What is a Veteran
SOME TIME AGO, I HAPPENED TO BE IN A LOCAL SUPERMARKET AND AS I COMPLETED MY CHECK OUT ROUTINE AND HEADED TOWARDS THE DOOR, I HEARD THE YOUNG LADY CALL OUT TO ME. THINKING I HAD LEFT SOMETHING BEHIND, I TURNED AND SHE CALLED OUT THAT SHE ONLY WANTED TO THANK ME FOR MY SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY. I HAPPENED TO BE WEARING MY WWII CAP, NOT PRIMARILY TO CALL ATTENTION TO MYSELF, BUT TO IDENTIFY WHO I WAS TO OTHER VETERANS OF THAT WAR. WE ARE A DYING BREED AND EACH DAY FINDS OUR NUMBERS DIMINISHING EXPONENTIALLY. RTHERE IS A SENSE OF KINSHIP WITH OTHERS WHO HAVE WEATHERED THE SAME EXPERIENCE AND WE SHARE A SENSE OF PRIDE. I HEARD A STIRRING BEHIND ME AND AS I TURNED AROUND, I SAW OTHERS IN ADJACENT CHECK OUT STATIONS, APPLAUDING AND SMILING. I FELT AN IMMEDIATE SURGE OF EUPHORIA TO THINK THAT THIS YOUNG LADY, WHO COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE THAN 21 OR 22 WOULD FEEL COMPELLED TO HONOR SOMEONE FOR SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED LONG BEFORE SHE OR HER PARENTS WERE BORN. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I FELT THE BURDEN OF HUMILITY AS I REALIZED MY INSIGNIFICANT PLACE IN THE ARCHIVES OF HISTORY. THOSE OF US WHO HAVE LIVED THROUGH THE WWII ERA, HAVE BEEN LABELED THE GREATEST GENERATION. IT IS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO ACCEPT THIS DISTINCTION FOR IT IMPLIES THAT ALL OTHER GENERATIONS ARE ,IN SOME WAY, MINOR CONTRIBUTORS TO THE GREATNESS OF THIS WONDERFUL COUNTRY. THIS CONTENTION OF SUPERIORITY DOES A GRAVE INJUSTICE TO ALL VETERANS OF OTHER WARS. EACH, IN HIS OWN WAY, HAS CONTRIBUTED IN EQUAL SHARES AS HIS BROTHER. THE GREATEST GENERATION IS A FRAUD AND MYTH THAT WAS INVENTED TO GIVE CREDENCE AND STATURE TO A BOOK WRITTEN BY A NOTED NEWSMAN. IT IS TIME WE PUT THIS NONSENSE IN IT'S PROPER PERSPECTIVE AND BURIED IT ONCE AND FOR ALL TIME. THIS IS THE REASON FOR THIS MEMORIAL. WE HONOR, HERE TODAY, ALL VETERANS OF ALL WARS WHO HAVE PROUDLY WORN THE UNIFORM OF OUR ARMED FORCES AND SERVED HONORABLY WHEN OUR COUNTRY CALLED, FROM THE EARLIEST DAYS OF THE STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE WHEN OUR BROTHERS FOUGHT WITH LITTLE MORE THAN A DETERMINATION TO BE FREE, THROUGH THE SHAMEFUL BATTLE BETWEEN THE STATES SO THAT FREEDOM WOULD APPLY TO ALL PEOPLE AND UP TO TODAY WHERE OUR PRECIOUS FREEDOM IS BEING THREATENED BY FORCES THAT SEEK TO DESTROY US AND OUR WAY OF LIFE. BUT WHAT IS A VETERAN? HE IS AN ORDINARY INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS SIGNED A CONTRACT WITH OUR COUNTRY TO FIGHT OUR ENEMIES UP TO THE POINT OF HIS DEATH, IF NECESSARY HE IS THE EXTRAORDINARY INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS SACRIFICED HIS FUTURE IN DEFENSE OF THIS COUNTRY SO THAT OTHERS NEED NOT SACRIFICE THEIRS.
