Memorial Day

[Deaf Bob]

Take a moment to reflect on those who gave their all so we can enjoy our freedoms..
Take the hand of a veteran and thank them

To all veterans, I thank you for your service..

I think of those no longer with us, my dad and his generation, called the greatest generation..
My friends who served in Viet Nam.. Their problems, then and now
The friends and classmates of my children who did not come back from the " sandbox"
And all those between.. Wartime and peacetime..

[Barry Donovan]

it is that time again.

There is a piece on how they get the flags in and removed at Arlington. worth a watch.. I think its cbs news.

when it is time to go on with the rest of the year, there is 2000 soldiers in the dark removing them. when the sun comes up, there is no flags.


they called it honor flight, which is what they called the top flight in air force basic training. Multiple meanings I guess. Each branch can do that.

There is a time to be one big can of whoopass... deserves respect. Not everybody makes it to walk a parade and hug the grandkids.

[68scott385]

Ditto & Thank You DB.

The similarities of the jungle and sand box wars is amazing. Many left something over there that will never be returned. Then there is the fight to get the healthcare that was earned but rarely adequate.

[Deaf Bob]

Ditto & Thank You DB.

The similarities of the jungle and sand box wars is amazing. Many left something over there that will never be returned. Then there is the fight to get the healthcare that was earned but rarely adequate.

Yes... It is a big shame how we, civillians treat our veterans!
My buddy was in Nam.. Had PTSD rather bad.. Needed a liver, was NOT an alcoholic nor a smoker.. VA said he was not a good candidate for a transplant... Died of liver failure. Served 2 tours

[Barry Donovan]

Yes... It is a big shame how we, civillians treat our veterans!
My buddy was in Nam.. Had PTSD rather bad.. Needed a liver, was NOT an alcoholic nor a smoker.. VA said he was not a good candidate for a transplant... Died of liver failure. Served 2 tours

civilians are smarter.. not caught up with weight of rank on the sleeves and a budget to suck on in the air conditioned office...to lie about the unnecessary misunderstood wounds of a grunt that carried the whole thing. the homophobe, the straight man who does have veiny arms like that 24 hours a day. Why yes his steel buns of little straight ass is that Adonis small.

I "love" memorial day. If they gave ya dope to choke on, enjoy it. I had a glorified ww2 grandpa, the one tour scary stories...to come home 6 foot 4 and an appetite that never died, and guts that always processed the best food in the damn world...int he house he got for next to nothing.

great song for this "understood" day.

[68scott385]

One VA Dr told me to get over it, deal with it. I've dealt with it for twenty years now and if it wasn't for the pain meds I wouldn't walk at all.

I feel lucky to be in a position to get civilian doctors now. I hope it survives the coming healthcare changes.

I'm not asking for sympathy. I want those that don't know, to understand what many veterans are going through with healthcare we were told would be there as long as you are honorably discharged.

[DirtyWhiteBoy]

Take a moment to reflect on those who gave their all so we can enjoy our freedoms..
Take the hand of a veteran and thank them

To all veterans, I thank you for your service..

I think of those no longer with us, my dad and his generation, called the greatest generation..
My friends who served in Viet Nam.. Their problems, then and now
The friends and classmates of my children who did not come back from the " sandbox"
And all those between.. Wartime and peacetime..

Well put Bob.
We buried my WW2 Seabee grandfather a few weeks ago. His 2 sons didn't think it necessary to have military honors. As a member of a honor military guard I was offended, but kept quiet. I am amazed by people and their indifference to important, relevant events/people. I am equally stunned by the hero warship of idiots on TV reality shows. I just don't get this country as a whole.

One VA Dr told me to get over it, deal with it. I've dealt with it for twenty years now and if it wasn't for the pain meds I wouldn't walk at all.

I feel lucky to be in a position to get civilian doctors now. I hope it survives the coming healthcare changes.

I'm not asking for sympathy. I want those that don't know, to understand what many veterans are going through with healthcare we were told would be there as long as you are honorably discharged.

Yes the "benefits" promised are a joke. Thankfully, I have been lucky enough to have civilian health care. I recently tried to sign up to get into the V.A. system. and was told that I am not eligible due to household income. It seems that laws have been passed since I was discharged limiting access to the "benefits" I was promised. I know many guys who depend on the VA, and sometimes they get ok care, but usually not. One guy has been waiting 3 months and counting to get his hernia repaired.

[Monk]

Well put Bob.
We buried my WW2 Seabee grandfather a few weeks ago. His 2 sons didn't think it necessary to have military honors. As a member of a honor military guard I was offended, but kept quiet. I am amazed by people and their indifference to important, relevant events/people. I am equally stunned by the hero warship of idiots on TV reality shows. I just don't get this country as a whole.



