[SHEILA]

I did not see anything on here for Veteran's Day so I thought I would share a few words with all of you. I come from a military family. My dad was in the Texas National Guard for 15 years. He was in the 49th armored division. Witch is now the 36 infantry division. MY brother is in the army too. His job is in artillery. He calls in airstrikes. My cousin just graduated from basic about a month ago and will be a combat engineer and my sister's husband is in the army. He is in the 1st Calvary Division out of Fort Hood. He is on his 3rd tour in Iraq right now. My brother will be going back to Iraq in Feb of 09. Therefore, you can see the army runs strong in my family.

I have done some genealogy work on family and I wanted to see how far back the military went back. I have always felt like a born Patriot. The research showed that my family heritage for the military goes all the way back to the Revalanrty War. I have had someone in my family fight in every war that America has been involved with. Talk about an honor. Growing up around the military was unreal. I got to do stuff that most kid never got to do. Like crawling around the inside of a M60 Army tank. How cool is that. I was as a young child that serving in the military was an honor and a privilege. To die for one's country was conceder a noble act of sacrifice. It is not meant to be shameful. To many people think that it is a wasted of life. I am here to tell all of you it is not.

The war in Iraq has hit close to home for me. My brother was in an IED( improvised explosive devise) attack. He ran into a ambush while he was out on patrol. He lost two of his friends in his humvee. My brother took shrapnel to the face and had to have major surgery. He is
ok now but the wounds still runs deep on his soul. He saved the rest of his unit of about 20 guys from being killed by calling in an airstrike. He is a true hero in my book. But you would never get him to adment to that.

I know my sister’s husband has lost friends to. The war hit very close to home for one of our hometown boys. On of my coworkers just lost her grandson in a mortar attack on October 16 2008. He was 21 years old. He was in the 5th infantry division.
There where 10 others injured in the attack. He was married and had a new baby about 2 mouths old. He will be truly missed. He gave the ultimate sacrifice. His life.

So I say to all of you on this Veteran's Day. Say thank you to a vet. Pay tribute to them and never forget them.

A Forgotten Hero


Who is that man I asked myself
As I watched him from afar
Sitting on a park-bench there,
Trying to light an old cigar...
I wondered where he had gotten it
For the shape was not so round
And so I whispered to myself
Perhaps he found it on the ground-
Being curious like I always am
I wanted to find out more, because
I write for the daily newspaper, and
News is what I'm looking for...
So I walked over to the man
And asked, "Mind if I sit down"?
He said "Please do my friend, I wish you would
Cause no-one ever comes around"-
I asked to see just what it was that
He was holding in his hands...
He said "just a couple old war Medals
But folks today don't understand-
I've been a 'tryin'to sell'em both so
I can get a bite to eat
But folks say no, they're out of style,
World War Two medals are antiques."
I gave the old timer a five dollar bill
As I got up from the bench to leave
And I said "you keep your precious Medals friend
You've earned them I do believe."
A day or so later I picked up a paper
And was reading an article which said,
A man was found on a park-bench
And the poor old fellow was dead.
No one seems to have known him, since
He was homeless, no family, no land,
Just a couple of old War Medals
Which he clutched tightly in his hands...
A Bronze Star Medal and a Purple Heart
Tells us that he gave his best-and
Now one more "Forgotten Hero"
Is being laid to rest.
Richard Hemphill
Copyright 2004

[ScreamingBansheila]

Bless you, your family and close friends for giving the greatest gift one can possibly give to their country. Your lives.

I, personally, do not think that a life time in the military is a waste of a life; I think it is time well spent to protect the family and friends that live in this country.
God bless you and your family. God Bless America.

Happy Veterans Day

[Kyrian]

My dad and grandpa were both in the military. And Im so thankful that they both survived.

When I think about all the men and women who didnt come home, it realy hurts.
They gave their lives to keep all of us free. They wont ever come home to see their family and friends again.

Even worse, I think, are the folk in the military who are still there and who wonder, late at night, in the dark, if this will be the day that they die...

I helped a friend who visits Veteran's Hospitals and nursing homes.
I often accompanied her to the Vet Hospital and saw some men and some women there who were missing limbs or had other war related injuries.

One of the worst things that veterans feel is that no one cares. Some of the older ones no longer have family. After the war is over, a lot of them are forgotten.

One day we got a big box of used but good paperback books that we donated to the Vet Hospital. My friend and I spent several hours writing a message on the inside of the cover. It was generaly "Thank you for my freedom."

I often wonder without the sacrifice of life or health that these brave soldiers make for us, where would we all be now? Would our country still be free or would we be occupied by a foreign nation by now??

So I have to say, Thank you Veterans and Soldiers everywhere! Thank you for my freedom and my free Country!

[MacBeth]

I think it's good to appreciate, not just the US veterans, but veterans from other countries as well. I only wish that the current generation of veterans could be the last.

Jubal sang of the golden years
When war and wounds may cease;
But Tubal fashioned the hand-flung spears
And won his neighbours peace --

New, new as the nine-point-two,
Older than Lamech's slain;
Roaring and loud is the feud avowed
'Twixt Jubal and Tubal Cain.

[MacsChick]

You're right--we had nothing on here for Veteran's Day. For shame! My grandfather was shot down in WWII and spent hours treading water (and battling sharks)! Before being rescued. My stepfather served honorably in Vietnam. I salute all those who have fought to protect our freedoms and keep this country safe!