Another Veteran’s Day is upon us, and you have to wonder just how many people take that minute to think of all of those who have served and are serving today. So many have made such a profound impact on our lives and tend to be overlooked. I guess for this Veteran’s Day I would like to take a minute to throw a few thank you notes out there. I picked a starting point in the more modern era, so here goes.
To all of those who went to Europe in the world’s time of need and spent parts of your life in the trenches enduring pain and suffering for your fellow man. Your war was fought with horses and trucks, trapped in a stagnant front with the new aircraft, machine guns and chemical weapons. In the end you were the ones who made the difference, eliminated the Kaiser and his war machine, and freed a chunk of Europe.
Then there was the generation that went back, decades later, to fight Nazis and a new enemy, the Imperial Japanese military. The battles were brutal and casualties high, but you did it again. This time you freed many more people from tyranny and eliminated enemies with black hearts.
Oh, we almost forgot the Korean War guys. Just a few years removed from WWII you were called to rescue a country that had just been freed from one enemy and was now in the jaws of our new enemy, communism. Millions of Chinese joined the fight against you, but you never wavered, and in the end the country was freed
Hey, Vietnam vets, you got the raw deal. You served your country in an unpopular war and received terrible treatment and misunderstanding for your efforts. Activists made you look terrible for their own gain and a front page. You served no less than others and waited years to be recognized at all.
Who could forget the Cold War guys? I guess we all did. They served for decades in a war to keep communism within its’ borders. Your war was secret and global. There were so many others; Siberia (1918), Panama, Grenada, Beirut, Yugoslavia, the Persian Gulf War, and all who served in between. I guess there are a lot of you.
Future veterans are at it again, serving their country, giving of themselves, missing time with family and friends for what they believe in. Today our military faces a new enemy. This time the battle lines are invisible, the enemy elusive. They are a worldwide movement, not of any nation. They are also willing to kill women and children before facing those that could fight them.
A special note to all of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, those who went to war and never came back. This selfless act, along with all the other veterans, is the backbone of our freedom today. These are the people that carried the flag and the country on their backs when times got tough.
So, thank you!
