What is a Veteran

[firemanbill]

A Veteran is someone, who at one point in their life, wrote a blank check payable to the United States of America for an amount up to, and including, their life. Regardless of personal political views, that is an honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer remember that fact.

I am proud to say that I am a Veteran, USAF Retired 1981-2001

Please take a few moments tomorrow to thank a Veteran.

[SHADY]

Great post!!!
Thanks to all our veterans past, present and future....

[idealhobbies]

USAF 1990-1996
28th SPS Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota
48th SPS RAF Lakenheath, UK

[UBHSTRY]

1992-2000 usa

[kenchiroalpha]

Hi
What is a Veteran?

By Father Dennis Edward O'Brien, USMC
Some veterans bear visible signs of their service: a missing limb, a jagged scar, a certain look in the eye. Others may carry the evidence inside them: a pin holding a bone together, a piece of shrapnel in the leg or perhaps another sort of inner steel: the soul's ally forged in the refinery of adversity.
Except in parades, however, the men and women who have kept America safe wear no badge or emblem. You can't tell a vet just by looking.
What is a vet?
He is the cop on the beat who spent six months in Saudi Arabia sweating two gallons a day making sure the armored personnel carriers didn't run out of fuel.
He is the barroom loudmouth, dumber than five wooden planks, whose overgrown frat-boy behavior is outweighed a hundred times in the cosmic scales by four hours of exquisite bravery near the 38th parallel.
She or he is the nurse who fought against futility and went to sleep sobbing every night for two solid years in Da Nang.
He is the POW who went away one person and came back another, or didn't come back AT ALL.
He is the Quantico drill instructor who has never seen combat, but has saved countless lives by turning slouchy, no-account rednecks and gang members into Marines, and teaching them to watch each other's backs.
He is the parade-riding Legionnaire who pins on his ribbons and medals with a prosthetic hand.
He is the career quartermaster who watches the ribbons and medals pass him by.
He is the three anonymous heroes in The Tomb of the Unknowns, whose presence at Arlington National Cemetery must forever preserve the memory of all the anonymous heroes whose valor dies unrecognized with them on the battlefield or in the ocean's sunless deep.
He is the old guy bagging groceries at the supermarket - palsied now and aggravatingly slow - who helped liberate a Nazi death camp and who wishes all day long that his wife were still alive to hold him when the nightmares come.
He is an ordinary and yet an extraordinary human being, a person who offered some of his life's most vital years in the service of his country, and who sacrificed his ambitions so others would not have to sacrifice theirs.
He is a soldier and a savior and a sword against the darkness, and he is nothing more than the finest, greatest testimony on behalf of the finest, greatest nation ever known.
So remember, each time you see someone who has served our country, just lean over and say "THANK YOU." That's all most people need, and in most cases it will mean more than any medals they could have been awarded or were awarded.
Those two little words mean a lot, "THANK YOU."


Happy Veterans Day my friends and comrades
Henry Natowski
US Navy Retired, 1980 to 2003
Take care all
Hank

[firemanbill]

Veteran's Salute

[idealhobbies]

Kenchiroalpha,

OUTSTANDING POST!

Thank you.

[KeithTX]

USAF 1982-1988
1st SPS, Langley AFB

[gramps2161]

A big thank you to all you vets past, present, and currently serving our country.
John

[kenchiroalpha]

Hi

Veterans Day 2010

Take care
Hank

[Slowjohn]

USAF 1972 ~ 1976

Most times I wish I'd of stayed in.

Standing By,
SJ

[idealhobbies]

Originally Posted by Slowjohn

USAF 1972 ~ 1976

Most times I wish I'd of stayed in.

Standing By,
SJ

You are not alone. I would have retired last June had I stayed in. Stupid stupid stupid

[Big Johnny]

Originally Posted by kenchiroalpha

Hi
What is a Veteran?

