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Veterans Day

1K views 16 replies 11 participants last post by  Hadassah 
#1 ·
Today we celebrate those who have served the country in time of need and also peace time. Sorry to say it seems that there is always someplaces in the world where our service men and women are needed. Maybe some day people will realize it is better to live in peace with each other than possible turning this little speck of dust we live on into a cinder that will be blown away by the solar wind.

So Monday I received a letter from this 5th grader who got my name from my grandson who is in his class.

Dear blank blank

My name is Fred Blank, I am in the 5th grade at BlankElementry School. I like riding my bike and spending time with my family.

I am writting to you because Veterans Day is November 11th. I received your name from Blank Blank. I would like to thank you for your service to our country.

Because of people like you I can enjoy the right to marry (could be many)
which is very important to me. Thank You for keeping us safe and free.

Sincerely
Blank


It was a surprize to have received this letter and made me feel good that some schools still have little assignments like this for the future generation.

I wrote him back (at his school) to Thank him for remembering the Veterans of this country and writting such a nice letter.
 
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#5 ·
I Thank Your Marine for their service

For Your Warrior


The Marines' Prayer
Almighty Father, whose command is over all and whose love never fails, make me aware of Thy presence and obedient to Thy will. Keep me true to my best self, guarding me against dishonesty in purpose in deed and helping me to live so that I can face my fellow Marines, my loved ones and Thee without shame or fear. Protect my family. Give me the will to do the work of a Marine and to accept my share of responsibilities with vigor and enthusiasm. Grant me the courage to be proficient in my daily performance. Keep me loyal and faithful to my superiors and to the duties my country and the Marine Corps have entrusted to me. Make me considerate of those committed to my leadership. Help me to wear my uniform with dignity, and let it remind me daily of the traditions which I must uphold. If I am inclined to doubt; steady my faith; if I am tempted, make me strong to resist; if I should miss the mark, give me courage to try again. Guide me with the light of truth and grant me wisdom by which I may understand the answer to my prayer. Amen.


Semper Fi

for those who wonder what Semper Fi means

Semper fidelis is a Latin phrase that means "always faithful" or "always loyal". In the United States it is best known as the motto of the United States Marine Corps.
 
#6 ·
A friend is wintering in AZ. At his grandchildren's school, the kids hosted a breakfast for the veterans in their families. Even had a small brass band. Asked that every vet attending (75) address the students with a few words. Every class had been doing something about veterans in their studies this week. He was quite amazed.

Seems I've heard about more attention on Veteran's Day this year. Sure is deserved.

I am grateful to each one.
 
#9 ·
The Marine prayer is beautiful. Our son is 27. He has his ups and downs. He needs back surgery as prior to Afghanistzn he was in a bad helicopter crash in the Phillipines (pancaked the bird at 100 meters). He hit by an IED and blasted back, concussion, shrapnel, then three days later was shot in the head (hit Kevlar helmet but still like being hit with a bat) by Taliban infiltrated Afghan National Army (exact same group that unloaded on some Navy Seals while they were eating after Zach was hit, killing the Seals). He suffers severe headaches from TBI, and PTSD. plus back pain. Nerve damage in arm, and like clockwork had malaria every five weeks, which seems to be a beast to eradicate. BUT, he came home. His squad didn't. It has been a challenge. Some days my gut twists when he calls me and I tell him "keep showing up, you won't always feel that way" and "you are not going to be a casualty of this war" (he has lost a lot of buddies to suicide, too.

And all of the above seems really grim. But truly, he is getting better. He has 100% retirement and is going to college and is a fantastic artist. One of his favorite therapies was equine therapy. The program with horses had them brushing, leading, and just being around them, plus riding. And they learned that horses mirror your emotions and it taught these wounded warriors that for the horse/man relationship to work you needed to be in tune to your emotions and pay attention to the feedback from the horse. I think they used off track thoroughbreds.
 
#11 ·
The Marine prayer is beautiful. Our son is 27. He has his ups and downs. He needs back surgery as prior to Afghanistzn he was in a bad helicopter crash in the Phillipines (pancaked the bird at 100 meters). He hit by an IED and blasted back, concussion, shrapnel, then three days later was shot in the head (hit Kevlar helmet but still like being hit with a bat) by Taliban infiltrated Afghan National Army (exact same group that unloaded on some Navy Seals while they were eating after Zach was hit, killing the Seals). He suffers severe headaches from TBI, and PTSD. plus back pain. Nerve damage in arm, and like clockwork had malaria every five weeks, which seems to be a beast to eradicate. BUT, he came home. His squad didn't. It has been a challenge. Some days my gut twists when he calls me and I tell him "keep showing up, you won't always feel that way" and "you are not going to be a casualty of this war" (he has lost a lot of buddies to suicide, too.

