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Today is Veterans Day.........

I would like to say thank you to my fellow veterans who stood beside me, served and died for the causes that out country has taken in the past and today. you may not believe in some, nor do you have to. your veterans gave you the right to have a different opinion and have upheld that through time.
But do not look upon them as villians in those causes, we follow orders and do as we are commanded. We are trained to fight for your right to have opinions and speak your mind.
For those who have not returned, and thier families that sit hoome today who have lost thier love, friend, father, brother, sister, mother, To those i say, " I feel your pain, i can't take it away, but i know it. I have lost friends, dear close friends, and a brother. " AND I SAY THANK YOU ! ! ! for someone who chose to go and fight. I say thank you for the food service workers that chose to go and feed our boys....the BX and PX people who went so they could have a burger that tastes like home or a slice of pizza........
I am also thankful, My son has returned from Iraq this past Sunday....whole and in one big piece, My friends son came home a week before to his mother and in one piece....no one service is better than the other as i have served with you all in one way or another, just different. We are all together this glorious day.
God Bless you my brothers, I love you all and i thank you.....Enjoy one of the few things we have left as soldiers....They have cut our benifits, but we still have our day................I salute you all.
Boomer

Well said Boomer.....thank you to all past and present serving in the Armed Forces!

That's great boomer...good to hear your son is home safe.

Thank you to all the veterans here, elsewhere, past and present...without their sacrifices none of us may have the opportunities we have today. True heroes, they all deserve to be recognized by name, although that would be a long list!

Boomer has written the best post I have ever read.

I spent 13 months in Iraq as an Infantryman so I am very happy your son is home safe.

God Bless the USA.

Veterans Day took on a special meaning for me today. Our military played a very special and vital role in our community in the aftermath of Katrina and I want to thank our "Katrina Veterans". The Pennsylvania Army National Guard ran the Slidell food distribution center. For 12 hours a day over 6 weeks, they tirelessly handed out water, ice, and MREs to the many, many residents in sweltering heat and swarms of mosquitoes. They were always so supportive and friendly. 130 National Guard troops, 200 Marines, and 50 Navy Seabees removed debris and cleaned up our schools to help insure that we met the target date of Oct. 3rd for reopening. It is impossible to thank these wonderful people enough for what they have done for us. Their impact on our community was especially evident today during our Veterans Day program at school. I have not seen students so involved in participating in a program since 9-11. Everyone was moved to tears as we watched a disabled veteran struggle from his wheelchair to stand for the Pledge and National Anthem. The football team dressed out and sang a special song for our guests. The chorus and band performed flawlessly and we are missing so many of our kids. The students sang Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the U.S.A." with heart and emotion, the opening lines bringing many tears.

If tomorrow all the things were gone I’d worked for all my life,
And I had to start again with just my children and my wife.
I’d thank my lucky stars to be living here today,
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom and they can’t take that away.

A special thank you to boomer, his wife and son, Scott1s, and all our members who are veterans for your service to our country! We love you and we are all forever in your debt!
For those who paid the ultimate sacrifice - Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13 NIV

VERY VERY WELL SAID, ALL WHO HAVE POSTED ON THIS THREAD, B4 THIS REPLY, it is great to see that what started on the 11th day of the 11th month at 11.00am 1918 "when the guns fell silent" means as much today as ever.

What beautiful posts in this thread...PingsRBest, just hearing that song nearly chokes me up. I remember hearing it for the first time when I was in 2nd grade, and it had the same effect then...a touching, powerful tune for sure. Again, all the veterans and those currently serving are the reasons we have everything we have today...God bless them all.

Very nice post. I will say... My dad was in the Navy for 20 years. So, was my uncle, and even though I never ended up in the military (I don't know why, I just didn't) that the familys pay the price too. Wives have to go without their husbands for extended periods of time, fathers and mothers without their sons and daughters and children without their fathers. So to all of the Military and their familys I salute you.

boomer, thank you for remembering that even those who are not on the frontlines are still serving their country. I spent 10 years in the Air Force, 6 of those in Special Operations. Although never having been under fire, the work my squadron was responsible for during Desert Shield/Storm saved thousands of soldier's, Marine's, Green Beret's, and SEAL's lives. We didn't receive medals, we didn't receive combat pay, but we were as much a part of the fighting as anyone else.

So, along with boomer and the rest of the people here, I want to thank EVERY member of the armed forces, active and reserve, past and present - Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard, - for their service. If you wore the uniform proudly, and served honorably, you deserve our respect and admiration. And not just one day a year, but every day that we enjoy the freedom you provide to us.