I just wanted to post a thank you for all of our veterans for all that you have done and continue to do to protect our freedom.
Fine sentiment. I too would like to thank all who have served and/or continue to serve. While I am an American Airman I will always have a place in my heart for members of all of our nations forces.
Here Here. A heartfelt thanks to all who have served and continue to serve. Thank You for being there! With great respect, Dan
Every day I remember that, were it not for the labors and lives of Veterans, our world would not be as good a place as it is. A neighbor and very close friend was a WWII and Korean War Veteran (Air Force and Army, respectively). He flew bombers out of England when he was a kid and kept things running in Korea when he was older. Mr Peck hated war and its consequences, but he taught me to thank the veterans I encounter in daily life. I was lucky to be able to thank him a number of times while he was still here. I miss him and am grateful for him and all those like him. Thank you to all of you that have served or continue to serve.
"Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die." --G.K. Chesterton To my parents, who both served, and my uncle, a Vietnam Veteran, and all others, past and present, I offer a heartfelt "thank you."
Today I've had lots of occassion to remember the first time I was thanked for my service. It was only a week or so after the 9-11 attack. Me and a couple of my troops were off base (in Abilene, TX.) at a local eatery for lunch (in uniform of course). We sat at a table close to the door and ate our lunch. An older man and his wife on their way out of the restaurant stopped in front of our table. The man said, "Thank you fellas, for your service, sacrifice and everything you do. God Bless You All." With that, he gave us all a firm handshake, and quite taken a back by the whole thing, none of us really knowing what to say, we simply said, "You're very welcome." We continued to eat our lunch, all still rather amazed that this guy would take time out of his day to thank us. At that point I had been on active duty for well over 20 years and had never had an experience like this. Then something happened that totally blew me away. As the lunch time crowd made for the exits, more people stopped to thank us. All kinds of people, young women with kids, older people, young couples, more people leaving stopped to thank us than did not. None of us would admit it at the time but I have to admit I had a bit of a lump in my throat as I left the restaurant. I've been thanked for my service a bunch of times since but have never really known how to respond. You see, for GIs, it's our job. Sure, to most of us there's much more impact on our lives and our families' lives and certainly it's much more than a paycheck it's that magic "something larger than yourself." But behind the brash cockiness we proudly display amongst ourselves, we are for the most part a very humble lot. We're OK with acknowledging to ourselves and to other GIs that "we're the poo" but most of us are a bit thrown for a loop when total strangers offer compliments. I can't say I've ever not felt good with the compliment but I always thought it was such a big thing that I should respond appropriately (and didn't know how). Then I settled on, "You're welcome Sir/Ma'am, it's a pleasure and an honor." So that's what I'll leave all of you with. You're all quite welcome, it was a pleasure and an honor. And of course, I'd like to extend heartfelt thanks for all GIs past and present who have made us all free to do everything we do in our lives.
Very well said, GI. I've been in similar situations as well and my response was similar. I usually don't think of Veterans Day when it's coming up but always am reminded and remembered by a wonderful card from my sister.
Anyone who has been around a while, or had parents who were around at that time, can recall a time of day when our troops were given anything but thanks. Sadly it still happens in some corners today when there is a political point to be made. But after 9/11 in particular, I think it hit home for a lot of folks just how much servicemen and women, police, firefighters and first responders do for us that really does have an impact on our lives. The counter-culture attitude that any authority was bad, the military was bad, and the "man" was out to get you melted away into "thank God there are still those willing to run INTO fire (literally and figuratively, with a hail of bullets) rather than away from it."
