MEMORAL DAY - - 2023

[Gray Mule]

Today we remember all those who have died that we can enjoy the freedom that we all enjoy.  I lost a brother in WW2, invasion of North Africa under General Patton.  As we all enjoy this day off from work and all the activities, don't forget why we have this special day.

 

[Guest]

You must have been quite young when you lost your older brother. Very sad. All my thoughts with you today, and to all who have lost someone this way.

[sturt]

[Spud2nique]

My family is a military family. GO FCKIN ARMED FORCES! 
 

ps F-- this new p***** era we are in, soldiers of that day would be rolling over in their graves today if they saw this bull----. 
 

@lethalweapon3 CARRY THE F--- ON! 

[Gray Mule]

21 minutes ago, LongTimeFan said:

You must have been quite young when you lost your older brother. Very sad. All my thoughts with you today, and to all who have lost someone this way.

He was 18 years older than me.  I was 5 years old when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor.  My brother is buried in a military greveyard in North Africa.  I have never saw it, only have a picture.  I was in the 4th grade at war's end.

[Spud2nique]

35 minutes ago, Gray Mule said:

I lost a brother in WW2, invasion of North Africa under General Patton. 

I’m sorry for your loss gramps my uncle’s plane crashed as well and he passed. 

[Diesel]

Happy Memorial Day all!

Thank you for those who served and died for our freedoms!! 

 

[sturt]

57 minutes ago, Gray Mule said:

He was 18 years older than me.  I was 5 years old when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor.  My brother is buried in a military greveyard in North Africa.  I have never saw it, only have a picture.  I was in the 4th grade at war's end.

Wow. Where in North Africa?

[thecampster]

Short version in case you don't want to read the article.

Don't use "thank you for your service" as a guilt relieving platitude or a device to get past that part of the conversation.

Rather than "thank you for your service", ask the vet what he or she did in the service. Ask for a story from their service. Ask where they were, when they got out. Ask them what they learned from serving.

Respect their sacrifice by educating yourself on issues and voting based on what matters to you.

Support veteran causes (I can't stress this enough). Support the V.A, local veteran's services.

Be mindful of what you say the other 364 days of the year.

 

https://amuedge.com/why-saying-thank-you-for-your-service-offends-some-veterans/

 

Edited May 29, 2023 by thecampster

[Spud2nique]

15 minutes ago, thecampster said:

Rather than "thank you for your service", ask the vet what he or she did in the service. Ask for a story from their service. Ask where they were, when they got out. Ask them what they learned from serving.

With all due… ok with some respect 🫡 this is cliche bs to me. Frankly, I’d be offended (if you came up to me).

[thecampster]

17 minutes ago, Spud2nique said:

With all due… ok with some respect 🫡 this is cliche bs to me. Frankly, I’d be offended (if you came up to me).

As a veteran and with many veteran associates, there is a lot of this sentiment.

[macdaddy]

My Dad was in Korea in the Seabees.  Did a lot of things but also made a lot of coffins.  That definitely changed him. 

[sturt]

On 5/29/2023 at 10:09 AM, thecampster said:

Don't use "thank you for your service" as a guilt relieving platitude

I happen to be close friends with a fairly high-placed former fighter pilot who now makes a living with a DoD contractor, essentially helping ensure that we stay ahead of the bad guys technologically.

Gotta tell ya his nickname... no, not Maverick... but close, hehe... Boom.

Very good at his old job.

Anywho, we were talking over breakfast recently, and he shared this very thing with me for the first time. He will admit to you that he's as cynical as they come, so even were you to be totally sincere in saying the words, he's just heard it far too many times to be able to discern between you and the person who only says the words out of a personal want to be considered nice and appreciative.

Based on what he told me, I'd say, at least choose a different set of words, at minimum. But better, engage as camp suggests... make him/her feel appreciated by taking interest, asking questions, and being fascinated with his/her unique story.

[thecampster]

And we have stories.

I'd rather not type it out, but ask me about the time I was sneezed on by an Oxen while escorting a Serbian journalist onto an air base.

or

Ask me about my 2 week apprentice DJ.

or

Ask me about the gal who used photos of stick people to talk to when doing her radio show.

 

Ask me about mistaking a thunderstorm for an uprising (yes, I did this).

Ask about my heartbreak laying my eyes on the Sava River in Sarajevo for the first time.

Ask about my dislocated shoulder playing Frisbee Football, the kids on the side of the road yelling "give me lunchbucket" to get the M&Ms or chocolate sauce out of our MRE's.  

Ask about the woman missing 1.67 fingers on one hand and who did it to her.

Ask me what its like to be away from your wife and kids for 8 months.

Ask me about not knowing my student loan repayment expired 10 years after my last service date (I went back to college 11 years later).

If you catch me at a game, ask me about my service, people I served with.  Just don't thank me for my service and walk away feeling like you did me some grand favor.

[thecampster]

You can ask me about this.

