In war, there are no unwounded soldiers. ~José Narosky “Veterans Day 2010”
November 11, 2010 by Da-Chief
Filed under Air Force News, Army News, Coast Guard News, Corpsman.com News, Marine Corps News, Military Family, National Guard News, Navy News, Retired Veteran News, Seperated Vets News, Vets Issues
All those who know me know I struggle to put pen to paper on these holidays.
Is Veterans Day a celebration, or a remembrance?
I understand that Memorial Day is for remembering those we lost during combat or doing our Nations job in training.
Those who are most forgotten though, are those who did the job, but were injured or are suffering from other problems like PTSD, Agent Orange, etc.
James Blake Miller, USMC who was discharged with PTSD.
I personally have contact with folks who were heroes, who signed the blank check for their country and went off to do a Nations bidding.
While I am sure everyone likes a free meal now and then, and don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the offer, I have 1 question to ask…
Why can’t Veterans Day be “EVERYDAY”?
Why can’t our country take the time to thanks us all 365 days a year? Why in my home area of California do we still have folk who just want to crap on us who have served?
Understand, that we in the military follow our Nations leaders orders. We listen to the President of the United States, who when giving the word to go, we go.
I just don’t understand how or why we aren’t respected all the other 364 days of the year.
I respect all Veterans, Hell, it’s one of the reasons I still do what I do here and on Facebook. I thank a Veteran “EVERYDAY”.
I hope that some who aren’t Veterans read this and it gives them pause to think about my feelings on this. I promise you, I’m not the only one who feels this way.
Today as a Bi-Partisan commission wants to stop pay raises to our Active Duty and our Veterans.
In 2001 when a President ordered us to a war that for all intensive purposes we should have “NEVER” been in. (IRAQ) I have lost many a brother and sister to this senseless war.
They though are not who I am worried about today, today I worry about my brothers and sisters who are alive and are still suffering, I worry about the mother/wife who doesn’t know what to do with a broken shell of a husband who was sent home from the military broken. He wasn’t broken when he joined. We have to remember..
365 days a year.
I worry about the Vietnam Veteran who I follow on Facebook, who announced to us all that he was diagnosed with Lung Cancer this week secondary to “AGENT ORANGE” exposure in Vietnam.
I worry about them 365 days a year.
I hope you all do to.
I’m sorry if this was not a rah rah message this time, This week, I helped someone with PTSD, I have someone close to me who suffers from this mind numbing problem and has after serving 3 tours in the IRAQ area during his 20 year career. I have another brother who can’t even listen to fireworks on our Nations Birthday because it puts him back someplace in his mind he can’t handle.
There are millions more like them.
Thank them for their service, honor them, but do it…
365 days a year.
Please leave a comment below on my post but more important, what Veterans Day means to you. Trust me any heartfelt messages are received well by myself and all Veterans..
D/C
Beautifully said…reminds me that Semper Fi is truly a promise we also take in return. One part is their faithfulness to the Corps, and the other is our faithful promise to serve and protect our Veterans in return.
Beautifully said…reminds me that Semper Fi is truly a promise we also take in return. One part is their faithfulness to the Corps, and the other is our faithful promise to serve and protect our Veterans in return.
I am a former soldier and you are right when we were in serving and going to war over seas tour after tour we were seen as a great if we made it back. Get out without retiring after seeing enough of the useless wara and you have nothing. No job, no mentall capacity to beleive that you have served all theses years and now are homless. Please support the many men and women you see daily wearing the field jackets and other army and marine gear they ae the ones who saved us in the beginning and no recognition and no job and no support from the country almost 67% are homeless.rnrnSo I salute you all. Happy Veteran’s Dayrn Former USA SGT
I am a former soldier and you are right when we were in serving and going to war over seas tour after tour we were seen as a great if we made it back. Get out without retiring after seeing enough of the useless wara and you have nothing. No job, no mentall capacity to beleive that you have served all theses years and now are homless. Please support the many men and women you see daily wearing the field jackets and other army and marine gear they ae the ones who saved us in the beginning and no recognition and no job and no support from the country almost 67% are homeless.rnrnSo I salute you all. Happy Veteran’s Dayrn Former USA SGT
My family has served every war we had except revolutionary, I am so proud of all of them.. I saw uncle and 2 brother’s in law return with many other friends from the senseless war of Vietnam and watch now as my cousin in spec ops and has had numerous tours over in afganistan and again I feel sick. All of you who serve are beyond brave and courageous and are remembeed all the time. Maybe some people still disrespect you but you know what? They also never served, so who are they to say anything negative? Yes you are under our president to do as he asks without question, and put in harm;s way beyond anyone;s imangination, but please know there are many many other’s who have nothing but the utmost respect for you and we love and bless you all 365, I do, Thank-you for your courage…
Donna, thanks for your kind words. Yes I know we have folks out there who do think of us all the time, especially the Vietnam Vets. They are always at the airports, or volunteering at the VA and other areas 365 days a year. But the majority though, forget about us until it’s Thanksgiving, the Superbowl, Vets day, and Memorial Day. (Super Bowl and Thanksgiving they always have a camera at some far away base). nnI just hope our Nations leaders who ask us to do so much don’t lose site of this when doing the budgets etc, We put our Asses on the line, what the hell have they done?
Donna, thanks for your kind words. Yes I know we have folks out there who do think of us all the time, especially the Vietnam Vets. They are always at the airports, or volunteering at the VA and other areas 365 days a year. But the majority though, forget about us until it’s Thanksgiving, the Superbowl, Vets day, and Memorial Day. (Super Bowl and Thanksgiving they always have a camera at some far away base). nnI just hope our Nations leaders who ask us to do so much don’t lose site of this when doing the budgets etc, We put our Asses on the line, what the hell have they done?
Every time I go to McGuire VA Medical Center in Richmond Virginia, I look for the old guys (older than my 72 years). Most are in wheelchairs pushed by wife/daughter/son/friend. I speak to them, if they confirm themselves as a WWII vet, I get down on a knee, take a hand and whisper “Thank you for saving the world, for my freedom, for my children’s freedom, for what you did for me and for our country.” One guy couldn’t speak (sequela from a stroke) but his wife said, “He knows what you said and he thanks you for it”. Sometimes when I look into their eyes I get choked up and have trouble getting it out. Sometimes not, but every old WWII vet deserves to hear what I say, and we all need to tell them our thanks, because every day some ten thousand of they die, and some have never heard sincere heart-to-heart thanks before. Often I get thanks for my 20+ years service, but I never served in combat and they deserve the thanks more than me.
Every time I go to McGuire VA Medical Center in Richmond Virginia, I look for the old guys (older than my 72 years). Most are in wheelchairs pushed by wife/daughter/son/friend. I speak to them, if they confirm themselves as a WWII vet, I get down on a knee, take a hand and whisper “Thank you for saving the world, for my freedom, for my children’s freedom, for what you did for me and for our country.” One guy couldn’t speak (sequela from a stroke) but his wife said, “He knows what you said and he thanks you for it”. Sometimes when I look into their eyes I get choked up and have trouble getting it out. Sometimes not, but every old WWII vet deserves to hear what I say, and we all need to tell them our thanks, because every day some ten thousand of they die, and some have never heard sincere heart-to-heart thanks before. Often I get thanks for my 20+ years service, but I never served in combat and they deserve the thanks more than me.
I hear ya ^& feel ya, brother’
PVD
Army medic, Central Huiglands, 67-68