Yes the "benefits" promised are a joke. Thankfully, I have been lucky enough to have civilian health care. I recently tried to sign up to get into the V.A. system. and was told that I am not eligible due to household income. It seems that laws have been passed since I was discharged limiting access to the "benefits" I was promised. I know many guys who depend on the VA, and sometimes they get ok care, but usually not. One guy has been waiting 3 months and counting to get his hernia repaired.

From a fellow Seabee vet may your grandpa RIP.
He was a very important part of the start of the Seabees in WWII and deserved
military honors at his gravesite.

During the late '60's I was part of many Honor Guard to walk beside
fallen heroes. They didn't come back to any fanfare.
The war wasn't popular and service people were not as well.

Freedom is free.

[Scott Liggett]

I would thank all of you who have served for us Americans. I have many in my family who have served, though I was not one of them. I have the greatest respect for those who did. My father USAF navigator B-47 and RC-135, Grandfather Army Air Corp B-17 pilot and squadron commander, Step grandfather P-38 pilot, Step grandfather Army front line surgeon D-Day vet, Uncle USAF and West Point grad, sister Navy EMT, Brother in Law USAF OSI investigator.

[Deaf Bob]

This was posted by Wayne on Northwest Demo Derby website, in the same thread I started here.
I felt it needed to be posted here..
Hopefully Wayne joins up as I am trying to get him on..
He is a long time military man and a derby driver formerly of S.OR, now of Florida..
Here it is, copy/pasted! Thanks, Wayne!




I spent a lot of time this weekend thinking about those who have served, and especially those who gave their all. Remembered some buddies who fell in a cold war, peace time, "routine" mission; thought of a Security Forces LT that I served with who did not come back from the sandbox; thought of the AC 130 Gunship Crew that died in Africa a few years back, as I wore my AC-130 Gunship tee shirt. Even tried to talk some sense into a young Christian girl with "Quaker like" beliefs who doesn't agree with having a military, using force or having a Memorial Day holiday.

Thank God for those who have gave their all for our nation 1775 to present; thank God for those "Sheepdogs" who are willing to risk all, to protect the "sheep", at home and abroad; thank God for those who are willing to meet the violent evil head on with violence in kind and stop them in their tracks!

I prayed that the Lord will see us through these tough economic times; these times of entitlement thinking; times where new arrivals to America are not here to become American, but here to receive it's benefits or worse, change America; these times of people not being proud of our history, and mostly, I prayed that people will wake up and turn back to God!

There is so much to be thankful for in this country, freedom of speech (so we can piss and moan on NWDD, WeCrash and FaceBook), the right to defend ourselves, Liberty, Opportunity, Justice; and we would have none of it, if not for the fighting men and women who have sacrificed so much for so long!

[Barry Donovan]

That is a good post.

when things go spiritual unresolved, it does come to a head. Fearing this is fearing yourself.
I am a veteran who smells the fat ethnic in the other room slamming doors and stampeding their way up the old colonial stairs with no concern for any other tenant.

..far from racism. The facts lead to police, just like the ghetto apparently.

I heard a term "Columbus' egg".

Hardly a joke anymore.

pretend smart, pretend balanced and noble, monkey.
mount it sideways to drive...may it hit you in the head like the wrecking ball your mind really is. <- my analogy derived from automobiles.

I'd swear there are dead people giving more than the living..

I'll go back to this song after the rude outburst

[Barry Donovan]

this made me feel a lot better.

"did we do enough today to live tomorrow."

http://bangordailynews.com/slideshow/a-veterans-journey-from-hospital-bed-to-helping-others-heal/

one can only take so much.

[WEL56L]

Thanks DeafBob for inviting me here and the great introduction above. I know it has been a few days since Memorial Day, but want to share a pic and a story that I shared else where on Memorial Day, it is actually a repost from when it happened last July but I feel it is appropriate for Memorial Day also.

One of my duties at work is flying flags over the Headquarters, in honor of retirements and other occasions. On the 4th of July three of my troops flew a 48 Star US Flag, which had been the Casket Flag for a command members Grandfather who fell in WWII during the Battle of the Bulge. His Grandfather fought with the 104th Infantry Division, which served 195 consecutive days in combat (longest of any unit in the European Theater). He is buried in Belgium at Henri-Chapelle Battlefield Cemetery. Attached are two associated web sites: http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/hc.php/
and http://www.104infdiv.org/

[Deaf Bob]

Glad to see you posting here, Wayne (WEL56L)!
You will be an asset to this site! You will enjoy it too!
Great bunch!

[WEL56L]

Thanks Bob, look forward to spending time here!