The place I called home for 8 months.

Or this...that little 6x10 , 5 foot high plywood enclosure was my sleeping quarters for 8 months.  When you thank me for my service, this is just a small part of what you're thanking me for....why its insulting for people to say it and move on....they just don't understand.

Or this - Tent City and the outdoor showers.

Or this - The clearing barrel....every time you leave post, come back you remove your magazine, check the barrel for a bolo in the chamber then fire into the sand in this barrel.  If your weapon fires, its an article 15 punishment.  No chambered rounds on base unless under attack.  Safety first.

 

 

Edited May 30, 2023 by thecampster

[Diesel]

On 5/29/2023 at 11:09 AM, thecampster said:

Don't use "thank you for your service" as a guilt relieving platitude or a device to get past that part of the conversation.

Where to begin...

I'm from a Military family and so is my wife.   Her dad was in Korea.  Saw so many horrors that he came home "Shell Shocked" is what they called it.  They had nothing for him as a veteran not at the VA during that time... He self medicated with Alcohol until he died at the age of 48.  They allowed him to be buried in the military ward of the cemetery but they didn't give him a soldier's funeral.  No Military Honors.  His wife fought 13 years for his death gratuity.  He wasn't dishonorably discharged.  In fact, at the time of his death he was retired reserved..

My great-grandfather fought in WWI and died.  Damn near the same thing. 

My Uncle fought in Vietnam and came back a little different.  He believe he was hit with Agent Orange.  He asked his doctor about it and his VA appointed Dr. Shrugged his shoulders. 

Camp in the AA community, there's a love hate relationship with the military.. it has gotten tons better because My Brother serves and I am surrounded by others who serve... But  when you consider the treatment of our forefathers who served, fought  and came back to the US and found out that they were treated better overseas than here.....

Sometimes, the best you can muster up for young men and women who are putting their life on the line is Thank you for your service.   It's not because you're relieving guilt...  It's because you are sincere and in your sincerity you hope that America Keeps her word to these young men and women.  Because she hasn't always done so. 

 

[thecampster]

50 minutes ago, Diesel said:

Where to begin...

I'm from a Military family and so is my wife.   Her dad was in Korea.  Saw so many horrors that he came home "Shell Shocked" is what they called it.  They had nothing for him as a veteran not at the VA during that time... He self medicated with Alcohol until he died at the age of 48.  They allowed him to be buried in the military ward of the cemetery but they didn't give him a soldier's funeral.  No Military Honors.  His wife fought 13 years for his death gratuity.  He wasn't dishonorably discharged.  In fact, at the time of his death he was retired reserved..

My great-grandfather fought in WWI and died.  Damn near the same thing. 

My Uncle fought in Vietnam and came back a little different.  He believe he was hit with Agent Orange.  He asked his doctor about it and his VA appointed Dr. Shrugged his shoulders. 

Camp in the AA community, there's a love hate relationship with the military.. it has gotten tons better because My Brother serves and I am surrounded by others who serve... But  when you consider the treatment of our forefathers who served, fought  and came back to the US and found out that they were treated better overseas than here.....

Sometimes, the best you can muster up for young men and women who are putting their life on the line is Thank you for your service.   It's not because you're relieving guilt...  It's because you are sincere and in your sincerity you hope that America Keeps her word to these young men and women.  Because she hasn't always done so. 

 

My whole thing is if you appreciate me / others for their service show it.  Your story has me seething.  That should have never happened....I am sorry.  But the story is all too familiar. We pay lip service to appreciate service members but all too often discard them when they get home....line them up 2 days a year and then put them away.

Not everyone who says the words is wrong....but far too many use it as an empty platitude. 

 

I was asked about this recently and I said "you have no idea what you're thanking them for". Person gave me a chance to explain what being deployed is and it changed their whole perception of what they were saying.  

To be deployed is to look at those you love, wife, kids, mom, dad and say, "I'll be back", knowing full well that is not under your control. Its giving up every bit of your self, every bit of your autonomy and many times (like your wife's father) for people who will put you away the second you get back. 

 

I was helping a guy do interviews some time ago and after one of the interviews, he admitted he didn't want to hire the best candidate because he was former military and "those guys can snap at any time." He then uttered a few anti military tropes.  I held my breath and told him "I'm a veteran".  Guy went terrified 'white'. But that's a bunch of the bias these guys feel all the time.  We see them homeless on the streets or standing in the line at the VA for therapy.

My deployment, my military life was easy. I sometimes feel embarrassed talking about it. I was a broadcaster. But I met so many young kids, just tools of the machine. I say the things I say for them.  It has nothing to do with me....

 

I know someone right now (I won't say who) and his job was to interpret audio/written coms to provide targets for drone strikes.  Yah.....he's got a few issues to work out. He's the guy who could use more than an empty platitude.

Edited May 31, 2023 by thecampster

[thecampster]

FYI, if you haven't seen the movie....its a good example of all we're talking about here.