To a Vietnam Vet....I've Never Met

 

I decided to repost this on this Veterans Day - it never seemed as important as right now.

To a Vietnam Vet I’ve Never Met

by Holger (May 25, 2011)

First of all, let me simply thank you for your service to this country. And from the bottom of my heart, I want you to know how very proud I am of what you did for me in serving in the Vietnam War. To this day, I watch documentaries and videos of the war and every time I do, I am brought to tears by the sacrifice of our troops, that ultimate sacrifice. But the tears that fall from my face are not only for those who gave their lives over there, but for those who came home to America and felt the backlash of a people confused and angry and misinformed.

Yes, I have seen how they treated you as you set foot upon our land and yes, I have talked to some of your brothers who shared those stories of humiliation. I can only tell you how sorry I am that you, a fighting man, had to endure that. Even though I am only a civilian, I have enough close friends who have been in the military to know how important it is for you to feel the love and admiration and support of the people back home, and to see how some of the American people lashed out at you breaks my heart.

I want you to know, sir, that not all of us were lined up to treat you that way. But I have an admission to make, a confession actually. I was not one of those who spit on you or called you names. I was not one of those who burned the flag. I was one of those who stayed home and let you arrive here in America on your own…alone. I was one of those who felt I had to secretly hide my support of you and your brothers. Yes, I was one of the cowards.

On this Memorial Day weekend, I want you to know how sorry I am that I wasn’t brave enough to stand at the airports and the docks that day to welcome you home – to shout out how proud I was of you. To this day, I’ve lived with that shame.

But I hope today, that perhaps you can finally feel proud of your service and that this might be a long overdue welcome home and that maybe, just maybe, I can put my burden behind me as well.

I made a vow long ago that it would never happen again and since then, I have welcomed home the troops from various wars, I have stood along the roadside holding the flag as fallen heroes have passed by in their hearses. And yes, it will never happen again to another U.S. troop what happened to you.

I wish you peace this day. I wish you could know how proud I am of you.

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A Pittance of Time

On November 11, 1999 Terry Kelly was in a drug store in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. At 10:55 AM an announcement came over the stores PA asking customers who would still be on the premises at 11:00 AM to give two minutes of silence in respect to the veterans who have sacrificed so much for us.

Terry was impressed with the stores leadership role in adopting the Legions two minutes of silence initiative. He felt that the stores contribution of educating the public to the importance of remembering was commendable.

When eleven oclock arrived on that day, an announcement was again made asking for the two minutes of silence to commence. All customers, with the exception of a man who was accompanied by his young child, showed their respect.

Terrys anger towards the father for trying to engage the stores clerk in conversation and for setting a bad example for his child was channeled into a beautiful piece of work called, A Pittance of Time. Terry later recorded A Pittance of Time and included it on his full-length music CD, The Power of the Dream.

(Hat Tip:  Kel aka Red Fox)


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Veterans Day Celebrating The Home of the Free Because of the Brave

First a little bragging on my hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Last year I was not so shocked to learn that the Tulsa, Oklahoma Veterans Day Parade was the 5th largest in the country. This year, the commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 577 says the Tulsa Parade has moved up to No. 4. We ranked No. 46 in city size in 2010, but we have the fourth largest Veterans Day Parade. Amazing. Tulsa is a very patriot city and we love and admire our Veterans. We are the home of the free because of the brave.

On this day in 1918, World War I ended on the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11 hour. 


On this day in 1921, The Tomb of the Unknowns was dedicated at Arlington Cemetery. 


On this day in 1996, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund launched “The Wall that Heals.” 


Veterans Day honors all U.S. Military veterans who have served, and are serving, our country.


On this day of honoring, remembering, and memorializing our veterans, it is good to remember that our military consists of many religious and non-religious beliefs – but always, our wars have been about liberation, never about occupation, never about confiscation. 


On this day, I remember my father, who served in WWII and two brothers who served in the U.S. Air Force and I am praying God’s blessing on all who have served and are serving.

On this day in 1620, the Mayflower Compact was signed. The first colonists leading the way to America, as we know it today, signed a governing document for Plymouth Colony. The colonists crossed the Atlantic Ocean aboard the Mayflower. At least half of those were Christians, seeking the freedom to practice Christianity, without the tyrannical direction of the the King James. The Compact clearly established that the Colony would be free of English law. “It was devised to set up a government from within themselves and was written by those to be governed.” The compact began “In the name of God, Amen.”

When creating the Mayflower Compact, the signers believed that covenants were not only to be honored between God and man, but also between each other. They had always honored covenants as part of their righteous integrity and agreed to be bound by this same principle with the Compact. John Adams and many historians have referred to the Mayflower Compact as the foundation of the U.S. Constitution written more than 150 later. 

America was indeed begun by men who honored God and set their founding principles by the words of the Bible. They lived their lives with honesty, reliability, and fairness toward establishing this country “for the sake of its survival.” A great many of America’s Founding Fathers have been quoted in regard to living by Biblical values.

God bless our Military.

Posted by Maggie @ Maggie's Notebook 

Veterans Day - November 11th, 2011

The Bravest Man I Know

by Amanda Whitney



The bravest man I know.

Is a man I've never met.

He's a man who risks his life

To save a friend,

Not only to save a friend,

But to save a nation.

Risking his life

For those he does not know.

Stepping up

Leaving loved ones behind,

So that somewhere,

Someone else won't have to.

He is a man who follows orders

Even though he knows he might die.



The bravest man I know.

Is the man who would rather die,

So one more person could go home

To see his family again.

The man who stares death in the face,

But never blinks.



The bravest man I know.

Is the man who risks his life

So one day the world may be a better place for his children.

Or any man who goes against his biggest fear.

DEATH

Just to save someone he loves.



The bravest man I know.

Is the man who fights

So another man can have the taste of sweet freedom.

Not fighting only for his own benefit,

But for many others all over the world,

Fighting to make this world a better place.



That's the bravest man I know.


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