FReeper Canteen - Tunes For Our Troops - 23 Aug 2014

Our Troops Rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | The Canteen DJ's

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Mac...*HUGS*...did you sally forth today? Did you walk?

I’m so glad the week is over....this was a bear of a week. Next week has to be better. LOL!

[ConorMacNessa]

Welcome To All Who Enter This Canteen, To Our Serving Military, To Our Veterans, To All Military Families, To Our FRiends and To Our Allies!



Missing Man Setting

"The Empty Chair"

By Captain Carroll "Lex" Lefon, USN (RET), on December 21st, 2004

"In the wardroom onboard the aircraft carrier from which I recently debarked was a small, round table, with single chair. No one ever sat there, and the reasons, both for the table being there, and for the fact that the chair was always empty, will tell the reader a little bit about who we are as a culture. The wardroom, of course, is where the officers will dine; morning, noon and evening. It is not only a place to eat – it is also a kind of oasis from the sometimes dreary, often difficult exigencies of the service. A place of social discourse, of momentary relief from the burdens of the day. The only things explicitly forbidden by inviolable tradition in the wardroom are the wearing of a cover or sword by an officer not actually on watch, or conversation which touches upon politics or religion. But aboard ships which observe the custom, another implicit taboo concerns the empty chair: No matter how crowded the room, no matter who is waiting to be seated, that chair is never moved, never taken.

The table is by the main entrance to the wardroom. You will see it when you enter, and you will see it when you leave. It draws your eyes because it is meant to. And because it draws your eyes it draws your thoughts. And though it will be there every day for as long as you are at sea, you will look at it every time and your eyes will momentarily grow distant as you think for a moment. As you quietly give thanks.

AS YOU REMEMBER.

The small, round table is covered with a gold linen tablecloth. A single place setting rests there, of fine bone china. A wineglass stands upon the table, inverted, empty. On the dinner plate is a pinch of salt. On the bread plate is a slice of lemon. Besides the plate lies a bible. There is a small vase with a single red rose upon the table. Around the vase is wound a yellow ribbon. There is the empty chair.

We will remember because over the course of our careers, we will have had the opportunity to enjoy many a formal evening of dinner and dancing in the fine company of those with whom we have the honor to serve, and their lovely ladies. And as the night wears on, our faces will in time become flushed with pleasure of each other’s company, with the exertions on the dance floor, with the effects of our libations. But while the feast is still at its best, order will be called to the room – we will be asked to raise our glasses to the empty table, and we will be asked to remember:

The table is round to show our everlasting concern for those who are missing. The single setting reminds us that every one of them went to their fates alone, that every life was unique.

The tablecloth is gold symbolizing the purity of their motives when they answered the call to duty.

The single red rose, displayed in a vase, reminds us of the life of each of the missing, and their loved ones who kept the faith.

The yellow ribbon around the vase symbolizes our continued determination to remember them.

The slice of lemon reminds us of the bitterness of their fate.
The salt symbolizes the tears shed by those who loved them.
The bible represents the faith that sustained them.
The glass is inverted — they cannot share in the toast.
The chair is empty — they are not here. They are missing.

And we will remember, and we will raise our glasses to those who went before us, and who gave all that they had for us. And a part of the flush in our faces will pale as we remember that nothing worth having ever came without a cost. We will remember that many of our brothers and sisters have paid that cost in blood. We will remember that the reckoning is not over.

We many of us will settle with our families into our holiday season, our Christmas season for those who celebrate it, content in our fortune and prosperity. We will meet old friends with smiles and laughter. We will meet our members of our family with hugs. We will eat well, and exchange gifts and raise our glasses to the year passed in gratitude, and to the year to come with hope. We will sleep the sleep of the protected, secure in our homes, secure in our homeland.

But for many families, there will be an empty chair at the table this year. A place that is not filled.

WE SHOULD REMEMBER."

Many Thanks To Alfa6 For Finding Capt. Lefon's Chronicle Of "The Empty Chair."

"Träumerei"
Robert Schumann
(Click)

Never Forget The Brave Men And Women Who Gave
Their Lives To Secure Our Freedom!!

"Riamh nár dhruid ó sbairn lann!"

Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[Liberty Valance]

lol - bttt

[luvie]

....till they all come home.....

Evenin’, Conor! (((hugs)))

[luvie]

Thanks, FRiend for the beautiful eagle picture!

TOTALLY RANDOM TUNES....

Carly Simon~Anticipation

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[luvie]

Thanks, FRiend for the beautiful eagle picture!

TOTALLY RANDOM TUNES....

Dave Koz~Castle Of Dreams

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[ConorMacNessa]

Good evening, Kathy!

*HUGS*

I did indeed Sally Forth today - but I forgot to set my alarm and slept in until 0520. Fortunately, we had late-August Friday traffic this morning and I presented myself at the Office timely.

I finished early this afternoon - stopped off on the way home and bought a couple of mums for the front Garden. They'll be planted in the morning.

America demands Justice for the Fallen of Benghazi!

O stranger, tell the Lacedaemonians that we lie here, obedient to their command.

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[luvie]

Thanks, FRiend for the beautiful eagle picture!

TOTALLY RANDOM TUNES....

David Benoit/Russ Freeman~Smarty Pants

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[ConorMacNessa]

Good evening, Luv!

*HUGS*

It's wonderful to see you this evening!

America demands Justice for the Fallen of Benghazi!

O stranger, tell the Lacedaemonians that we lie here, obedient to their command.

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[spel_grammer_an_punct_polise]

NFL pre-season games. ;-)

[Kathy in Alaska]

WOOHOO, dirt time tomorrow!!

Yesterday I turned my alarm off and barely made it to work on time after I woke up in a panic. I can’t wait to try to sleep in in the morning. Probably won’t sleep, but I don’t have to get up!

[spel_grammer_an_punct_polise]

Tagline has been there for some time now.

This will be my last post until very late tonight or until very early Saturday morning because there are NFL pre-season games on TV. ;-)

[luvie]

Thanks, FRiend for the beautiful eagle picture!

TOTALLY RANDOM TUNES....

Eagles~Get Over It

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[Kathy in Alaska]

OMG, Drumbo....I remember that. Talk about dumber than a box of rocks...that would be Sturgeon General Elder. Rush had a field day with this one.

I really needed this laugh. ((HUGS))

[luvie]

Thanks, FRiend for the beautiful eagle picture!

TOTALLY RANDOM TUNES....

Ernest Tubb/Marty Robbins~Rainbow At Midnight

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[Kathy in Alaska]

Welcome Troops, Veterans, Families, and Allies!
Music posted for your enjoyment. Thank you for serving our country.

Thanks, unique, for the Troops.

Parents, you are responsible for previewing.

Bobby Bare ~ Book of Love

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[Liberty Valance]

Dave Mason - Only You Know & I Know

[luvie]

Thanks, FRiend for the beautiful eagle picture!

TOTALLY RANDOM TUNES....

Frank Black~Violet

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[ConorMacNessa]

A momentous day coming up - John-Man starts College this Monday. My children are all grown up - I don't know what to do with myself!

America demands Justice for the Fallen of Benghazi!

O stranger, tell the Lacedaemonians that we lie here, obedient to their command.

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[Publius]

Hey, Luv.

(HUGS)

I had some bleeding issues today that required me to go back to the surgeon to get the gash re-bandaged. But now it appears to be going well. It isn't bleeding anymore, and it only hurts when I laugh.