What is a vet?

[Ponycar_302]

The following brought a tear to my eye. I just thought I'd share it. Feel free to discuss, expound, etc.


Some veterans bear visible signs of their service: a missing limb, a jagged scar, a certain look in the eye.

Others may carry the evidence inside them: a pin holding a bone together, a piece of shrapnel in the leg - or perhaps another sort of inner steel: the soul's ally forged in the refinery of adversity.

Except in parades, however, the men and women who have kept America safe wear no badge or emblem.

You can't tell a vet just by looking.

What is a vet?

He is the cop on the beat who spent six months in Saudi Arabia sweating two gallons a day making sure the armored personnel carriers didn't run out of fuel.

He is the barroom loudmouth, dumber than five wooden planks, whose overgrown frat-boy behavior is outweighed a hundred times in the cosmic scales by four hours of exquisite bravery near the 38th parallel.

She (or he) is the nurse who fought against futility and went to sleep sobbing every night for two solid years in Da Nang.

He is the POW who went away one person and came back another - or didn't come back AT ALL.

He is the drill instructor who has never seen combat - but has saved countless lives by turning slouchy, no-account rednecks and gang members into Marines, and teaching them to watch each other's backs.

He is the parade-riding Legionnaire who pins on his ribbons and medals with a prosthetic hand.

He is the career quartermaster who watches the ribbons and medals pass him by.

He is the three anonymous heroes in The Tomb Of The Unknowns, whose presence at the Arlington National Cemetery must forever preserve the memory of all anonymous heroes whose valor dies unrecognized with them on the battlefield or in the ocean's sunless deep.

He is the old guy bagging groceries at the supermarket - palsied now and aggravatingly slow - who helped liberate a Nazi death camp and who wishes all day long that his wife were still alive to hold him when the nightmares come.

He is an ordinary and yet an extraordinary human being - a person who offered some of his life's most vital years in the service of his country, and who sacrificed his ambitions so others would not have to sacrifice theirs.

He is a soldier and a savior and a sword against the darkness, and he is nothing more than the finest, greatest testimony on behalf of the finest, greatest nation ever known.

So remember, each time you see someone who has served our country, just lean over and say Thank You. That's all most people need, and in most cases it will mean more than any medals they could have been awarded or were awarded.

Two little words that mean a lot, "THANK YOU".

It's the soldier, not the reporter,
Who gave us our freedom of the press.
It's the soldier, not the poet,
Who gave us our freedom of speech.
It's the soldier, not the campus organizer,
Who gave us our the freedom to demonstrate.
It's the soldier, Who salutes the flag,
Who serves others with respect for the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protestor to burn the flag."

Father Denis Edward O'Brien, USMC

[92Notch]

Damn good read. And true. There are many many people that are Heroes as far as I'm concerned.... they do not think they are heroes ... but if they aren’t then nobody is. They just look at it as something that needed to be done and just did it ... nothing special to them.

[Charged]

Great Post!

And I would like to take a moment to say Thank You to all the members who are currently or have served the country.

[RedLine99]

Hey, give me an national holiday where they HAVE to let me off and I'll call it even. Thanks for the thoughts.

[JoeyNormal]

I respect soldiers. I will say that now. I respect strength, honour and courage. I detest war, and I detest the use to which America now puts its soldiers. I detest the arrogance and ignorance of many views shown by American soldiers - but I still respect their courage.

It's the soldier, not the reporter,
Who gave us our freedom of the press.
It's the soldier, not the poet,
Who gave us our freedom of speech.
It's the soldier, not the campus organizer,
Who gave us our the freedom to demonstrate.
It's the soldier, Who salutes the flag,
Who serves others with respect for the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protestor to burn the flag."

It's the protestor, not the soldier,
Who defends our freedom of the press.
It's the soldier, not the poet,
Who shoots us for freedom of speech.
It's the soldier, not the campus organizer,
Who attacks us if we try to demonstrate.
It's the protestor, Who burns the flag,
In response to your abuse of the flag,
And whose death is marked by no flag,
Who cannot beat the soldier armed by the flag.

