(Promoted by Colorado Pols)
Thank you to my fellow brothers and sisters in arms. Less than 2% of Americans will serve in the military. That 2% has offered to sacrifice their lives to protect our nation its freedom and liberty. Many return from service with physical and mental injuries. Some that may not be apparent for many years. Twenty plus veterans end their lives each day.
As you go about your activities, if you see a bumper sticker, license plate, hat or some other recognition of a veteran think of this. This person may have experienced the pain of physical injury, the loneliness of being apart from loved ones, the horror of a silent battlefield, the imagines of a family being beheaded, killing a man in hand to hand combat, watching a friend die in your arms, the cold of Korea, heat of the desert, an oppressive jungle, the stench of combat. By all means thank that person, then marvel that there are men and women who will face these burdens for the love of country and their fellow man.
Anonymous no more.
IF YOU SEE ME WEEP
I’m called to attention as the warrior appears,
surrounded, by those so dear
I know him well, but not his name,
his sacrifice is his acclaim
A salute is rendered as he takes his place,
family weeps in the hallowed space
Tributes read, sacrifice confirmed,
honors called, he is affirmed
The crowd stands, his comrades are few,
a salute is offered by those who knew
Tears form, his sacrifice remembered,
commitment satisfied, honor extended
Rifles report, the salute is rendered,
Tap’s echoes to be remembered
My comrade is home, we have said good-bye,
now the tears slide from my eye
We march away our mission complete,
this day, we will repeat
If you see me weep, his life remembered,
always will it be, never surrendered
Roger D. Edwards
VFW Post 9644
All Veterans Honor Guard, Fort Logan Colorado
Memorial Day 2015
© Roger Edwards 2015
A sincere thanks for your military service.
Signing up, training and being ready to fight whenever and for whatever the politicians decide is a special sort of sacrifice. My WWII vet father died this year; my Vietnam vet cousin continues to deal with some of his trauma; a friend works at the VA Hospital and often tells a tale of those there to remind me of the cost.
If you have a moment, I recommend a story my friend passed on: Kasey Cordell, "Final Post: One Local Veteran's New Mission" in 5280. http://www.5280.com/node/52637
Greatness is expressed in many forms. Thank you for the link.
We botjh served in the dubious battle that was Vietnam, though I never went oveaseas. Every time I see that wall, I ask "wasit worth it.? Survivor's guilt is part of the burden we bear. But my country called, I went and never heard a shot fired on anger.
And so it goes.
No, it was not worth it and neither is Syria, Iraq, or Afganistan.
A Veteran's Day Message from Gold Star father Khizr Khan:
and for my father, WWII veteran, born on Armistice Day 98 years ago, and for my ex-husband, wounded in body and mind, whose innocence and idealism were taken and exploited by cynical politicians promoting a decade of the Vietnam War.
For the Gulf War and Iraq vets exposed to Monsanto and Dow Agent Orange chemicals, which the Army then lied and said were harmless. For all the female and male vets who were sexually assaulted because rape is part of the military culture.
I honor veterans for what they thought they were doing, for being brave and willing to lay down their lives for the greater good. We have to quit lying to young people. Quit telling them that they'll be sacrificing for some grand cause. Tell them up front which corporations they'll be bleeding for; then let them decide if they still want to kill civilians and lose their limbs and sanity to make it happen.
That's my Veteran's Day message.
MamaJ – you'll enjoy this article on my great-uncle Duane Donley that ran in my mothers hometown newspaper in Minnesota yesterday. He's a great man with a wicked sense of humor and an unapologetic Democrat to this very day. He's been my North Star since high school. A wonderful man.
Your uncle does sound like a great guy. It's good that he has been able to share his war stories. You're lucky to still have him around.
Both my parents were deeply involved in WWII (Dad as a soldier in the North African theater, and mom as a refugee from Hitler's Anschluss), and I think that may have been the last war that was truly fought for a noble cause.
Arguably, korea was a noble cause. It stopped Staliinist aggression under the Un banner. My brothder had two tours there in the60s.