Veterans Day
When I joined the Navy at 18, it wasn’t out of a sense of duty or patriotism. It was because I was broke, unemployed, and sleeping on a friend’s couch. My prospects weren’t good, but I had top ASVAB scores and the Navy was happy to train me to be a turbine tech. I got through basic (not hard once you figure out the purpose), sailed through ‘A’ school, and spent a year flying on Navy LCAC’s all over the Pacific Rim. A trip home to Wisconsin on my motorcycle ended my career, when a car crossed the center line and broke enough of my body to take me out of service. I never went into the service expecting a thank you. I knew the terms going in, and as I met my end of the bargain, the Navy met theirs, and while I left broken, I also left with a valuable skill set and enough money to get a degree.
To this day, when strangers see my DOD ID (I’m medically retired), I get a thank you. It’s still a strange thing. I don’t need a thank you. It’s something I know other Vets get as well. We appreciate being appreciated, but that wasn’t why we did it. To be honest, being appreciated is so far down the list of why people I know and served with did it as to be statistical noise. But as strange as it is, it’s still nice.
So if you know a vet, say thanks. They probably don’t want it, expect it, or need it, but like when someone holds a door open for you, it’s a nice gesture and always appreciated.
And if you are a vet, go get a free lunch at Applebee’s or something. If people are willing to be generous, let them.
Thanks!
I really hope that at least one of those hovercraft is named The U.S.S. Alan Parsons Project.Report
Sadly, no. They are just numbered (I served on LCAC01 & LCAC33). Although the craftmaster usually dreams up a call sign when deployed (LCAC33 was WidowMaker 33, because our chief pictured himself a bad ass).
So it’s entirely possible there is/was a craftmaster who is/was a Simpson’s fan…Report
Isn’t that what Joffrey Baratheon named his valyrian steel sword?Report
It’s a common term for a large hanging tree branch that is in danger of falling; I think it’s also a slang medical term for a specific type of heart attack. But it’s sort of a generic term for “kills men” (there’s more than one difficult ski run named this).Report
It was also a common term for felled trees that got hung up on other trees (back in the days when lumberjacks used hand saws & axes, instead of powertools & machinery).Report
Thank you for your service, Oscar.
Last night my son and I spent the night in an emergency veterinary hospital with my roommate while we held his dog as she was put to sleep. He served in the Navy for six years in Afghanistan and other frontlines. When he came home, he got a puppy to help him with his PTSD, and she stayed by his side for 11 years. She faithfully woke him up from nightmares and helped him feel safe at home by alerting him of passersby. She staved off suicidal feelings when he got lonely. She was his best friend. This Veteran’s Day I learned how important the animals who comfort our Veterans and active duty service members are.
Thank you for your service!Report
That is both awesome & heartbreaking. Thank you for sharing, and thank you for being there for him. I know a lot of guys who would be lost if not for their pups.Report
Thank you for your service, and thank you for sharing your experiences with us.Report