit already,thank you so much for the blood,the sweat,the tears.....Freedom isn't free,and often that price is dear,but you do it anyway to make sure we sleep safely and soundly in our beds at night (while you are often dodging bullets,grenades,and landmines/traps). To the brave men and women of the United States millitary: We are the great nation that we are because you made/make it so.

__________________

 

 

Thank you for posting.

I salute all the men and women now serving, the veterans and the ones that gave their all. God Bless our service men and women and keep them safe.

[bucfan64 309]

In honor of our veterans we played the following video during our program today at school, pretty nice.........

 

http://www.twinvalleypanthers.com/multimedia.html

 

 

God Bless our Veterans!

[Guest BEAVERTAIL]

I know that this post wasn't sports-related,but I put it on the football section because I knew it would get more views there. Many folks on here don't browse the General Discussion section. I apologize to the mods for the confusion.

 

No problem. I left a link there so people can still connect through the football board.

 

Go out and support your Vets, they honestly do not hear it enough!

 

And for all the Vets out there, a big American THANK YOU to all of you! We owe you every day!

[Hacker 82]

A little something I wrote earlier in the year. I think it is appropriate today.

 

Having just passed Memorial Day and with Father's Day on the horizon I feel like putting some thoughts about those who serve and my father in particular. Some of it will be in general and some will be personal in perspective

 

My perspective on those who choose to serve has evolved over the years. When I was young, it was during Vietnam, I was bitter and angry for our country for sending folks to fight and die for a government that seemed unwilling to fight their own war. In my later teens and twenties I came to understand that unlike my father who chose to serve, most who fought and died in Vietnam were not there of their own free will.

 

The abolition of the draft, the opportunity to get to know more members of our professional military, and the understanding that there exists, as throughout history, a group of men who freely take up arms for god and country. These people value honor and service above all. To those who make this decision of their free will and readily accept the risk and the consequences of service, I just tip my hat and say thank you. I just hope that they always have political leaders who are worthy of them.

 

On the personal level I have to readily admit that I had a hard time not intermixing my feelings about my father with the career he chose and the price he paid. For many years my view point was that of the 10 year old with the alcoholic father who could not function anywhere but in the Army. While in graduate school I had an internship working for a small town. A representative of the Disabled American Veterans saw vets in our conference room. We struck an acquaintance and I shared some of my feelings about my father and his service. He encouraged me to contact the VA and get a copy of his service record (201 File.) He told me it might give me some perspective on the man.

 

I did so, and found it very enlightening. From his 201 File I learned that my father had indeed served in combat in Leyte, and Saipan in WWII, saw action in Korea, and served three tours in Vietnam. He had earned multiple Purple Hearts, and a Bronze Star in Vietnam. It is important that I note that like most ex-soldiers who have seen combat, he never spoke about what he did or saw. All we knew was that he was a medic. (I will always wonder what led to a medic getting a Bronze Star.) I can only imagine what he saw and experienced.

 

As I said, he never spoke of his service. When I was close to 18, and the draft was still in effect we did talk briefly about what kind of decision I might make. He told me this; "I don't know what you will do, but I will tell you that the Army was my life." So it is and so it was. The Army gave him a career, a noble purpose and also planted the seeds for his undoing. For many years drugs and alcohol ruled his life and stole his gifts. Both were integral to Army life. Beer flowed freely, and in combat troops were given speed to keep them alert and then downers to sleep.

 

For me to blame the Army for all of my father's failings would be akin to blaming the refrigerator for me being fat. All the Army did was given him the opportunity and access to the things that would feed his demons.

 

Age and distance provide me the ability to see my father for what he was, human. When he served, he did so with bravery and honor. He left my life on a full time basis when I was 10, but has cast a shadow that still follows me. I see his face in my brother. I feel his presence when things get hard reminding me that if I quit I fail. He is my reason for seeking the unattainable, perfection. Yeah, I know that it is unreachable, but in the aspiring to it I have accomplished much in my life.

 

In the end do I wish I had a better father? Yes, but "we've got to play the hand that's dealt us." I am what I am in part because he was what he was. So I honor those who serve and those he only sit and wait since they too are a part of us all.

