Happy Veteran's Day!

[StormingB81]

From and Active duty Marine I would like to Thank all the veterans out there both past a fellow military members of all branches. I would also thank those before me who gave the ulimate sacrifice so I could live in a country of peace and freedom. From those who stormed the beaches of Normandy to the Chosin few in North Korea. From Vietnam to both Gulf Wars. From Afghanistan to everyplace inbetween. God Bless the military both Past, Present and Future and God Bless this Country!

P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARINE CORPS!!!

[cycloneye]

[Stephanie]

ABSOLUTELY!

Thank you to all of our veterans, past and present.

[vbhoutex]

It is because of every person who has ever served in the United States military that I am free to make this post and ask God's Blessing on each one of them past and present. THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU FOR MY FREEDOMS.

[HeartofNC]

From my heart, thank you Veterans.

[southerngale]

They Did Their Share

On Veteran’s Day we honor
Soldiers who protect our nation.
For their service as our warriors,
They deserve our admiration.

Some of them were drafted;
Some were volunteers;
For some it was just yesterday;
For some it’s been many years;

In the jungle or the desert,
On land or on the sea,
They did whatever was assigned
To produce a victory.

Some came back; some didn’t.
They defended us everywhere.
Some saw combat; some rode a desk;
All of them did their share.

No matter what the duty,
For low pay and little glory,
These soldiers gave up normal lives,
For duties mundane and gory.

Let every veteran be honored;
Don’t let politics get in the way.
Without them, freedom would have died;
What they did, we can’t repay.

We owe so much to them,
Who kept us safe from terror,
So when we see a uniform,
Let’s say "thank you" to every wearer.

By Joanna Fuchs

[Ptarmigan]

God bless our troops and veterans. You make American great.

[Dionne]

Veterans day is always a hard one for me. It's a difficult day to be happy. It's more a day of respect and gratitude. I'm a 3rd generation veteran. Both my grandfather and father are buried in national cemeteries.

Today is a national holiday. The post office is closed, the bank is closed. Do you have any idea how many veterans are at work today? Lots of them. Do you know why they are at work? I suspect mostly so they can pay the bills. Maybe the boss is to greedy to give a veteran a paid day off.

Interesting to note that the job I was on today had only 4 men show up. All 4 are veterans.....(3 are combat vets). We all did the handshake/hug. And went to work.

My wish..........is that all the vets out there that read this.....I hope you have a safe day, a good meal and a warm bed to sleep in tonight.

Homeless veterans is a national disgrace.

[Stephanie]

Homeless veterans is a national disgrace

I agree 10000000%.

[SaskatchewanScreamer]

And from Canada (it is/was Remembrance Day here):

Please remember those who lost life and limb and those who continue to serve today!
Lest We Forget

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields, the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below...

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields...

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands, we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields...

The name of John McCrae (1872-1918) may seem out of place in the distinguished company of World War I poets, but he is remembered for what is probably the single best-known and popular poem from the war, "In Flanders Fields." He was a Canadian physician and fought on the Western Front in 1914, but was then transferred to the medical corps and assigned to a hospital in France. He died of pneumonia while on active duty in 1918. His volume of poetry, In Flanders Fields and Other Poems, was published in 1919.


"THE INQUISITIVE MIND OF A CHILD"
Why are they selling poppies, Mummy?
Selling poppies in town today.
The poppies, child, are flowers of love.
For the men who marched away.
But why have they chosen a poppy, Mummy?
Why not a beautiful rose?
Because my child, men fought and died
In the fields where the poppies grow.
But why are the poppies so red, Mummy?
Why are the poppies so red?
Red is the colour of blood, my child.
The blood that our soldiers shed.
The heart of the poppy is black, Mummy.
Why does it have to be black?
Black, my child, is the symbol of grief.
For the men who never came back.
But why, Mummy are you crying so?
Your tears are giving you pain.
My tears are my fears for you my child.
For the world is forgetting again.

Author Unknown

[pojo]

Happy Veterans Day to EVERYONE that has served and is serving in the military.

Why do we need ONE day to say thanks to a veteran? Why isn't that done everyday?

[Pburgh]

God bless our military past and present. To all those men and women who have sacrificed and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice so that we might have the freedoms that we enjoy, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. God Bless America.

Pojo, most of us are thankful every day. There are those who will never be thankful. That's sad.

[brunota2003]

While I will say happy Veteran's day to everyone...let us remember HOW the holiday started.

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, The Great War came to an end. Quite a few were killed needlessly just a few hours before the ending of the war, sadly.


Here is a good read about the truth behind the Christmas Day Truce (and it notes other occurrences from past wars when similar, but less known, events occured:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_repo ... 197627.stm

[Pburgh]

Armistice Day