Calling all Veterans!

[ozemu]

Despite my best intentions I missed 11am today. Was working but had it planned to stop the kids at 11am for 15 seconds of rememberance (these kids would not handle a full minute). They were having a brilliant day and we got so caught up in the positive experience that I missed it by an hour! ...and then they stuffed the session in the debrief. I was more than annoyed on both accounts.

 

My respect those who went, are doing the job or are training for their turn.

 

Graham

ex Infantry

duty first

[SMT376Richmond KY]

Thanks DS

 

Navy vet here 3yrs 6mo VA-82 on USS Nimitz and Vinson(left some of the internal parts of my left knee on the flight deck on the Vinson during war game trials though). Needless to say I was patched up and sent home hobbling. The boys help me on those big mountain hikes though.

[scoutingagain]

Let me add my deep appreciation for the Veterans out there. And thanks Dave for starting this thread.

 

I'm at work today but the Troop I serve will be marching in our town's Veteran's Day Parade. The parade is one of the few activities the troop highly expects of the scouts. (It's not exactly a rule, but there is significant peer pressure among the scouts to attend.) They will stop at 11:11 at a local memorial park. They will stand at attention and listen to various local politicians speak their piece and say a prayer. I will stop what I'm doing and say a silent prayer to thank all of you.

 

SA

 

 

[purcelce]

Veterans Day!

 

This Vets day will always be special to me. Yesterday I made a big decision. I've decided to retire. So ole MSgt P soon becomes Mr. Cary.

I will officially retire on 1 Aug 2004 with 20 years and 14 days.

 

Best thing is that with my terminal leave and other "days" the military gives for house hunting, etc. I should be out the front gate mid May. So this time next year I'll be hanging out at the VFW complaining about the prices at the BX

 

I did mess with the future Shewhomustbeobeyed. Told her I had a job just as soon as I get out.... Camp Staff.

 

 

Oh what a whirlwind two months this has been.... getting engaged and now get to find a new career.

 

I kind of have the same feelings that I did when I was 17 years old and signed up for the AF. Excitement, and a little fear of the unknown.

 

Ok that's enough of my 5-second cheap plug.

 

I would like to wish all those who have served, serving, and those who support the Vets a happy Veterans' Day. Also don't forget those who are left behind taking care of the home front while their husband/wife/mom/dad/son/daughter/friend is in some far away land. If you get a chance today, hug a vet

 

Cheers

 

MSgt Cary E. Purcell, USAF

(This message has been edited by purcelce)(This message has been edited by purcelce)

[Bob White]

My thanks and appreciation to all veterans for the service and sacrifices each made in their own way to our country.

 

Grandfather, father, brother, nephew, all sailors.

 

Anchors Away,

Bob White

[Fat Old Guy]

"Anchors Away, "

 

That would be "Anchors aweigh" pretty egregious mistake for someone who celebrates "Talk Like A Pirate Day."

[purcelce]

FOG wrote: "Anchors Away, "

That would be "Anchors aweigh" pretty egregious mistake for someone who celebrates "Talk Like A Pirate Day."

 

Jeez FOG, I know you like to bust BW's chops (and others) every now and then (Most are pretty amusing). But, please keep them off this thread. This is about Vets, not to see how you can get a quick zig in on BW

[mrs red feather]

And a brief word of appreciation and support for the spouses, families, parents who stay behind and keep the home fires burning while their loved ones are away.

[buffalo2]

Thank you Cary for your effort at maintaining a respectful tone today

and BTW congratulations

3 yrs in the US Army 74-77 makes me more appreciative every day of those who are out on the line, while the media makes it seem like business as usual while struggling for sensational gory pictures.

And our boys grow closer and closer to taking their turns...

[Big_Dog]

Thanks again, Vets!!

Me pop was in WWII in the Pacific. Mom says it changed him forever. You vets know you are appreciated, I hope!!

Shewhomustbeobeyed and I were in a little home-grown resturant today. Got to looking around at the other 15 or so patrons, saw a lot of gray hair. All but 2 of the folks were veterans of either WWII, Korea or Vietnam. On a whim, we picked up their checks. It just felt like to right thing to do. I've had it pretty easy because they picked up the check years ago!!!

