Ralph Posted May 29, 2005 Share Posted May 29, 2005 This was posted by a friend of mine elsewhere. "What is a Vet Anonymous author He is the POW who went away one person and came back another - or didn't come back AT ALL. He is the Parris Island 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 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 the three anonymous heroes in The Tomb Of The Unknowns, whose presence at the Arlington National Cemetery must forever preserve the memory of all 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 the bar room loud mouth, dumber than five wooden planks, whose over grown 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 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. Two little words that mean a lot, "THANK YOU." It's the soldier, not the reporter, Who gave us our freedom of the press. It's the soldier, not the poet, Who gave us our freedom of speech. It's the soldier, not the campus organizer, Who gave us our freedom to demonstrate. It's the soldier, Who salutes the flag, Who serves others with respect for the flag, And whose coffin is draped by the flag, Who allows the protestor to burn the flag. Prayer for our Servicemen Lord, hold our troops in Your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ten Hammers Posted May 29, 2005 Share Posted May 29, 2005 Ralph, thanks. Extremely well said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strine Posted May 29, 2005 Share Posted May 29, 2005 And from this side of the puddle I wish that your commemorations go well. Lest we forget Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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