I was never more important and vital than I was at 19 and 22, when I played a large role in keeping the North Koreans from invading the South. I look upon the developments in Korea today as a natural extension of work that I and thousands of others did in past decades to keep the fragile peace there. If it brings lasting peace and reunification it will vindicate us.
PING
For the files
When you swear in, (like I did under my Dad doing the swearing in) your turning your existence over to the government to do with as they wish up to and including getting you killed. THAT is the blank check vets have written.
If there is one thing I would change about the military, it would be paid, round trip airfare for any military person stationed overseas who takes approved military leave to return home for whatever reason...........
Furthermore, unless things have changed when I was in, I would create a department of the military focused solely on providing travel arrangements for military personnel going on leave or going home following discharge.
When I left the Army back in 1972, we flew from the Canal Zone to Ft. Jackson, SC for out processing and arrived on a Friday night. When all the paper work was done the following Monday afternoon, they gave me a check for unused leave time and said good bye. (They may have given me travel money but I don't remember).
After I got back to the barracks, I had to find a pay phone and a yellow pages and book a flight back home to Michigan. Fortunately I was able to share a cab to the airport with one of my buddies...........
That weekend was the most surreal time of my life..........
Important to remind people that a veteran is someone who has fought, or at least served in a combat theatre with significant risk of getting killed, not a chubby gal who got PTSD flying a desk for the Air Force while never leaving the CONUS.
I really don’t know a response to this...It is beautifully accurate...Always in my mind....
As a follow up, my experience was nothing compared to a friend of mine who DID serve in Vietnam and processed out in California and had to find his way back to Michigan.........
A group of my vet buddies and I attended a Veteran’s Day thank you event today...A very nice affair, and I’m grateful to be recognized...But...
As I was thanked for “my service” and wished a Happy Veterans Day, over and over, couldn’t help but think there’s something incongruous and contradictory about the expression of such sentiments...
How many of these people just days ago may have marked their ballots for socialists who intend to wreck the Constitution and Bill of Rights we swore to protect and defend?
Makes me wonder sometimes what was the point of it all, and where do I go to get my 4 years back?
Good piece. I recall Ray Starmann posting it last year.
Thank you.
Bttt