Veterans Day...

[DDT (12)]

Veterans Day…
 
I looked around at our group gathered in Cookeville, TN, for the Veterans Day Ride recently, as many different thoughts floated through my mind. Some of us were there because of some connection to that special bike many of us still ride, but most were there to hang out with the very special folks who comprise that amazing group. All were there ostensibly because of the holiday being recognized, but little was heard about that particular subject… It’s been on my mind a lot lately for some reason…
 
The holiday nowadays is called Veterans Day, but when I was a kid it was known as ‘Armistice Day’ and it was celebrated on November 11th no matter the day of the week it fell on. The principal of my elementary school was a WWI Vet who had actually served in the trenches in France during those terrible times, and I had been touched by his stories… None more so than the one about the arrival of the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month formally bringing hostilities to an end. He had claimed his helmet had been the highest one tossed up in the air that joyous day!
 
Those folks all died off in time, and it became obvious the ranks of WWII vets, a few of whom were still on active service when I’d enlisted, were starting to attrite in large numbers. Those folks, my parents for example, had passed from the young people who’d taught us our first important lessons in life and had in their own time aged, too. Then it was the Korean War vets, many of whom had been our senior NCOs when I’d served, who’d in turn become the old guys at various functions. Now it has become my own contemporaries…
 
Not long ago, I’d been standing outside a favorite bike leather shop in Slidell, LA, while Troutdude was inside doing his thing. An older guy, about my own vintage actually, walked up and we began to chat. He was a Nam Vet who’d served about the same time I had. I’d been sent to Korea during my stint, however, so I’d therefore been spared the experiences this guy and many others had survived. What I recall the most vividly from that conversation, though, was a particular item he’d tossed out to me…
 
He was active in his local American Legion unit, and his fellow Nam Vets and he had started to greet each other in a rather unique way… Instead of thanking each other for their service, they would say simply, “Welcome home”. Those of us who were around back then remember how we’d been treated when we finally did come home… No ticker-tape parades or hero’s welcome for us, only looks of shame and disgust from some of our old ‘friends’! Many of us had simply melted back into the mainstream and said little about it… except to others who’d also served.
 
The ‘all knowing’ would refer to us as baby killers and similar nasty names. I guess that since they were opposed to the war and chose to be vocal about it, anybody who didn’t join them or worse, those who had actually worn the uniform, must therefore relish war and be in full support of indiscriminate bombing and killing. Derision and disdain were all we’d deserved in their view…
 
Nowadays they’ve seen the backlash that caused, so they’ve taken the more practical approach of criticizing the war but not the warriors… To many of us, however, that trite comment, “Thank you for your service”, seems little more than a hollow gesture… Not insulting exactly, but not perceived as anything sincere. Rather, it’s seen as their way of being snide, maintaining their ‘holier-than-thou’ perspective, while appearing to be considerate and politically correct.
 
We’d done our best to serve our country and all that concept embraces. We hadn’t started the war or really even understood it; we’d only known that we’d been called, so we responded. We’d faithfully done as we were ordered and all we were expected… We’d put up with all the discomfort, hardship, and for many the actual pain of service, and we’d done our duty as God had given us the vision to see it. Our reward from our peers had not been commensurate with our sacrifice, in our minds.
 
The welcome home we thought we’d earned had been denied us and replaced with a very negative reception. My new friend and his friends wanted to change that… From then on my comment to Nam Vet era folks has been the same as theirs’… because I sincerely believe they deserve it…“Welcome home, my friends!”
 
DDT

[Serk]

Apologies to those who've seen me post these pics a few times in the past, but seemed appropriate. One of my prouder moments, and I really didn't have much say in it. Me, in my dad's arms welcoming home the troops from Vietnam, we think this was in '73...





Oh..... And Welcome Home... To all...

[John Schmidt]

Bruce, I like that idea of "welcome home" and yes, it was sorely missing at that time. I can't help but wonder how that generation would have acted had it been the end of WWII. I certainly hope that mentality has been lost with the passing of years. It reminds me of what my dad once said about a certain ethnic group that did their practice teaching under him; "it's very apparent they like the benefits of a respected position, but also very apparent they don't want to work for it."  Seemed to me at the time of ending of hostilities in Nam, those that sought to not welcome our men home liked the benefits of being in America, but didn't want to work for it.

