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Thank a Veteran Today...

post #1 of 10
11/11/08 at 1:57pm
Thread Starter 
Having already done one trip to Iraq (with another one coming up again in January) I hope people take the time to honor those who have served and are still serving...

I use this as an example...doznes of people from Bangor, Maine who show up at any hour of the day or night to greet arriving ot departing flights of Soldiers...

I have seen them on every occasion I have flown into Bangor, and be it 3 p.m. or 3 a.m., the are always there; men women, and children...

Volunteer greeters offer hugs, applause for troops - CNN.com
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post #2 of 10
11/11/08 at 6:47pm

Re: Thank a Veteran Today...

I didn't really get out today, but I give my thanks to you. I'm glad to hear about the people you encountered in Bangor.
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post #3 of 10
11/11/08 at 7:34pm

Re: Thank a Veteran Today...

Thank you for your service, Josh.

One of the managers at the place I'm currently temping is British, so today we had a minute of silence at 11:00 am for Armistice Day, marking the end of the first World War 90 years to the minute. It was the first time I'd participated in this distinctly non-American holiday, but it also forced me to realize that today was the first Veteran's Day I'd ever marked the sacrifice of our men and women who have served. When I consider that my father was drafted for Vietnam, my uncle fought in Vietnam, my grandfather fought in WWII, my step-grandfather fought in World War II such negligence on my part is inexcusable.
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post #4 of 10
11/11/08 at 8:03pm

Re: Thank a Veteran Today...

Thank you, Josh...and any other veterans who stumble into this thread!

And good for you Adam! Being in the news business for a long while, I always found myself at Veterans Day and Memorial Day events and would always drag my kids along because I wanted them to really get a sense of knowing about the sacrifice that men and women have made to keep this nation free.

My dad served in Korea and I always try to remember to thank him for his service. It's sometimes easy to forget to thank those closest to you.
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post #5 of 10
11/12/08 at 3:51pm

Re: Thank a Veteran Today...

Volunteer greeters offer hugs, applause for troops - CNN.com

Thanks for bringing that to my attention Josh, that is very cool.

My personal opinion is that the whole "Viet Vets were spit on" was way overblown. I was there, a Marine, 1965-66.

Things were complicated, I was evolving, it was...the 60s.

But, no one spit on me.

No one thanked me either. This is fairly new, it's good, and a lot of us are trying to do more of it.
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post #6 of 10
11/12/08 at 6:21pm

Re: Thank a Veteran Today...

Henry, as a Veteran, how do you feel about the idea to combine Memorial Day and Veterans Day to Memorial Day since they are both to honor people who served in war?
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post #7 of 10
11/12/08 at 6:35pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Thank a Veteran Today...

I feel they should keep both observances as they are...Veterans Day honors all who have served and are currently seriving...Memorial Day honors those who have given the ultimate sacrifice in service...I guess it can be sort of a way to honor those who still remember and those who should not be forgotten.
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post #8 of 10
11/12/08 at 6:36pm

Re: Thank a Veteran Today...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Will_B
... how do you feel about the idea to combine Memorial Day and Veterans Day ...?

I've never given it a moments thought.
My grandfathers were in The Great War, Dad served during WWII, me in Nam, and I don't have a single jingoistic or sentimental bone in my body.

Getting right off the subject, or not, I wish part of recruiting young people was to walk them through some VA hospital wards.

Anyway, you'll be able to find lots of flag wavers to emote on the subject, just not me so much.
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post #9 of 10
11/12/08 at 7:16pm

Re: Thank a Veteran Today...

My grandfather was a US Navy gunner on a merchant ship in WW2. He gave me over a 100 photos of his time in service. I kept meaning to talk to him about the pics. I finally sat down with a video camera and did a 30 minute interview with him. He passed away a month later. As a gift to my Mom and Aunt I took 50 of the best pictures and had a video montage made with music from "Victory at Sea" (His favorite show). For the past 7 years I have been going kids classrooms (3rd & 4th grades) every Vets day to show them the montage and bring his uniform in. I then do a q&a with the kids. For the past couple of years I have been going to my wives class (She is a 4th grade teacher) and showing the montage. At first it was just her class. Now, its the entire 4th grade.
While most of the info might go over the kids heads. I wanted them to know a personal story (not from a book) about veterans. And hopefully some of it will stick.

Miss you Grandpa!
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post #10 of 10
11/12/08 at 9:00pm

Re: Thank a Veteran Today...

That's a great story, Todd! I remember when I was in school, I recorded an interview with my step-grandfather on the Great Depression and WWII for a class projection. Thinking about it, I'm sure it's still in the tape deck in my parents' living room. He's still with us, thank God, though he moved South to be with his son's family after my grandmother passed away. It won't be long though, until things like that are all we have to tell the story of the Greatest Generation.

It seems like all of us had parents or grandparents that served in World War II. Today's kids are probably the first generation that is likely to have no personal connection to World War II, no live face to put to this historical conflict. It must seem as remote as the Civil War does to most of us. And of course, there were still living Civil War veterans when my dad was a kid.
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