Veterans Day

[The emperor has no clothes]

As a veteran I feel no need for any praise or thanks. I joined voluntarily, willingly, proudly. I served in non war time. I got much more than I gained. I feel it’s a little different for those drafted, and those who were in combat. They deserve much. On this day I would ask one small thing. This day is about honoring vets. It’s not about Trump, it’s not about Obama, it’s not about ANY politics. With that said, I hope we can refrain from inserting them into this day. Thanks for listening.

[0leman]

+ one

Though I didn't serve, many of my High school friends did, some didn't make it home.  Thanks to all who severed.

[Willow]

I too received much more than I gave.  I was on active duty for eleven and a half years but no one ever shot at me.

my heartfelt gratitude and respect go out to those who put their lives at risk.  They deserve whatever we can render.  

[da prez]

 ALL GAVE SOME .
                           SOME GAVE ALL.
                 
              I served , i'm here. Family and friends (some) gave all.

                                        da prez

[old2soon]

          I have ZERO regrets about my 4 years active service. I too received more than I gave. I'll just leave it at I drew combat pay on both cruises. My personal Salute to all who have served. I still draw breath because of those Fine Men and Women who choose to serve. THANK YOU.

[msb]

Good post Rob! I'm off to Hudson's Hope BC (about an hour's drive from our daughter and son in laws home in Fort St John) where the main parade and Rememberence ceremonies for this region will take place. Our son in law is an Afgan vet with two active tours over there, and he has many friends up here who served as well. They, along with my daughter are now active with the Canadian Rangers and the most important thing for me today is to support them and remember their and all others' past and present sacrifices that have afforded me the kind of
life I've lived and continue to live. These dedicated folks should be recognized  on a regular basis, but today in particular I agree people in general should see fit to put aside any other crap for a day and focus on the posistive impact  so many have made. To all those on this forum that have served in whatever capacity... my gratitude and respect to you  

[The emperor has no clothes]

Good post Rob! I'm off to Hudson's Hope BC (about an hour's drive from our daughter and son in laws home in Fort St John) where the main parade and Rememberence ceremonies for this region will take place. Our son in law is an Afgan vet with two active tours over there, and he has many friends up here who served as well. They, along with my daughter are now active with the Canadian Rangers and the most important thing for me today is to support them and remember their and all others' past and present sacrifices that have afforded me the kind of
life I've lived and continue to live. These dedicated folks should be recognized  on a regular basis, but today in particular I agree people in general should see fit to put aside any other crap for a day and focus on the posistive impact  so many have made. To all those on this forum that have served in whatever capacity... my gratitude and respect to you  

Give your daughter and son in-law a hug and a thank you from me and your southern neighbors. (Enjoy your time with the new granddaughter too !) 

[Jess from VA]

I served just under nine years' active military service.  

Best job I ever had.

Best people I ever worked with and for.

Followed by almost two decades serving veterans with the USDVA.

Flag is up.  

[MarkT]

I was a REMF. Drafted with orders to report for army infantry (expected), I enlisted in USAF to get some useful training. They made me a weapons mechanic - loaded weapons on F-111's and B-52's and preload in the bomb dumps, MERs (Multiple Ejector Racks, MK82 500lb dumb bombs) in TAC then SAC from bases in Thailand.  Had one incident when sappers took potshots at us at night, from the jungle cover when working end-of-runway at the TAC base, arm/dearm, 4 man crew.  They were pretty far away and were poor shots while we were mechanics - unarmed and with no guards, working under klieg lights. No one was hit.  They called out security, used parachute flares and went looking for them.  No reports they were found. Biggest scare of my tours.  The worst experience was agent orange exposure in the TAC bomb dump.  Have medical issues now from that.  I have tons of respect and gratitude to the combat vets, far more danger than my jobs.  VSM (Vietnam Service Medal) on my DD214 which means I was in SEA theater.  I understand approx 80% of the in-theater servicemen were support as opposed to combat duty.  I benefitted from the GI Bill - they paid for my college and guaranteed my mortgage.  Have VA benefits if I ever use them but for now still covered by my wife's employer.  I'd say I received more than I gave.

