Memorial Day

[Melvin]

Well, once again Memorial Day weekend is upon us. I thought I'd share these words with you all.



"It is, in a way, an odd thing to honor those who died in defense of our country ... in wars far away. The imagination plays a trick. We see these soldiers in our mind as old and wise. We see them as something like the Founding Fathers, grave and gray-haired. But most of them were boys when they died, and they gave up two lives -- the one they were living and the one they would have lived. When they died, they gave up their chance to be husbands and fathers and grandfathers. They gave up their chance to be revered old men. They gave up everything for their country, for us. All we can do is remember." –

-Ronald Reagan

 

[mojoey]

I would encourage any of you that see anyone that's wearing a uniform to buy them a case of booze, or pick up their tab at a restaurant. They give a lot more than the 20$ dinner that you just paid for.

 

[Mister Mxyzptlk]

All that being said, I would remind everyone to at least check out and hopefully read Smedley Butler's "War is a Racket".

I am an honorably discharged veteran of the Viet Nam era.

 

[Codz]

This piece by William Astore (USAF) seems rather apt.

In rejecting the "heroic" label, don't think we'd be insulting our troops. Quite the opposite: we'd be making common cause with them, for most of our troops undoubtedly already reject the "hero" label, just as the young "heroes" of Germany did in 1917-18. With the typical sardonic humor of front-line soldiers, they preferred the less comforting, if far more realistically descriptive label (given their grim situation in the trenches) of "front pigs."

Whatever nationality they may be, troops at the front know the score. Even as our media and our culture seek to elevate our troops into the pantheon of demi-gods, our "front pigs" carry on, plying an ancient and brutal trade. Most simply want to survive and come home with their bodies, their minds, and their buddies intact. Part of the world's deadliest war machine, they are naturally concerned first about saving their own skins, and only secondarily worried about the lives of others. This is not beastliness. Nor is it heroism. It's simply a front pig's nature.

So, next time you talk to our soldiers, Marines, sailors, or airmen, do them (and your country) a small favor. Thank them for their service. Let them know that you appreciate them. Just don't call them heroes.

https://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/07/22-2

 

[Melvin]

Of course Men like this wouldn't choose to be called "Heroes"...

... but I'm going to say it anyway.

 

[llarian]

This is something that I rarely do. The British Commonwealth nations celebrate our version of Memorial Day on Nov 11. But those of us who have served in the military, perhaps following our fathers and grandfathers, or to be followed by our sons,, and now our daughters, we are brothers in arms. We know what it means to have lost friends (blood brothers) in foreign fields.

I usually have a reputation for being rather ... indisposed to our neighbours in the south. Often happens when you view each other over fences, especially when those fences are getting more opaque every year. But ... many of us are brothers in arms.

I don't care where you're from. If you wore the uniform ... you're a brother in arms.

So for our American brothers in arms, when you think the world is against you ... here is a gift.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mwv-dndrMDE"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mwv-dndrMDE[/ame]

Sometimes we all have to be reminded of why we are friends.

Here's to the ones who didn't come back.

 

[mojoey]

Of course Men like this wouldn't choose to be called "Heroes"...

... but I'm going to say it anyway.

My math teacher was Army Corps of Engineers during Somalia, their office was right across the road from the Rangers who got caught up in BHD.

 

[TMac3000]

I do taxes, so whenever I see DFAS on a W2, the first thing I say to that client is "Thank you."