Veterans Day 2022 - Thoughts, Memories and Prayers

Today is Veteran's Day here in the USA, and for those of you who have served, or who have family members who have served, may you think of them with pride. It's not easy to serve in the military of any nation at any time, although some times and nations are easier than others. Although I'm totally supporting Ukraine in the conflict with Russia, I do feel for the troops that Russia has sent out there. They are considered nothing more than cannon fodder, and when they lose big numbers, it barely makes a ripple in the news. Still, the losses for Russia have been serious too. It's not just Ukraine that's hurting in this conflict, it's the world which is affected. 

In my immediate family, only my father-in-law, my 
brother-in-law and one nephew served in active 
duty. I honor them today, as well as veterans 
throughout the world who have helped to protect 
the weak. 

My parents managed to escape Nazi Germany and the Nazification of Europe, but my father did lose at least one brother who died as a Resistance Fighter in the Czechoslovakian region. My father-in-law served in WWII, but he was stationed in Alaska, guarding our far Northwestern region from possible infiltration and attack by the Soviet Union. He never talked about it much, but did come back from deployment with some excellent cold weather gear that he used for hunting expeditions for many years. 

Although there can be a lot of benefits to service 
in the military, when it gets down to it, you're also 
putting your lives on the line for your country. That's 
a harsh reality for those who have paid the price. 

The majority of veterans I've met aren't very forthcoming about their service. It's memories they don't want to dredge up - some really bad times in some cases, better left unsaid. My own generation served in the Vietnam War, and the generation of my nieces and nephews served in some of the never-ending conflicts the USA has been involved in since those times. Now their own children are approaching the age where military service might be an option or career path in their future. It can be a good career, but as a life-long worker for peace, I'm not sure I support that career path. 

There's something real to think about in this quote. Our 
Veterans hospitals have been a disaster that periodically 
gets revised, then reverts back to a problem once again. 
Our general attitudes to those who serve aren't as 
vitriolic as during Vietnam, but veterans are still met 
with derision and hatred at times, simply because they 
did what they had to do. That's not honor that is 
being given to those who served. 

Still, please honor those veterans you may know or have in your own families today. What they did, and what those who are currently serving are doing, is a hard job - filled with danger and conflicting feelings. Yes, it's a job, and for many it's one of the only jobs they can easily get and succeed in. That's a hard choice. I send my thoughts out to all who serve today and to those who served in the past. May you live out the remainder of your lives without conflict and may you live in peace. Slava Ukraini. 

Veterans Day - Thank You!

Today is Veterans Day, and we honor those who have served and stand with those who are currently serving. Armed Forces cemeteries throughout the nation will be sporting flags at each grave, some streets and avenues will have flags outlining the roadway on each side, and "Taps" will sound multiple times throughout the nation. We honor those who served, and those who gave everything to aid our nation and others nations as well. Even though our nation might be cracked, we're not shattered. We have pieces that can still fit together and a nation of proud people that, if push came to shove, would still fight to protect our borders and our population. Thank you to all who serve - past, present and future. 

Today we honor those who served . "Thank You"
is inadequate for those who paid with their
lives, but "Thank You" is all that we have to offer. 

That's all for today - a short and heartfelt "Thank You". I'll return tomorrow with more of "this and that" because, that's what I do ... a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Have an excellent day. 

Thank You - It's Inadequate But It's All I've Got

I'm wishing a safe Veterans Day to all of my readers. I never wanted to be a part of war, to live through one or experience one in any way, still, my life seems to have been filled with conflicts near and far. I'm slightly too young for the Korean War (or "Conflict" as some call it - if people are killing each other in uniforms from different nations, it's a war). Vietnam was a large part of my youth - watching it on the nightly news as we ate dinner, protesting it in High School and College, and celebrating with so many other people when Nixon resigned, hoping that it would mean an end to the war. 

Nixon resigned on August 8th, 1974. I was working at 
an archaeological field school in New Mexico for the 
summer. When his resignation speech came over the radio, 
everyone gathered at the cook tent to hear his speech, and 
we all broke out in cheers afterward. I was in college at 
that time, still working for my BA. It was a time of hope. 

After Vietnam came the shorter wars in the hot places - the Gulf War, Afghanistan and Iraq. Do you want to be appalled or depressed? Just Google "List of wars involving the United States" and suddenly the fact that the Defense budget is the largest single expense of our nation becomes quite clear. We might talk about peace, but we don't seem able to actually walk that talk without holding a weapon. Depressing doesn't even come close - disgusted might be closer to my feelings. 

Our Defense Budget is huge, but we're not at the top 
of the heap. Russia spends more than we do, and 
the Middle East is scary! 

But whatever my feelings, it doesn't change the fact that millions of young men and women have put their lives on the line for others while wearing a uniform from the USA, and I'm proud of all of them. It's not easy to be in the military - for anyone in any nation. It's a rather thankless job, long hours and poor pay, and you're flung into situations where you may not survive. It doesn't come under the heading of my job preference, but thank goodness someone is brave enough to step up. 

It's a day to remember those who serve - those who are 
active, those who have moved on to other jobs, and those 
who never came home. Praise Them With Great Praise. 

So "Thank You" to all of you who have served or who have had a family member or loved one who has served. I know that "Thank You" isn't adequate, but it's all I have. 

Stay safe, be well, and please wear your mask. I'll be back tomorrow.