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Vietnam infantry vet here (First Division, 1967-68).
Salutes to all who served. Thanks to all who understand. Forgiveness to those who do not.
To my fellow Nam vets: welcome home, brothers.
To the young men and women in and home from Iraq and Afghanistan: You are the best. Don't ever let anyone make you feel ashamed for having served. The decisions made by civilians are merely the checks they write and forget. We veterans have to cash them. That we do so with our blood and our lives is to our credit, not our shame.
As a vet I give thanks to all those before and after me who have served.
I also wondered how long it would take for someone to turn today into an opprotunity to bash.
The Military serves at the mercy of our elected reps. The Military goes where we are ordered to go. We do our best to serve with honor regardless of the rules of engagement we are given.
Often we are sent into harms way to a land that poses little or no threat to the USA or our citizens. We are asked to fight with both hands tied behind our backs. Then just as often we are second guessed by those who have never worn the uniform because we didn't fight well enough, nice enough or with enough success.
And yet still we serve. We serve our country out of love for our home, Out of loyalty to our flag, and because we felt the call to do our duty.
Some have compared political office to that of those who wear the Uniform of this nation. I beg to differ. Those who gain political office do so more for personal gain and lust for power than for love of country. Their loyalties lie with party rather than country.
Today is veterans day, the day we pay tribute to those who Both wear the Uniform or who have worn the uniform with honor.
As a veteran I say thank you to those in Uniform today and to those like myself who wore the Uniform in the past.
Well said, I hope you in no way interpreted my post as a bash against the Veterans or the Military. My post was to point out the fact that as Citizens we have a larger role to play than just working and paying taxes. WE are ultimately responsible for the actions of our government, and must act accordingly.
Well said, I hope you in no way interpreted my post as a bash against the Veterans or the Military. My post was to point out the fact that as Citizens we have a larger role to play than just working and paying taxes. WE are ultimately responsible for the actions of our government, and must act accordingly.
Not at all. I saw your post exactly as you meant it. My post was in support. Too often those who fault the military ignore where they receive there marching orders from. WE the People. Our elected reps. They also forget that the miltary serves at our governments pleasure and by the rules they give us. Often impossible rules. 241 Dead servicemen in Beruit 1983 demonstrates this.
Somalia? 29
There are more for other brush fires that we really had no business getting involved in.
Whether it be in draft time or volunteer service. Whether they are still with us
or not -
To my Grandfather - World War I
My Father in Law - World War II
My Uncle - Korean War
My Father - Vietnam War
My Husband - Desert Storm
My Cousin - Iraq War
Thank you to all of our service men and women, past and present. May those of you serving overseas now come home to your families safe and sound. May those of us who have not served always remember the sacrifices you and your families have made to keep our country safe.
So Pres. Obumer laid the wreath at Arlington today......Isnt this the same sh*thead who on the campaign trail said our soldiers in Afg. and Iraq were air raiding and bombing villages killing innocent civilains?
So Pres. Obumer laid the wreath at Arlington today......Isnt this the same sh*thead who on the campaign trail said our soldiers in Afg. and Iraq were air raiding and bombing villages killing innocent civilains?
This guy is so sickening!
Just could not hold your peace could you, you disrespect those this thread is meant to honor.
To all my fellow Vets, and thier families, Thank You for your service.
Casper
You obviosly read into it what ever you want, which is probably easier than dealing with reality.
Dear OP,
I read the lines, and couldn't see it.
Yes, our military has been dependent upon private contractors, and even civilians assigned to combat and non combat roles since the beginning of time. My boss at Scott A.F.B. was in charge of section operations, he laid out the tasks of everyday operations. Yes, we had a Colonel in charge of the military too, the OIC, below him was the NCO, a chief master sergeant who handled troop training and discipline. Civilians play a vital role in our military too. We're just one big wheel, each spoke of us making it go around.
Of recent times, we have heard the stories of taxpayer dollars paying private defense contractors to do work and provide security in our war zones. Some of which have taken unfair advantage of the system and bilked billions of dollars out of the U.S. Goverment and some have done some terrible, terrible things. But, this is nothing new, it's been going on for some time. Remember the $800 toilet seats and the $300 hammers of yesteryears? I do. I agree, we do need more accountability.
Today is Veterans Day and it is time for us to give thanks to the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for us and for our country. It is also time for each of us to do some soul searching, and to ask how many of those tragic sacrifices were Just and Necessary. Millions of people have died in wars since WWII in which the justification has not always been clear. How much of the blame for those lost lives rest with you and me? How many of those lost lives were to protect our freedom, and how many were to generate profits for Defense Contractors and World Banking interests? How diligent have we as citizens been in doing our civic duty to ensure our tax dollars were not misused by politicians and big business to murder for profit? I think in honor to those who have died, we all need to take time today to ask those questions of ourselves. And more important, what we will do in the future to make sure our voices are heard, and how we can do our part, by exercising our civic responsibilities.
uhm... as a veteran, let me just say that no. Today isnt a time to wring our hands. Do that on your own time.
Today is a day to thank those of us who have served this country regardless of political winds and who have sacrificed so much so you can wring your hands and whine about stuff.
Just say "Thank you" and move on.
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