Happy Veterans Day Weekend

[Akousticplyr]

To all brothers and sisters who have worn or continue to wear the uniform of your respective nations- May you have the best bowl of your life, your home team wins this weekend and you find a $100 bill in your laundry pants pocket. If you are deployed, come home safe, soon and whole.

“Beware of an old man in a profession where men die young.”

 

[Ctbill]

Thank you to the 7.5% still alive who have EVER served, and the less than 1% who actively serve! (USA stats)??

 

[Akousticplyr]

Thank you to the 7.5% still alive who have EVER served, and the less than 1% who actively serve! (USA stats)??

coincidence?
”Psychopaths: According to estimation, psychopaths make up about 1 percent of the general population. Sociopaths: About 4 percent of the general population. Things they have in common: Both suffer from antisocial personality disorder.”

 

[Ctbill]

Mathematical coincidence... I get your drift....but this is not that forum, and most won’t get the dark humor here...

But those who I served with, and those who serve now - there is NO correlation to those afflictions...Great folks all. Even if 99% different, and 92.5% different...

And I salute our current and future Vets!

 

[Humblepipe]

I am a vet. Maybe a little crazy, but I am glad I served. More appreciation to those who make a career out of it. It's not an easy life. Thanks, brothers.

 

[Akousticplyr]

Mathematical coincidence... I get your drift....but this is not that forum, and most won’t get the dark humor here...

But those who I served with, and those who serve now - there is NO correlation to those afflictions...Great folks all. Even if 99% different, and 92.5% different...

And I salute our current and future Vets!

haha yes sarcasm doesn’t convey well in a typed message. Starting my 24th year as a Naval Aviator.

 

[Ctbill]

haha yes sarcasm doesn’t convey well in a typed message. Starting my 24th year as a Naval Aviator.

And I greatly appreciate your continued service! Big family of veterans and active duty here...
Interestingly, I was an Army Air Defense Artillery guy...an instantly recognized the F-14 in your first post...(as friendly!)?
You flying that one?

 

[warren]

For those non-Americans here who have "Remembrance Day":

IN FLANDERS FIELDS POEM
The World’s Most Famous WAR MEMORIAL POEM
By Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
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

 

[Bengel]

“Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live, taking the form of readiness to die.” —G.K. Chesterton

 

[mso489]

Ctbill makes an important point, that the cohort of people who have actually served is exceedingly small. The number of people who have served in a combat zone is smaller. The number of people who have actually served in combat, really small. My particular war involved years of deliberation on my part. Careful research revealed it was a lost cause. My dad, a WWII vet, took me on a vacation to Canada, no discussion involved. I ended up a vet. I've done many crazy things in my life, but that monumentally difficult choice was not one of them, perhaps one of the most difficult but rational decisions of my life.

 

[mso489]

...and happy Veterans Day to all my fellow vets of various nations. After the Navy, and grad school, I joined what was then the Veterans Administration for a few years assisting fellow vets in getting GI Bill education checks. Sometimes very angry vets visited, but we worked at it and made it happen, and I was glad to be able to help. It took some serious doing to re-enter civilian life, for me as well as my clients. Also helped some worthy children of vets on school benefits; my wife was on that program years before, when I met her in college. Her dad was a poison gas disabled WWI (yes One) vet. He was late to fatherhood, in his forties.

 

[f5rd2hy]

Heading to the free buffet this morning. Happy Veteran's day.

 

[kurtbob]

Happy Veterans Day to all my brothers and sisters, regardless of country or branch!

 

[alaskanpiper]

I wish all those who have served an extraordinarily happy Veterans Day! As the first male member of my direct line to not have to fight in a major war since the revolutionary war, I cannot tell you how appreciative of those who have come before me I truly am! And if it wasn't for those serving beside them, I probably wouldn't be here today. So from the bottom of my heart to all those who serve, I wish you a great day, a great life, and thank you so much for your service to our country, or to whichever country you call home!

 

[kcghost]

Proud of all who served.

 

[derhammer]

Happy Veteran's Day!
Even though I am not an American but I salute you for keeping evil at bay for hundreds of years.

 

[mso489]

I was on a student deferment for some years before I enlisted, after I graduated and after I started a summer of grad school. My first or second year in college, I lost a high school friend who had enlisted in the Marine Corps right out of high school. He wasn't a big guy, but sturdy and strong, and had been a fine football player; he'd stand up to anyone. I think I was in my sophomore year when he was killed by a landmine in Vietnam. It's dizzying to lose someone right out of school like that. I think he was 19. I always think of him on Veterans Day. His name is on a monument in a park across from my church and I often visit that when I visit my home town.

 

[jaytex1969]

I went to get my free veteran's haircut at Sports Clips today and had the honor of sharing the waiting area with a WW2 veteran who flew in B-17 bombers.



He was off to meet, in his words, his "best friend he'd never met". He's headed to the edge of town to meet up with another veteran, a stranger who flew P-51 Mustangs as a bomber escort during the war.



He was an interesting and charming fellow that I felt fortunate to meet. There are fewer and fewer WW2 vets remaining each day at this point. Make time to get to know one, if you can.