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FReeper Canteen Father's Day Weekend - 18 June 2016
Our Troops & Dad's Rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!
| Canteen DJ's
Posted on 06/17/2016 5:59:47 PM PDT by AZamericonnie
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Free Republic
KEYWORDS: canteen; military; troops; veterans
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To: radu; Kathy in Alaska; laurenmarlowe; BIGLOOK; alfa6; EsmeraldaA; SandRat; mylife; TMSuchman; ...
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 others 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!!
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81
posted on
06/17/2016 8:03:32 PM PDT
by
ConorMacNessa
(HM/2 USN - 3/5 Marines RVN 1969 - St. Michael the Archangel defend us in battle!)
To: radu
Howdy, radu! Hope you and hubby and kittehs have a GREAT weekend! :)
82
posted on
06/17/2016 8:04:02 PM PDT
by
luvie
(Love our troops and vets! Thank you for keeping us safe and free!)
To: PROCON
Howdy, PRO!
Have a good Friday?
83
posted on
06/17/2016 8:04:29 PM PDT
by
radu
(May God watch over our troops and keep them safe)
To: Publius
84
posted on
06/17/2016 8:04:36 PM PDT
by
luvie
(Love our troops and vets! Thank you for keeping us safe and free!)
To: radu
Good evening, Radu!
*HUGS*
Happy Friday!
"I am an American fighting man. I serve in the forces guarding our country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense." |
85
posted on
06/17/2016 8:07:44 PM PDT
by
ConorMacNessa
(HM/2 USN - 3/5 Marines RVN 1969 - St. Michael the Archangel defend us in battle!)
To: 2LT Radix jr; acad1228; AirForceMom; Colonel_Flagg; AliVeritas; aomagrat; ariamne; armyavonlady; ...
BECAUSE WE ARE NOW INTO SUMMER H E A T...
Eric Marienthal~Last Day Of Summer
You can find links for purchasing
the tunes at the top
of the thread.
Ping or FReepmail any DJ
with your requests
Thank you for listening!
86
posted on
06/17/2016 8:09:05 PM PDT
by
luvie
(Love our troops and vets! Thank you for keeping us safe and free!)
To: ConorMacNessa
Howdy do, Conor! *Hugz*
Hope your cold’s finally gone so you can enjoy the weekend.
87
posted on
06/17/2016 8:10:03 PM PDT
by
radu
(May God watch over our troops and keep them safe)
To: 2LT Radix jr; acad1228; AirForceMom; Colonel_Flagg; AliVeritas; aomagrat; ariamne; armyavonlady; ...
BECAUSE WE ARE NOW INTO SUMMER H E A T...
Exodus Quartet~Summer Soulstice
You can find links for purchasing
the tunes at the top
of the thread.
Ping or FReepmail any DJ
with your requests
Thank you for listening!
88
posted on
06/17/2016 8:12:31 PM PDT
by
luvie
(Love our troops and vets! Thank you for keeping us safe and free!)
To: LUV W
Howdy LUV!
It would appear you arrived home safe and sound. YAY!
Bet you miss the grandkids already, don’cha? :-)
89
posted on
06/17/2016 8:13:34 PM PDT
by
radu
(May God watch over our troops and keep them safe)
To: AZamericonnie
90
posted on
06/17/2016 8:13:56 PM PDT
by
combat_boots
(The Lion of Judah cometh. Hallelujah. Gloria Patri, Filio et Spiritui Sancto!)
To: 2LT Radix jr; acad1228; AirForceMom; Colonel_Flagg; AliVeritas; aomagrat; ariamne; armyavonlady; ...
BECAUSE WE ARE NOW INTO SUMMER H E A T...
Four80East~Mint Julep
You can find links for purchasing
the tunes at the top
of the thread.
Ping or FReepmail any DJ
with your requests
Thank you for listening!
91
posted on
06/17/2016 8:16:58 PM PDT
by
luvie
(Love our troops and vets! Thank you for keeping us safe and free!)
To: ConorMacNessa
To: 2LT Radix jr; acad1228; AirForceMom; Colonel_Flagg; AliVeritas; aomagrat; ariamne; armyavonlady; ...
BECAUSE WE ARE NOW INTO SUMMER H E A T...
Alex Bugnon~108 Degrees
You can find links for purchasing
the tunes at the top
of the thread.
Ping or FReepmail any DJ
with your requests
Thank you for listening!
93
posted on
06/17/2016 8:18:27 PM PDT
by
luvie
(Love our troops and vets! Thank you for keeping us safe and free!)
To: ConorMacNessa
Yes, the weekend is here at last!
With luck, I’ll have some car show pix tomorrow. I’d planned to enter my car but it’s going to be too hot. Just can’t handle being out in the heat all day any more. But I plan to go to the show to check out the cars that are entered and see folks I haven’t seen in a while.
Is the weather going to cooperate for you to be able to play with your garden goodies? It shouldn’t be much longer before you get to enjoy the fruits of your labors. Yum, yum!
94
posted on
06/17/2016 8:18:49 PM PDT
by
radu
(May God watch over our troops and keep them safe)
To: radu
Yep to both! I AM home and I DO miss those sweet girlies! :)
Piper didn’t want me to leave, but I’ll bet she was happy to be back in her own bedroom so Callie won’t keep her awake half the night. LOL!
I think that little gal is a night owl for sure! :)
95
posted on
06/17/2016 8:21:29 PM PDT
by
luvie
(Love our troops and vets! Thank you for keeping us safe and free!)
To: 2LT Radix jr; acad1228; AirForceMom; Colonel_Flagg; AliVeritas; aomagrat; ariamne; armyavonlady; ...
BECAUSE WE ARE NOW INTO SUMMER H E A T...
George Howard~When Summer Comes
You can find links for purchasing
the tunes at the top
of the thread.
Ping or FReepmail any DJ
with your requests
Thank you for listening!
96
posted on
06/17/2016 8:22:14 PM PDT
by
luvie
(Love our troops and vets! Thank you for keeping us safe and free!)
To: Kathy in Alaska
ROTFLOL!! Hubby does NOT need to see this grill! He’ll want one and I have no clue where we’d get one. Very cool!
97
posted on
06/17/2016 8:22:35 PM PDT
by
radu
(May God watch over our troops and keep them safe)
To: radu; PROCON
98
posted on
06/17/2016 8:22:54 PM PDT
by
luvie
(Love our troops and vets! Thank you for keeping us safe and free!)
To: radu; PROCON
99
posted on
06/17/2016 8:22:56 PM PDT
by
luvie
(Love our troops and vets! Thank you for keeping us safe and free!)
To: PROCON; LUV W
100
posted on
06/17/2016 8:22:58 PM PDT
by
radu
(May God watch over our troops and keep them safe)
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