I was asked to volunteer for tail gunner on B-52's.  Back when they actually had a gunner back there.  Also asked to volunteer for EOD.  Both of those jobs were my AFSC.  "You'll get combat pay."  No thanks.  Offer that to the heros.  I'm a mechanic.  There was a BUFF that returned to U-Tapao with that part of the plane gone.  As well as most of the vertical stabilizer and 5 of the 8 engines out and lots of shrapnel holes.  Amazing they returned - some fabulous flying there.  I wish I took pics of it but I didn't have a camera handy.

We did not have close friendships ala the Band of Brothers combat vets embrace.  I knew a couple dozen guys who went to tech school together here at Lowry, and many of us still together on first PCS and TDY tours at Nellis and Takhli.  Then split up and separate orders never to meet again.  I miss that aspect - but not the horror that inspires such brotherhoods.

I don't go get the free meals restaurants give out today.  Don't figure that's for me.  Or wear vets hats - don't figure that either, or want to have such a conversation starter.  I do have vet plates on my vehicles.  More as a tribute to the heros, I think.

[JFaje1]

Agreed , nice post Rob, My flag is always on display at my home, but it is special today!
John

[John Schmidt]

My gratitude also goes out to those that were on the front lines or nearby. I served in the USAF for 6+ years, all of it ZI. My time was spent in the solid state electronics of the day which in the late 50's/early 60's was pretty much in its infancy. My current cell phone has more capability than the suitcase sized computers we worked with at the time. I also have many family members that served, a few during WWII and Nam didn't come back. One close cousin was a tunnel rat in Nam, I didn't recognize him when he returned.

As for benefits received, by all means....yes, have rec'd much more than I gave. When those things are rec'd I do so with humble understanding. Again, I also don't look for accolades of any sort. I joined voluntarily, served best I could, then moved on. A salute to all that served/are serving!

[cookiedough]

Yah, it is so much more than an easy day of work since the banks were closed, of which will make up for it tomorrow with 2 days of workload to do then...

For those who served and especially in the line of fire, ever notice how most never talk about their encounters?  Going thru my parents house this summer I found a few articles from when my Dad was in the Korean War army I think 3rd infantry division saw some fadded clippings/pictures of what he did to earn corporal status vs. private volunteering article said going behind enemy  lines to find a missing person receiving gunfire holding them off so the missing person could sneak back to safety of the troop.  Dad never mentioned that nor did he say he got shot needing surgery to remove the bullet which another clip showed.  ONLY thing he ever mentioned was cold as hell, hungry, and he lost his corporal status back to private soon after for getting into a fight with someone who deserved getting punched.    Was interesting to see long lost never before seen pics of him like him on snow skis as well and skinny, skinny, skinny age 19 or so vs. always seen him growing up with a beer gut...    One pic was him on the crapper basically a pit toilet in the winter outside no wind protection out in the open no privacy nor nothing just a makeshift poddy out in the open wilderness in camp several lined up in a row right next to one another.... better than nothing I guess?    Never would imagine growing up as a kid him a paratrooper jumping out of airplanes,  being able to snow ski one article said they even held team cross country skiing competitions when in training him on 1st place team even, and on a big navy boat going overseas since he swam like a rock unable to swim at all.  I remember as a young kid on vacation at a hotel he jumped into the deep end guessing 8 feet deep tops and me and my older brother had to jump in after him when he was guessing still in his late 40's to prevent drowning me and my brother had all we could do to get him to the shallow end of the hotel pool taking us down with him.

Not many WWII and even Korean War vets left in their upper 80's now or so..   

[shortleg]

 I would like to add just one praise and thank you and that to the families that sent
their loved ones off not knowing what they coould expect.