[..]

I've heard vets use the "welcome home" phrase between themselves whereas I have thanked serving or retired with "thank you for your service" or just a "thank you".

I didn't know it was OK for a non vet to say welcome home. Thought that was exclusive to "club" members.

[DDT (12)]

I've heard vets use the "welcome home" phrase between themselves whereas I have thanked serving or retired with "thank you for your service" or just a "thank you".

I didn't know it was OK for a non vet to say welcome home. Thought that was exclusive to "club" members.

Paul,

No, it is by no means an exclusive thing for vets only! Indeed, I submit it is precisely those who did not serve who owe the 'welcome home' the most... No judgement here on why those who did not serve did so, but those who did do their duty should not have been mistreated the way they were after enduring all they'd been through... That mistreatment came almost exclusively from non-servers, as those who knew better understood the price paid! As John said, all want the benefits of freedom, some do not want to earn it, however... There is nothing inappropriate with non-vets saying "Welcome Home" to Nam Vets... In fact, I encourage all to consider it.

DDT

[Oss]

Since after I got my # which was 348, our uncle sam ended the call up I was never faced with the choice of go where they send me or volunteer for another branch, or the same branch of service

I just know that my dad said no way go into the navy because of the virulent anti semitism and punishments he was subjected to for playing ball with black kids (they were called colored then) and that left him damaged more than the service itself.

While in college I had met and befriended many who served.  I never experienced at SUNY Buffalo the anti soldier attitude of so many and am thankful for that

Welcome home Bruce and all who served. We owe you a debt that can not be fully repaid

Perhaps all we can do is remember your sacrifices and extend a hand of friendship and assistance

Today was call a vet day as I mentioned in a prior post.   If I had your number I would have called

Meathead's phone no longer works, O2soon wasnt home, so I visited Mom and her 97 year old neighbor who was a veteran of service

If I say, thank you for your service however, you can take to the bank that it is sincere

[Sweet Cheeks]

“Welcome home” Bruce, and a very sincere “Thank you” for your service.
As my son is currently “somewhere” in the Middle East, I only hope I get the opportunity to tell him “welcome home.”

ALL Veterans deserve that and so very much more.

Janice

[DDT (12)]

Evan,

Thanks for your words... I know beyond any doubt that you are indeed sincere, so I appreciate your remarks even more than I might otherwise. My contributions were miniscule compared to those of so many others; however... all gave some, some gave all applies. I didn't endure the Hell that was 'the bush' in 'The Nam', but I did not exactly have an easy time or a steady diet of sex, drugs and rock 'n roll, either. Still, thanks for your sentiment...

America, like each one of us, is a 'work in progress'... not perfect and with a track record of some disappointing aspects. Racism, sexism, and all the other isms are a part of our past, but they are changing and improvement strides are being made. I don't criticize, condemn, or complain about those who see things differently than I do, but I expect to have my own views and beliefs respected. Vets deserve to be respected for things they've contributed and not punished for things over which they had no control.

Rhetoric matters, so wild distortions of reported alleged events by a few should not be blanketed upon millions of good soldiers, sailors, and air personnel. Context and accuracy do not seem important to those who see themselves furthering a cause instead of seeking truth. I know you know what I mean here... I know who you are, my friend, and I do respect your devotion to a just society... FWIW, I share your views on that along with so many other things...

DDT



Janice,

Thanks. I feel almost guilty being included in the company of those who truly did serve under great hardship and endure so much. I hope you get that opportunity, as well... He'll deserve it... but so will you! Mothers also serve in many unrecognized ways, and they also suffer more than most of us could ever understand... Thanks for your 'service' too!

DDT

[Rams]

Bruce,
Another good read and something many could learn from.

Thanks for putting it out there.

Rams

[Thunderbolt]

Interesting chapter for the book Bruce.  Agreed on all points.  I for one never foresaw that our country would ever be in the "shape" it's in right now.
Welcome home and thank you for your service.  I volunteered for the Naval Air Reserve out of junior college.  Very glad I did.