 

Thanks again

BD

 

YCVT

[dsteele]

Thanks, Hops and FOG for giving me credit for wanting to go to the United States Military Academy at West Point. I was not accepted and have not served a single day for my country -- and I don't place BSA service in the same boat. No one has ever fired a shot in anger at me (at least not one that came close) in my line of duty and I am in no way a veteran of the defense of this country.

 

I had shots fired over my head in Peru, but that's a different story of a young man in the wrong place at the wrong time.

 

Anywho, I echo my thanks to the veterans.

 

Ever since I had lunch with a volunteer that Dancin' Fox and I both know (he made such a deep impression on me and I don't think he knows it) I have had a very, very deep appreciation for the efforts to protect our freedom that veterans have gone through.

 

The volunteer and I were meeting at a Wendy's restaurant (I'm a restaurant snob -- believe it or not) but this volunteer was hungry. He literally licked at each scrap of food and the condiments. I picked at my baked potato with broccoli and cheese and left most of it. I have a very small appetite.

 

I said something about wanting to get home because I hadn't seen much of my wife. He looked at me and said, "I'd feel sorry for ya, but I was a POW in Vietnam for 8 years without seeing my wife."

 

Eight years with no contact with his wife and family. They didn't know if he were dead and he didn't know if they were still waiting for him.

 

I thought I had problems to worry about. Whether or not the district would make membership, what to buy for Christmas, which family to visit for Christmas, year end goals, when to get another oil change or teeth cleaning -- the normal stuff.

 

This guy had 8 years as a prisoner of war.

 

That's just one veteran. What about those who are overseas now with no idea when they'll be home or if they'll come home? What about the Vietnam veteran who never received the proper respect for their service? The Gulf War (I) veteran who is ill and doesn't have a full explanation? The Korean Veteran who saw atrocities unknown to his father the WWII veteran?

 

Veterans go back a long way in my family. My grandfather's side of the family landed on the shores of the East Coast in 1691. Corporal Benjamin Griggs, one of my ancestors, served the full time at Valley Forge, PA.

 

I salute all veterans of all services.

 

As a small service to veterans, I do have a list of known veterans (known to me, anyway. I call them on either veteran's day or memorial day, just to say "thank you for your service. If you are a veteran, please private message me with your phone number and look for a call in May or November. I'll call. Unless/ until I lose your number, then feel free to call me. The message will be the same and it will be sincere.

 

Dave

[Fat Old Guy]

"Thanks, Hops and FOG for giving me credit for wanting to go to the United States Military Academy at West Point"

 

Well, that's different I had visions of you standing in a long line of buck naked men (fortunately, they put the buck naked women in another line ) when a corpsman stamps your papers "4-F".

 

You know, it might not be too late. You're how old? :-)(This message has been edited by Fat Old Guy)

[Fat Old Guy]

" On a whim, we picked up their checks."

 

That's a heck of a whim, thanks.

 

 

[Scotts_Scout]

Darnit I should have read these yesterday. Oh well sorry for being a day late but happy Veterans Day to all you Vets. I retired from the active duty USAF in 1999. Not that I was counting (we all do) but it was 20 years and 20 days. My wife is also a Vet. I met her in the former West Germany while we were both in the USAF. Cheers to all Vets.

 

My Decorations:

Meritorious Service Medal

2 AF Commendation Medals

Joint Service Achievement Medal

2 AF Achievement Medals

Presidential Unit Citation

NATO Service Medal

Small Arms Expert with Star

 

Also a few other Organizational awards.

[mk9750]

I also wish my post was more timely, but I also offer a very sincere thank you to each of you veterans individually, and the entire US Armed Forces collectively.

 

I count it as perhaps the biggest hole in my life that I did not serve. At the time, I thought I was too good to be in the service. Now I know I wasn't good enough.

 

At our company's staff meeting yesterday, I added a thank you directed at each of the five veterans in the meeting. Everyone seemed shocked that someone made such a big deal out of it being Veteran's Day. But I could tell that each of the men who I thanked appreciated being thought of. It made me wonder if we do enough for people who served. If a thank you is a big deal to them, we are not treating veterans with enough respect.

 

But for now, THANK YOU will have to do.

 

Mark