Free Republic

The Army deployed 65 infantry divisions for the Second World War. Each was a small town with its own equivalents for community services plus eight categories of combat arms. Units such as artillery, engineering, and heavy weapons engaged the enemy directly. Yet of all categories, the foot soldier faced the greatest hazard with the least chance of reward. Except for the Purple Heart and the coveted Combat Infantryman’s Badge, recognition often eluded them because so few came through to testify to the valor of the many. The infantryman confronted the most dismal fate of all whose duty was uninterrupted by...

America’s war veterans are among the most unappreciated members of society. Countless films and documentaries put out by Hollywood and the mainstream media fail to accurately depict their true grit and the horrors they have faced battling evil around the world.

Fighting soldiers from the sky Fearless men who jump and die Men who mean just what they say The brave men of the Green Beret Silver wings upon their chest These are men, America's best One hundred men we'll test today But only three win the Green Beret Trained to live, off nature's land Trained in combat, hand to hand Men who fight by night and day Courage deep, from the Green Beret Silver wings upon their chest These are men, America's best One hundred men we'll test today But only three win the Green Beret Back at home a...

Remember On this day, remember The men who died And, for their sake, don't ever forget The loved ones they left behind They gave it all For you and me They paid the full and final price To keep us strong and free Despite their worst fears They took the bloody field They faced the awful foe They would not yield Greater love for his friends Can no man show Than to give his life And take the blow Christ set the perfect example Long ago, across the sea Of service, of sacrifice, of suffering To set, and to keep,...

Do Americans really want to remember their war heroes? Not just to claim to one day per year, but really to do so in a meaningful way? If by remember, we mean it in the same sense in which we remember things like the 2004 World Series, the television show Cheers, or the Ford administration, then sure, we can remember those who have given their lives in war.

Do Americans really want to remember their war heroes? If by saying “remember,” we mean it in the same sense in which we remember things like the 2004 World Series, the television show Cheers, or the Ford administration, then sure, we can take some time to think of those who have given their lives in war. But in reality, Memorial Day ought to involve something more substantive than merely remembering. What the day really calls for is commemorating, but very little in our contemporary culture is particularly attuned to having the orientation toward history that would make this truly...

There are no words, only pictures of wounded veterans. Please go to the site, and click through.

"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." —Winston Churchill As we do on this day each year, we pause to remember the men and women who died fighting for our freedom. We stand by humbly, gratefully, silently, to honor their sacrifice.We remember…We mourn for those lost…And we mourn for those they’ve left behind…As we reflect again on the the steep price of freedom.By all means, enjoy your picnics, parades and celebrations today – it is a holiday after all. But do pause to remember and honor all the brave...

"I don’t trust anyone who was in the military." - sickoflibs, posted last night.

As I sat all alone in the courthouse square, an old man named Sam approached me there. His once-dark locks were now all gray. His eyes were bright, sharp, and clear. They pierced your soul, your heart, your mind, and showed not a trace of fear. He looked tired and weary, aged past his years. His lips held a smile, but his hand wiped a tear

As ISIS continues its orgy of rape and beheadings in Ramadi, perhaps our president could show a rare flash of dignity by simply slipping out the back door of the White House and down the road to the links instead of putting on his annual farce of “honoring” the sacred dead at Arlington. If he gave one half a damn about those who gave their lives for this country, the black flag wouldn’t be flying over the cities and towns purchased with the blood of so many valiant warriors. But Barack Obama, like the rest of the liberal elite, cares...

EL PASO, Texas -- On the day to remember America's war dead, Twin Peaks is saying thank you to military veterans by offering a free meal this Memorial Day. The national chain is making the meals available to all current and former members of the U.S. Armed Forces at all its locations in the Borderland and across the country. The offer is valid for lunch or dinner. Veterans will get to choose a free entrée from a special menu, which includes Blackened Chicken Quesadillas and Fish Tacos.

ARLINGTON, Va. The perfect symmetry of alabaster headstones, majestically holding formation along this national cemetery's pastoral hills, reminds you that our soldiers are sentinels guarding our republic, even in death. On a sunny spring day, a lone figure held a tiny flag blowing vigorously in the wind as he knelt before a headstone. He held a conversation with a lost service member, perhaps a son or daughter, alternating between amusement and grief. Taps played from off in the distance. Only the heartless could fail to be touched by the raw emotion of that moment or by the somber presence of...

Seventy years ago, we celebrated the end of World War II in Europe. That celebration is not the first memory of my childhood but it is one of the clearest. I was a 5-year-old boy in Cape Town, South Africa, proudly displaying a paper Union Jack, the familiar British flag, and watching the victory parade. I often wonder where the flags came from — before offset printing and photocopying — in time for the parade. Someone knew victory was at hand. There was a palpable, universal happiness — though more subdued, I am told, than the outbursts that greeted the...

Uses his stardom to ‘do a little more’ Gary Sinise began providing free performances and dinners for Vietnam veterans — what he called “vets nights” — in the late 1970s, long before he was a household name thanks to his Oscar-nominated portrayal of the man who loses his legs in the jungles of Vietnam. Even before he portrayed Lt. Dan Taylor, the Vietnam commander saved by Forrest Gump from certain death in the 1994 best picture winner, the Chicago native and co-founder of the iconic Steppenwolf Theater knew he had to do something to give back to America’s heroes. “I...

....Michelle Obama, Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert A. McDonald, Tom Hanks, and Pastor Joel Osteen will all play a part in a special week devoted to military and veteran caregivers, hosted by the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, May 19 – 21, in Washington, DC.

Governor Palin attended last nights fundraiser for the SEAL – Naval Special Warfare Family Foundation aboard the USS Iowa in San Pedro, California.

Sarah Palin Honors SEALs Aboard USS Iowa Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin honors SEALs aboard the USS Iowa last night at a dinner gala and auction held by the SEAL-NSW Family Foundation. In a brief interview with Ruben Jay, she said, “what an honor for Todd and I to be here. This is iconic of course – the history of this chunk of metal and what it represents; the history and the representative that it is of the virtues and characteristics of our military. It’s an honor to be here to help raise money for families of Navy SEALs and...

In order to expand eligibility for the Veterans Choice Program, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today announced that it will determine eligibility for the Veterans Choice Program based on the distance between a Veteran’s place of residence and the nearest VA medical facility using driving distance rather than straight-line distance. This change has been published in the Federal Register and is effective immediately. “VA is pleased to announce the distance calculation change from straight-line to driving distance for the Veterans Choice Program,” said Secretary Robert McDonald. “This update to the program will allow more Veterans to access care when...

In a pilot program designed to reduce GHG emissions and safety risks and provide better clean food preparation in mobile food vending, the Big Apple will be home to the next generation of eco-friendly food carts.Food carts, while being convenient for consumers and a good small business venture for foodies and entrepreneurs, are also a source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and air pollution, as well as being potential public safety hazards from their onboard propane tanks. And in a metropolis like New York City, with some 8000 mobile food carts on the streets, the environmental and health effects of...