[trublue 939]

I'm very glad I read this thread today. Heartfelt thanks to all the veterans past and current for their service, God bless. Also, the very moving posts made by unchained, bucfan and hacker.....my eyes were not dry.

[hokie07 11]

Freedom isn't free. Thank you veterans. You make this country what it is today, and I'm forever grateful for your service!

[Unchained 587]

A little something I wrote earlier in the year. I think it is appropriate today.

 

Having just passed Memorial Day and with Father's Day on the horizon I feel like putting some thoughts about those who serve and my father in particular. Some of it will be in general and some will be personal in perspective

 

My perspective on those who choose to serve has evolved over the years. When I was young, it was during Vietnam, I was bitter and angry for our country for sending folks to fight and die for a government that seemed unwilling to fight their own war. In my later teens and twenties I came to understand that unlike my father who chose to serve, most who fought and died in Vietnam were not there of their own free will.

 

The abolition of the draft, the opportunity to get to know more members of our professional military, and the understanding that there exists, as throughout history, a group of men who freely take up arms for god and country. These people value honor and service above all. To those who make this decision of their free will and readily accept the risk and the consequences of service, I just tip my hat and say thank you. I just hope that they always have political leaders who are worthy of them.

 

On the personal level I have to readily admit that I had a hard time not intermixing my feelings about my father with the career he chose and the price he paid. For many years my view point was that of the 10 year old with the alcoholic father who could not function anywhere but in the Army. While in graduate school I had an internship working for a small town. A representative of the Disabled American Veterans saw vets in our conference room. We struck an acquaintance and I shared some of my feelings about my father and his service. He encouraged me to contact the VA and get a copy of his service record (201 File.) He told me it might give me some perspective on the man.

 

I did so, and found it very enlightening. From his 201 File I learned that my father had indeed served in combat in Leyte, and Saipan in WWII, saw action in Korea, and served three tours in Vietnam. He had earned multiple Purple Hearts, and a Bronze Star in Vietnam. It is important that I note that like most ex-soldiers who have seen combat, he never spoke about what he did or saw. All we knew was that he was a medic. (I will always wonder what led to a medic getting a Bronze Star.) I can only imagine what he saw and experienced.

 

As I said, he never spoke of his service. When I was close to 18, and the draft was still in effect we did talk briefly about what kind of decision I might make. He told me this; "I don't know what you will do, but I will tell you that the Army was my life." So it is and so it was. The Army gave him a career, a noble purpose and also planted the seeds for his undoing. For many years drugs and alcohol ruled his life and stole his gifts. Both were integral to Army life. Beer flowed freely, and in combat troops were given speed to keep them alert and then downers to sleep.

 

For me to blame the Army for all of my father's failings would be akin to blaming the refrigerator for me being fat. All the Army did was given him the opportunity and access to the things that would feed his demons.

 

Age and distance provide me the ability to see my father for what he was, human. When he served, he did so with bravery and honor. He left my life on a full time basis when I was 10, but has cast a shadow that still follows me. I see his face in my brother. I feel his presence when things get hard reminding me that if I quit I fail. He is my reason for seeking the unattainable, perfection. Yeah, I know that it is unreachable, but in the aspiring to it I have accomplished much in my life.

 

In the end do I wish I had a better father? Yes, but "we've got to play the hand that's dealt us." I am what I am in part because he was what he was. So I honor those who serve and those he only sit and wait since they too are a part of us all.

 

Awesome post. My dad was in Phluloi,Vietnam. When I was a small boy,we'd go to our family graveyard (have a long,lengthy list of family members who served),and my dad was not the crying type,but once a year,on Veteran's Day,I'd see tears. I asked him once why tears today (I was too young to understand),and he said "because my daddy cried today" >(my papaw was also regular Army). I am not ashamed to admit when I left Red Onion State Prison this morning after finishing my shift,and made my way to the cemetary where my Dad and the rest are buried,there were tears here too (as there are every Veteran's Day). One of my many Tattoos is a tribute to the Vietnam Vet,a way of saying "Thank You" to those "Forgotten Ones"