Veteran's Day

[andysocial]

The meaning of this holiday changed for me in 1989, when I put on the uniform for the first time. It didn't magically morph back to the earlier, less-informed, view when I took that uniform off for the last time in 2001, though.

When I heard about the Beirut Marine barracks bombing as a kid, it was a remote incident. It didn't really mean much to me. When I hear about that sort of thing now, I wonder if I knew any of them.

In March, one of the soldiers that I helped train was killed in a training accident. The NSA has a wall of remembrance for people that were killed and who can't be acknowledged because of the classified nature of their missions. One of my friends just got back from a counter-terrorist "training" mission that involved a lot of live ammo and people who weren't training aids. That's what I'm reminded of on Veteran's Day now.

The LJ crowd tends to the young; the young are usually very liberal and anti-war. Be anti-war all you want, but support the men and women who volunteer to step in front of a bullet for you. To do any less would be churlish.

Comments

[partywhipple.livejournal.com]

Something that I realized is that a lot of the people who I thought were anti military are actually just concerned about our people getting killed. There is a difference and I was glad to have realized it. There are, of course, people who are anti military. They are, in my opinion, idiots.

I myself fully support our military and hope that wherever they are, their lives are being devoted to a good cause. But nevertheless, they all deserve our respect to say the least.

[simplyenchanted.livejournal.com]

Amen to that. How the troops were treated coming back from Vietnam by the people was unforgivable. I hope that those that are anti-war are opposed for the reason that they don't want anyone losing their life. However, they need to remember that they signed on the line, voluntarily, and knew at the time that they would be sent and placed in harm's way and could pay the ultimate price for all of us. A draft situation is completely different than the situation we are faced with right now.

[talitha-oy.livejournal.com]

My Dad was a Vietnam vet. He was Air Force, medical division. It was among my Dad's duties to make "body runs" In Country to retrieve our boys when they'd been badly hurt, or killed. My Dad was fortunate to never be in combat, but he came backed from that war no less affected. It gets into your soul to open a body bag, and find a friend who'd shipped out to combat only a few months before. It tears into you to spend hours identifying America's boys by their teeth, because that's all that's left. When I see the old news footage, and hear the stories, of how the boys were treated when they came back from Vietnam, it tears me apart, because those boys were no less heroes than those of any other war. If anything, they were more so, for fighting a war no one wanted fought, and no one wanted to acknowledge.
Every Veteran's day, I thank the cosmos for men like my Dad, and all the others who worked, fought, sacrficed and served.

Re:

[simplyenchanted.livejournal.com]

What a wonderful tribute to your Dad you just shared. Thank you for that.

[dementia.livejournal.com]

I think there's also a difference between anti-miltary and anti-war. I was born of hippies and am anti-war. I mean "war... what is it good for.. absolutely nothin..."

If someon CHOOSES to go off and fight or join the military, they should completely have our support for their bravery and courage. Too many people can't make the distinction. Hating one does not mean hating the other.

[alparrott.livejournal.com]

"Churlish." What an awesome word. My day is complete, seeing it in someone's journal.

I can clearly remember the words of a first sergeant over 10 years ago, during the Persian Gulf War, when I was stationed in not-too-conservative Monterey, California.

"There's some anti-war protesters down in town who would apparently like Saddam to go on killing thousands of innocent women and children. However, they are not necessarily anti-military, no matter what they may say or think to the contrary. So if one of these cretins approaches you, please do not kill him! He is misguided and does not understand that you are keeping him safe."

Like or hate the politicians, we don't care. But don't blame us for international policy. We just break what we're told to break.

[andysocial]

That's a great quote. Don't suppose that was Billy Porter?

[alparrott.livejournal.com]

Nope, Ron Solmonson.

[c-feightner.livejournal.com]

Amen! I agree with AL, 'churlish' - who are you??

[andysocial]

boorish; rude; mean

Re:

[c-feightner.livejournal.com]

I know, we bridged that word before