Veterans Day
 

VETERANS DAY
DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

What ever you choose to call it. I want to give my thanks to those who have kept me free, and free from harm. Those who began our Nation, and those that keep it alive. All who served no matter on the lines, or behind the desk. In some way I owe a debt of gratitude to you.

War is sometimes necessary, and sometimes it is not. Still it is war where battles of thought will be challenged. Some will give their life, and some will carry their wounds for ever. No matter it is a disfigurement, or deep within ones self.

Some stepped forward willingly, and others had their number called. I myself stepped forward for my own personal reason, and was denied. Later when I was able my number was never called, and then the draft ended.

I may not believe in some policies, but I do believe in my fellow countrymen, and women. I do know this is one of the greatest nations to ever raise a flag. I would like to thank, and honor those who served. As we all know FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!



Veteran's Day

It is the soldier, not the reporter, Who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the soldier, not the poet, Who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.

It is the soldier who salutes the flag, Who serves beneath the flag, Whose coffin is draped by the flag, Who allows protestor to burn the flag.

By Father Denis Edward Prager, USMC

______



Author Unknown

Having been born 11-11-50 Veterens day has always had special meaning to me,having served made it special.
God bless all the vets that have served in any capacity,I salute you!

As well, I salute all my brothers and sisters...

Wounds of war!
 

In Chuck Deans' book, Nam Vet., printed in 1990 by Multnomah Press, Portland, Oregon, 97226, the author states that "Fifty-eight thousand plus died in the Vietnam War. Over 150,000 have committed suicide since the war ended". According to this book, Chuck Dean is a Vietnam Veteran who served in the 173rd Airborne, arriving in Vietnam in 1965. At the time the book was written, Mr. Dean was the executive director of Point Man International, a Seattle based, non-profit support organization dedicated to healing the war wounds of Vietnam Veterans.

While doing research for his novel, Suicide Wall, Alexander Paul contacted Point Man International and was given the name of a retired VA doctor, and conducted a phone interview with him. In that interview, the doctor related that his estimate of the number of Vietnam Veteran suicides was 200,000 men, and that the reason the official suicide statistics were so much lower was that in many cases the suicides were documented as accidents, primarily single-car drunk driving accidents and self inflicted gunshot wounds that were not accompanied by a suicide note or statement. According to the doctor, the under reporting of suicides was primarily an act of kindness to the surviving relatives.

If the estimate of over 150,000 veterans of the Vietnam War having committed suicide since returning home is true, the figure would be almost three times the number killed in the war. When these deaths are added to the 50,000 plus Vietnam War casualties, the number approaches the 292,000 American casualties of World War II.

I'm a Nam vet, & have attended way to many of my 'soldier brothers' funerals. Most soldiers who see combat, get 'wounded' in some fashion, even if it doesn't show on the surface!

I'm a U.S. Army Veteran (Viet Nam), & the son of a U.S. Army Veteran (WWII), & the father of a U.S. Army Veteran (Gulf war I), & I'm married to a US Army Veteran! I believe the "Wrights" have carried their weight! So far no suicide's! Knock! Knock!

Hang in there brothers! I feel your pain!

I salute you!

jdog
P.S. I fly the US flag every day, just like my father did!

"A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in .. And how many want out" Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you:

1. Jesus Christ
2. The American G.I.

One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.

OK, so it is the day after but Veterans have been on my mind (I enlisted in the Army Artillery "Play anything! Just play loud OK?!").

When ever I start feeling sad or sorry, or worse, feeling like it was a needless loss, for the men and women who have died for this country, a qoute keeps coming back to me and it helps me feel proud for those who came before and thankful they existed. So instead I celebrate them, not mourn them. I think Patton said it:

"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men ever lived"

One of my favorite quotes as well. I am not sure who said it though. Just those words stick with me.

I served 6 1/2 years as an Electronic Tech on a nuclear submarine. Those that know me, will say, "That explains a lot".

btw, nice Good Morning Vietnam reference there. :3DSMILE:

You picked up on that did you! Nuclear tech on a sub... do you glow in the dark? ;) :LOL:

We Should Never Forget Those Who Gave Up Their Tomorrows So That We Could Have Our Todays


"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends"

John 15:13


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Not a nuke, just a regular Electronics tech. And yes, that is one of my favorite movies. I have seen it so many times that I no longer pick up on anything I previously missed, but I still laugh. Robin was at his greatest when he made that movie.

Really funny movie! Sad to. So you where the guy under the radio acting as a bridge? ;) :LOL:

yes, even though Down periscope was not the most accurate movie.:LOL:

yeah, but you saw it! Umm, me to:)

I watched a show yesterday where they had some of the vets back on Wake Island. One of them said he saw the movie and he guessed the person that played the hero was a good actor but the movie was so far off of what actually happened he wouldn't watch it again. But then most of the Hollywood versions are more glamor than fact. I believe one of the guys who was in the pacific Campaign said that his Grandson asked him he was a hero and he told him No, I wasn't a hero but I was with many heroes. When you go to one of the islands and see the left over carnage even after all these years, it really gives you a feeling of owing more to those who fought there than you could ever repay in any way. I may not believe in all the wars, but I will always support this country and the vets to the best of my ability.

Ron :)

Yes. Still like the shrunken uniform scene the best. :3DSMILE:

Typing about VETS...... this morning I ran across my receipt for PROJECT COMFORT. I was wondering how they are doing down there. Also did they purchase something big with our donations, or did it get spent on Miscellaneous things?