By Father Dennis Edward O'Brien, USMC
Some veterans bear visible signs of their service: a missing limb, a jagged scar, a certain look in the eye. Others may carry the evidence inside them: a pin holding a bone together, a piece of shrapnel in the leg or perhaps another sort of inner steel: the soul's ally forged in the refinery of adversity.
Except in parades, however, the men and women who have kept America safe wear no badge or emblem. You can't tell a vet just by looking.
What is a vet?
He is the cop on the beat who spent six months in Saudi Arabia sweating two gallons a day making sure the armored personnel carriers didn't run out of fuel.
He is the barroom loudmouth, dumber than five wooden planks, whose overgrown frat-boy behavior is outweighed a hundred times in the cosmic scales by four hours of exquisite bravery near the 38th parallel.
She or he is the nurse who fought against futility and went to sleep sobbing every night for two solid years in Da Nang.
He is the POW who went away one person and came back another, or didn't come back AT ALL.
He is the Quantico drill instructor who has never seen combat, but has saved countless lives by turning slouchy, no-account rednecks and gang members into Marines, and teaching them to watch each other's backs.
He is the parade-riding Legionnaire who pins on his ribbons and medals with a prosthetic hand.
He is the career quartermaster who watches the ribbons and medals pass him by.
He is the three anonymous heroes in The Tomb of the Unknowns, whose presence at Arlington National Cemetery must forever preserve the memory of all the anonymous heroes whose valor dies unrecognized with them on the battlefield or in the ocean's sunless deep.
He is the old guy bagging groceries at the supermarket - palsied now and aggravatingly slow - who helped liberate a Nazi death camp and who wishes all day long that his wife were still alive to hold him when the nightmares come.
He is an ordinary and yet an extraordinary human being, a person who offered some of his life's most vital years in the service of his country, and who sacrificed his ambitions so others would not have to sacrifice theirs.
He is a soldier and a savior and a sword against the darkness, and he is nothing more than the finest, greatest testimony on behalf of the finest, greatest nation ever known.
So remember, each time you see someone who has served our country, just lean over and say "THANK YOU." That's all most people need, and in most cases it will mean more than any medals they could have been awarded or were awarded.
Those two little words mean a lot, "THANK YOU."


Happy Veterans Day my friends and comrades
Henry Natowski
US Navy Retired, 1980 to 2003
Take care all
Hank

Hank I cried when I read this. My Dad was a SeaBee on Siapan, Iwo Jima & Okinawa & Korea. He was a 17 year old kid in the middle of all that misery & hell.

[tedmo]

Originally Posted by kenchiroalpha

Hi

Veterans Day 2010

Take care
Hank

USN PBY turret gunner
1943-1946

[firemanbill]

Originally Posted by tedmo

USN PBY turret gunner
1943-1946

You're my Hero Ted. Thank you for your service to our Great Nation.

[kenchiroalpha]

Originally Posted by tedmo

USN PBY turret gunner
1943-1946

Hi
Im very pleased to meet you
Thank you for your service through one of the most devastating times of our nations and the worlds history and when all of you who served at that time gave us the world and principles of freedom for all that we have now
I salute you and all who served in that dark time ,you where the light that banished the dark and evil and mere words cannot express my gratitude properly
Take care my new friend and comrade
Yours Hank

[NJSwede]

I know it doesn't count, but I spent a year (1988) of mandatory military service in the Swedish Navy chasing Soviet submarines that for some reason had misunderstood where the Swedish border was located...

That being said, a big thank you to all the folks defending the great country I've been calling my home for almost exactly ten years now!

[Saddlebum]

usa 1967-69
usaf 1969-71

[bthrel]

USAF 1983-2003, Best time was spent on the regional Honor guard while serving with the 3380 MSS at Keesler AFB, Biloxi MS.

Thanks to all who serve and have served

And thanks to those who supported us.

Brian

[kenchiroalpha]

Originally Posted by NJSwede

I know it doesn't count, but I spent a year (1988) of mandatory military service in the Swedish Navy chasing Soviet submarines that for some reason had misunderstood where the Swedish border was located...

That being said, a big thank you to all the folks defending the great country I've been calling my home for almost exactly ten years now!

Hi
I salute and thank you
Take care dear friend
Yours Hank

[kenchiroalpha]

Originally Posted by bthrel

USAF 1983-2003, Best time was spent on the regional Honor guard while serving with the 3380 MSS at Keesler AFB, Biloxi MS.

Thanks to all who serve and have served

And thanks to those who supported us.

Brian

Hi Brian
Im pleased to meet you
Thank you for your service
Take care
Yours Hank

[Slowjohn]

Originally Posted by
Originally Posted by [B

NJSwede[/B]

I know it doesn't count, but I spent a year (1988) of mandatory military service in the Swedish Navy chasing Soviet submarines that for some reason had misunderstood where the Swedish border was located...

That being said, a big thank you to all the folks defending the great country I've been calling my home for almost exactly ten years now!

You were serving against Communism, right?
Then IMHO your service to your country at that time does count!!!
Thank You.

Standing By,
SJ

[kenchiroalpha]

Originally Posted by Saddlebum

usa 1967-69
usaf 1969-71

Hi
Thank you for your service
Take care dear friend
Yours Hank

[idealhobbies]

Originally Posted by NJSwede

I know it doesn't count, but I spent a year (1988) of mandatory military service in the Swedish Navy chasing Soviet submarines that for some reason had misunderstood where the Swedish border was located...

It most certainly DOES count. You served your people.