SOME VETERANS BEAR VISIBLE SIGNS OF THEIR SERVICE, A MISSING LIMB, A JAGGERED SCAR A CERTAIN LOOK IN THEIR EYE
OTHERS CARRY THEIR SCARS ON THEIR SOUL, NOT VISIBLE BUT NONETHELESS, PAINFUL YOU CAN'T TELL A VET BY JUST LOOKING, THEY WEAR NO BADGE OR EMBLEM EXCEPT IN PARADES.
HE'S THE COP ON THE BEAT THAT SPENT SIX MONTHS IN IRAQ DEFUSING ROADSIDE BOMBS.
HE WALKS WITH A CANE NOW BUT HE STORMED ACROSS OMAHA BEACH BRINGING FREEDOM TO AN ENSLAVED CONTINENT
HE IS THE BARROOM LOUDMOUTH DUMBER THAN A LOG BUT HIS JUVENILE BEHAVIOR IS OUTWEIGHED 100 TIMES BY FOUR HOURS OF INCREDIBLE BRAVERY ALONG THE 38TH PARALLEL THAT WON HIM THE MEDAL OF HONOR
SHE IS THE ARMY NURSE WHO FOUGHT AGAINST FUTILITY AND WENT TO BED SOBBING EVERY NIGHT FOR TWO SOLID YEARS AT DA NANG
HE IS THE POW WHO WENT AWAY AS ONE PERSON AND CAME BACK ANOTHER OR HE DIDN'T COME BACK AT ALL.
SHE IS THE MOTHER OF TWO ADORABLE CHILDREN AND SHE WAS AWARDED A DECORATION FOR SERVICE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY
HE IS THE QUANTICO DRILL INSTRUCTOR WHO HAS NEVER SEEN COMBAT BUT HAS SAVED COUNTLESS LIVES BY TEACING SLOUCHING RED NECKS AND SCHOOL DROPOUTS TO BE MARINES AND TO WATCH EACH OTHER'S BACK
HE IS THE UNKNOWN COMBATANT WHO LIES IN THE TOMB AT ARLINGTON KNOWN ONLY TO GOD WHOSE PRESENCE MUST FOREVER PRESERVE THE MEMORY OF ALL THE ANONYMOUS HEROS WHOSE VALOR DIES UNRECOGNIZED WITH THEM ON THE BATTLEFIELD OR IN THE OCEANS SILENT DEEP.
HE IS THE OLD GUY BAGGING GROCERIES AT THE SUPERMARKET, PALSIED NOW AND AGGRAVATINGLY SLOW, WHO HELPED LIBERATE A NAZI DEATH CAMP AND WISHES ALL DAY LONG THAT HIS WIFE WAS STILL ALIVE TO HOLD HIM WHEN THE NIGHTMARES COME
HE IS THE VET IN THE RAGGEDY OLD BATHROBE SITTING ON THE EDGE OF HIS BED WITH THE THOUSAND YARD STARE, SEEING NOTHING BUT LOOKING FOREVER INTO ETERNITY
HE IS A SOLDIER AND 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 IS ALL MOST VETERANS NEED AND IN MOST CASES, IT WILL MEAN MORE THAN ANY MEDALS THEY COULD HAVE BEEN AWARDED OR WERE AWARDED. FREEEDOM IS NOT FREE,
IT HAS BEEN PAID FOR MANY TIMES OVER BY THE BLOOD SHED IN ALL OUR STRUGGLES, THROUGHOUT THE AGES, BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE ASKED FOR NO MORE THAN TO LIVE THEIR LIVES AS FREE MEN AND WOMEN. the illustrations show here,were drawn from free sites on the internet, some of the individuals are known to me, others were used merely to add impact to the printed word. they do not necessarily relate to the individual's association with the military. ---------- william georeg pepe