Veteran's Day

I never served in our U.S. Military. When I was a senior in H.S., I didn't know if I wanted to be a policeman or an infantry man in the USMC. I flipped a coin on my mom's kitchen table, heads for one, tails for the other. It flipped for the police, so that's what I've been since April 1981.

But my heart has always been for our nation's real heros, the ones serving in our U.S. Armed Forces.

I consider myself a tough guy and very hard core when it comes to violence. But, each time I see the wreath being laid at the "Tomb of the Unknown Soldier", I cry. When Navy SEAL Neil Roberts died, I cried when I read his story. And I've lost track of how many other times my heart was wrenched over learning of these men dying. I read everything I can on Special Ops soldiers like SF, Delta, Rangers, etc. The Navy SEALS are incredible. Dick Couch, a former SEAL, has written two books on SEALS..."The Warrior Elite" and "The Finishing School." Both are supreme accounts of what these special warriors do.

Dick Couch has also written a great book on Special Forces entitled "Chosen Soldier" Here is what is written before the table of contents page......

"Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" "Then I said, "Here am I, send me." (Isaiah 6:8)

This was the inscription on the dog tag resting on the flag draped, homeward bound casket of an American Special Operations Warrior killed in action in Afghanistan, July 2005.

I cried when I read that.....

From my heart, I don't have the words to express my sincerest thanks and gratefulness to these very, very special warriors.

May God always be with each of you who have served, are serving or will serve in our U.S. Military.
 
Thanks as well. :thumbup2:

cigardave, SGT
US Army
1969 - 71
Pershing Missiles
HQ, 3/84 Arty Bn
Neckarsulm, W. Germany
 
In Memory of My Best Friend ...

Capt. Sal Mennuti USMC
1965 - 1969
Khe Sanh ... Tet Offensive, et al ...
 
God Bless, God Speed, and Thanks.....


USMC 1992-1996 Active
96-98 Active Reserve
0326,6114
Sgt.


Semper FI
 
Gunn_Slinger said:
Remembrance Day,Veteran's Day

In Flanders fields the poppies blow (1)
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Canadian poet John McCrae

For those of you serving today, or in the past,
thank you for the gift you gave to your country.
Click to expand...

I have to admit when I look at the direction this country is going in sometimes I wonder why I risked my life to defend it. It gives me no joy to say that but it's true.

I like this quote from a guy named Thucydides 24 centuries ago:

"A nation that makes a great distinction between its scholars and its warriors will have its laws made by cowards and its wars fought by fools."
 
Thanks all...

Thank you all,

I want to give my deepest gratitude for all who are and have served in the U.S. Military Forces. I know for a fact that I can sleep well at night knowing that there are many outstanding U. S. American Citizens willing and ready to risk all for this freedom of ours. I have also given to support our country, and would again if needed.

As the Manchu saying goes ?Keep up the Fire!?

U.S. ARMY 1992-2000
11B
62E

Jay P
 
No Pool For Me Tonight

Veterans Day and I'm taking two US Army veterans from Ft. Campbell out to dinner. One has served 4 tours of engagement and is going back to Iraq for another in December. His wife served 2 tours in Iraq and is back in college. Just my way of saying thanks. And thanks to all of you who served.

Tennessee Joe
 
A Marine Colonel was marching a division down a valley atop a nearby hill stood an Army Ranger making lude gestures the colonel said 7-8 of you boys go up there and wear him out, Ranger stepped off the back of the hill and the fight insued moments later Ranger was back atop the hill again with the lude gestures, Colonel says take a Company up there and wear him out, again Ranger steps off the back of the hill and again the fight insues, Ranger comes back to the top of the hill and is really making the gestures the Colonel sends the entire division and mandates bring me his head, once more off the back of the hill and a hell of a ruckus is taking place when suddenly one young Marine comes flying over the hill and rolls all the way down to the Colonel the Colonel thunders what is going on up there troop, the battle torn young Marine replies get em out of there sir it's a trap................................There are 2 of them.
A have the same admiration for all services but I have allways liked this joke.
 