And all of the above seems really grim. But truly, he is getting better. He has 100% retirement and is going to college and is a fantastic artist. One of his favorite therapies was equine therapy. The program with horses had them brushing, leading, and just being around them, plus riding. And they learned that horses mirror your emotions and it taught these wounded warriors that for the horse/man relationship to work you needed to be in tune to your emotions and pay attention to the feedback from the horse. I think they used off track thoroughbreds.
Hadassa, You are as strong as your name implies. As difficult as things can be for veterans, to me, it seems doubly so for our families. Don't know if your sons back can stand up to a lot of riding, but here is another equine group that works with veterans. Home | Heroes and Horses, Inc.

Hope that helps some.
 
#10 ·
I'm a day late in this forum. But this is the message I usually send out on other social media on Veterans Day (Armistice, or Remembrance Day in places other than the US).

Please take the time, this Veterans Day, to say a special thank you to any current or former Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marine that you know

The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, 1918. This was the day set to end the "war to end all wars". That goal was not achieved. Humankind refuses to abandon the use of violence as various groups attempt to assert themselves at the expense of others.

The United States of America has set aside a day in May to honor those who have fallen in our defense. The eleventh of November is set aside to honor those who made it home from that same quest.

At the Native American gatherings and powwows I have attended, there is a portion of the opening ceremony devoted to veterans. All veterans present are invited into the dance circle. After the honoring ceremony is complete, the veterans gather in the center, shake hands, and offer a simple greeting to one another.

To my fellow veterans, I offer that same greeting to you; Welcome home.

And whether you have served in the armed forces or not, I can only ask that you strive to be the type of person who makes your country worth serving.
 
#12 ·
The eleventh of November is set aside to honor those who made it home from that same quest.
That is an interesting and somewhat unique view, is America different from the rest of the world?

In both the UK and Canada Remembrance Day is for sure to remember the fallen, of all wars, hence the red poppies for spilled blood, and black centre for the earth they are buried in.

It is also to remember, and honour those who came home, but were never the same again, having lost part of themselves on the field of battle.

It also to give thanks and remember all those who have served and are currently serving, carrying out those difficult and dangerous tasks that help to keep the rest of us safe.

My thought this year was quite scary...although I know that there are wars or actions being fought the whole time, I don't think anyone can deny the impact of the two great World Wars. I was born in the 50's to parents who lived through the whole of WW2, through their thoughts and reminiscing, to me that war never seemed like history, it was always king of yesterday. WW1 was more historical, though my Grandad fought in that one. The Boer Wars in Africa though, ancient history, known only through books and paintings. The scary bit, the gap between me and the Boer War, will be like the gap between my grand kids and WW2, an ancient conflict, living only in the dusty pages of history.

When I was small, and the world still fell silent on Remembrance Day, for 2 minutes everything stopped, I could see the emotion on Mum and Dads face as they remembered...because they REALLY remembered. As everyone who has been involved in conflict remembers.

One keeps hoping that remembering might bring us new ways to settle conflicts, that one day in the future we may find a way to all live in some sort of harmony on this planet....I wonder if we ever will
 
#15 ·
That letter is really something special, Regal!

I am a few days late to this this thread.

Veterans day. Well, hmm. DD, currently out of state at school, asked for a specific picture of she and her dad to post with her tribute to veterans and a specific thanks to her dad (DH). What I thought would be a 5 minute effort turned into much, much longer! After an extensive search, I couldn't find the digital copy. I did find the hard copy of the photo, but the scanner software, as I found out, has some incompatibility with the dreaded "10" I'd downloaded. More irritation! I finally ended up just taking a photo of the photo.

And, directly after I sent it to DH I thought, "I sure hope that was worth all that hassle, young lady!!!".

I posted my usual tribute to Sgt. Reckless after that, and went out.

Much later I got on fb, she had posted it and apparently tagged DH - who set up a fb account and rarely, if ever, uses it. There were some very complimentary comments from DH's military friends - people I know DD doesn't know or remember. It took me a second to figure out how they "ended up" commenting on one of her posts before I remember DH actually has a fb account and was tagged. DH, like most vets, does not talk about his service, so I thought it was nice that DD saw ex-military's "comments" about her dad's service. That was special to me - for DD.

So, yeah, I guess all of that frustration was worth it. :)
 
#16 ·
My grt grandfather was awarded a medal for his courage in rescuing injured horses and soldiers in WW1 - he was in the Royal Army Vet Corps
He returned home from the war, his son didn't.
My father fought in WW2, he also came home, his cousin didn't.
The joy that many families experienced in welcoming back loved ones was bittersweet
 

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