As I considered a post for this day, a day where we remember the service of men and women in our armed forces who fought to preserve our freedom, I looked at a number of images and photos. Some showed wounded soldiers, some showed the funerals of soldiers, one showed a soldier doing the mundane work of "burning the shitters" at a forward base. This one though, this one spoke to me. Although it was taken in Afghanistan in 2010, soldiers of every war can be seen in the slightly weary face of Sgt. Thomas James Brennan of Massachusetts in his damp bivouac. So to every veteran I say thank you for your service.I was getting gas tonight and I saw a spry elderly man jump out of his SUV. He was wearing a Navy cap. I greeted him, "Happy Veteran's Day, thank you for your service!" He was delightful, cracking wise about how everything today was "free or discounted," telling me of his breakfast at HyVee and his coming dinner at Applebee's. "I might even reenlist." he says, "but I'm only 82--too young--they won't take me." He served in the Pacific during WWII. No need sir, we'll take it from here.
Veterans, thank you. And also a big thank you to the families of service members.
Above photo from "Big Picture" blog. Here's a link to the series.
2 comments:
T.O.:
That's a great story you related...
You have to admire those from WW2 for their continued "spunk".
My Dad was like that until he passed in '78.
Quick with the wit.
They earned it, though.
I love what Applebees does for the vets, too.
Great post.
Have yourself a marvelous weekend.
Bob G:
I so enjoy opportunities to interact with relaxed veterans of any war. I was privileged to work at the VA for a few years. Yes, some vets are deeply troubled, but even they, when they are helped and helping themselves, are full of life.
I picked that picture for the reason that a veteran of any conflict can relate to it. There's no vet who ever saw the combat field, even the so-called "rear", who did not suffer with less sleep and more weather than the normal. From the WWII Easy Co survivor to the most recent returnee from Iraq or Afghanistan--this was an image that would ring a bell!
Hope your weekend is peaceful!
T.O.
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