poolplayer2093 said:
Man this just sounds like a bad time!
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I was young back then and loved the challenge. I never liked taking orders and was always in trouble. They took a group of about 200 of us trouble makers and put them through the hoops, seeing how many would be left standing. I believe the unit had about 40 in it when I was there. They did away with the unit right after I got out. Unfortunatly they sent what was left of my old unit to Nam. Army is smart, train them for extreme cold weather and send them to a hot climate. The story goes that we were to be airlifted to Russia in case they attacked the US...I'm not sure how true that was. Jump from a plane into below zero weather and snow on the ground. Sounded like suicide to me and useless. Johnnyt
 
2rgrbn said:
A Marine Colonel was marching a division down a valley atop a nearby hill stood an Army Ranger making lude gestures the colonel said 7-8 of you boys go up there and wear him out, Ranger stepped off the back of the hill and the fight insued moments later Ranger was back atop the hill again with the lude gestures, Colonel says take a Company up there and wear him out, again Ranger steps off the back of the hill and again the fight insues, Ranger comes back to the top of the hill and is really making the gestures the Colonel sends the entire division and mandates bring me his head, once more off the back of the hill and a hell of a ruckus is taking place when suddenly one young Marine comes flying over the hill and rolls all the way down to the Colonel the Colonel thunders what is going on up there troop, the battle torn young Marine replies get em out of there sir it's a trap................................There are 2 of them.
A have the same admiration for all services but I have allways liked this joke.
Click to expand...


You made me smile with that one.

I wasn't smiling a little while ago. I was watching the Arlington Cemetery and the people visiting the graves of soldiers that they knew, loved and missed. I was fighting back the tears as I thought about how the ones who were left behind feel when they realize that they will never see the face of their brave loved one again. I guess I am just a wuss. Sometimes I get so angry I can barely stand to think about war and the price that we all pay and I'm not talking about the billions of dollars that we have spent on it either. While most soldiers feel a patriotic duty to fight for their country's cause, I often wonder what that cause is and are we really able to justify all of the pain, suffering and misery that it causes.

Like most of you, I would again fight for our freedom and I would fight to protect my fellow soldiers but there is a part of me that curses the ground that George Bush and Cheney walk on. I don't believe I've ever said that about anyone before and I'm ashamed of my feelings but they are there.

It always seems that we have a really "good" reason for going to war. In Vietnam, we fought to stop the spread of communism. We didn't win that war and communism is still doing just fine while allowing for a little private capitalism to generate a few bucks. In Iraq, it was to neuter a tyrant who had weapons of mass destruction. It turns out the weapons of mass destruction were a mirage or perhaps more likely, a purposefully conjured vision to mask the real reason to go after Saddam Hussein. Now that Pandora's box is open and the real devils are fast afoot, we are damned if we do and damned if we don't.

Hopefully, Barack Obama will have as much courage as Richard Nixon and end this war quickly regardless of the opinion of the war makers. There are no weapons of mass destruction except the ones we have there and since you cannot occupy another man's country without paying a very heavy toll, we need to just pack up our shit and come home.

I watched a few minutes of The Deer Hunter this afternoon before the emotions started coming over me and thought maybe a little venting would help. I had to quit watching it. I like Robert De Niro and believe he is a great actor. I just can't get through much of the movie without bringing up feelings that are better left alone. It's a good movie to see if you are interested in seeing how war can affect the lives of everyday people. It's not too far from the truth.

If Obama wanted me to believe he is the greatest president that ever lived, he would need to persuade our legislators to amend the constitution and pass a law that says, if our country ever goes to war, the President and all of his cabinet members and every Congressman and Senator would be required to send their first born child (of age) to the front lines to fight for our country's cause and then sign it into law.

I know this post is simply born of frustration and anger and am sorry I had to bare my soul this day and hope you will forgive this intrusion.

I'm headed to the pool hall to play a little pool and afterward will toast a few of my fallen comrades and the heroes that continue to fight today for our country's interests, whatever they might be.

American needs to learn to keep their nose out of other nations business but when we are forced to go to war, we need to do it so visciously that we nor anyone else will ever want to see another.

JoeyA
 
Thanks to all that have served...

and to all that offer support to our young Troops. It makes me proud to serve.

United States Army since January 1991.
 
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