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Title: Understanding a Veteran Post by: Shammu on August 22, 2021, 12:00:13 PM Understanding a Veteran
To understand a Veteran you must know We left home as a teenager or in our early 20's for a unknown adventure. We loved our country to defend it and protect it with our own lives. We said good bye to family, then to friends and everything we knew. We learned the basics and were scattered to the winds, to the far corners of the world. We found a new families and new friends We became brothers and sisters regardless of color, race or creed We had plenty of good times and plenty of bad times We didn't get enough sleep We smoked and drank too much We learned both good and bad habits We worked hard and played harder We didn't earn a great wage We experienced the happiness of mail call and the sadness of missing important events We didn't know when, or even if, we were ever see home again We grew up fast, yet somehow, we never grew up at all We fought for our freedom, as well as the freedom for others. Some of us saw actual combat, and some of us didn't. Some of us saw the world, and some of us didn't Some of us dealt with physical warfare, most of us dealt with psychological warfare We have seen and experienced and dealt with things we cannot fully describe or explain as not all our sacrifices were physical. We participated in time honored ceremonies and rituals with each other strengthening our bonds and camaraderie We counted on each other to get the job done and sometimes just to survive it at all We have dealt with victories and tragedy We have celebrated and mourned We lost a few along the way When our adventure was over, some of us went back home, some of us started somewhere new, and some of us never came home We have told amazing and hilarious stories of our exploits and adventures We share an unspoken bond with each other that most people don't experience and few will understand We speak highly of our own branch and poke fun of the other branches We know however, that, if needed we will be there for our brothers and sisters and stand together as one, in a heartbeat Being a Veteran is something that had to be earned, it can never be taken away It has no monetary value, but at the same time, it is a priceless gift People see a Veteran and they say thank them for their service When we see each other, we give that lil upward head nod, or a slight smile, knowing that we have shared and experienced things that most people have not So from myself to the rest of the Veterans out there, I commend you and thank you for all you have done and sacrificed for your country Try to remember the good times and make peace with the bad times Share your stories But most importantly, stand tall and proud, for you have earned the right to be called a Veteran!! Copied and borrowed from another Veteran Title: Re: Understanding a Veteran Post by: Shammu on August 22, 2021, 12:02:30 PM I give thanks to all Veterans, no matter where they served and to Roger for his time in the United States Navy
Semper Fi |