I respect soldiers, but detest what they do.

[PissyPrincess]

Beautiful words written. Beautiful meaning there. Amazing soldiers America does have. My father is a Vet, my grandfather died about 17 years ago as a Vet, I have much love and respect for our American soliders. Most of my friends are soldiers infact. That was beautiful and ty for posting it.

[Ponycar_302]

I was a soldier at one time.

It's the protestor, not the soldier,
Who defends our freedom of the press.

I disagree. It's the voter that defends it. 500 protesters on the Supreme Court steps does nothing. It's the people who fight the government with law suits all the way to that Supreme Court who defends or freedom of press.

It's the soldier, not the poet,
Who shoots us for freedom of speech.

When and where in America?

Who attacks us if we try to demonstrate.

Not at a peaceable demonstration. When a riot erupts it's a different story.

It's the protestor, Who burns the flag,

It's the traitor who burns the flag.

In response to your abuse of the flag,

There is never a reason to burn our flag.

And whose death is marked by no flag,

Not my fault. I chose the soldiers life, and in doing so I am granted that small honor.

Who cannot beat the soldier armed by the flag.

Why fight the soldiers? They ensure you have the freedom to hide behind that flag and criticize us. Then again, you're not American, so it doesn't pertain to you.

I leave you with a prayer often recited by the French Foreign Legion before going into battle. I think it sums up a soldiers life quite nicely:

The Paras' Prayer
Give me, God, what you still have,
Give me what no one asks for;
I do not ask for wealth
Nor for success, nor even health --
People ask you so often, God, for all that
That you cannot have any left.
Give me, God, what you still have;
Give me what people refuse to accept from you.
I want insecurity and disquietude,
I want turmoil and brawl,
And if you should give them to me, my God,
Once and for all
Let me be sure to have them always,
For I will not always have the courage
To ask you for them.
--Zirnheld

[Shawn]

Ponycar,

Good post. There's a lot of truth to the statement that a simple thank you from a citizen means a lot more than any ribbons or medals.

Joey, no sweat. I understand your obligatory slap in the face. It's quite obviously your nature Fortunately, people like me don't work for you - but when our own citizens express similar views, I tend to to take it as a compliment - such nonsense publicly articulated simply means that my participation in an effort to support and defend the Constitution of the United States is successful. Thanks for your input.

[Kareem]

Originally posted by Ponycar_302

It's the traitor who burns the flag.

nationalism sucks

but on another note..i respect the soldier..i dont respect the govt. sending them off to die

[JoeyNormal]

Originally posted by green68stang
Joey, no sweat. I understand your obligatory slap in the face. It's quite obviously your nature Fortunately, people like me don't work for you - but when our own citizens express similar views, I tend to to take it as a compliment - such nonsense publicly articulated simply means that my participation in an effort to support and defend the Constitution of the United States is successful. Thanks for your input.

I find this overly sensitive attitude pointless. Yes, I criticised certain things American soldiers have done; I stated that I respected and admired you for your courage, but that I felt that what you fought for, and the attitudes many of you show do not deserve respect.

For example, on a documentary I recently watched about your invasion of Afganistan, I was appalled by the racist, bloodthirsty and simply disgusting things certain soldiers said - however, I still respect their courage. Soldiers used racist slurs, insulted and demeaned the locals. However, whether otr not I agree with why they're there, or how they act is irrelevent - I still will respect them.

Every April I buy a poppy, I join the ANZAC Parade, I pay my respects to the soldiers who have fought for New Zealand - or, rather, fought for Britain or America, our 2 colonial masters. The cause may be irrelevent, but the soldiers are still brave.

I will not follow the lie that a soldier is by definition perfect. I will not accept blind respect alone. I give you my respect, but it is paired with my criticism. We all have faults, although few have the courage to admit or accept them.

[Kareem]

Originally posted by JoeyNormal

For example, on a documentary I recently watched about your invasion of Afganistan, I was appalled by the racist, bloodthirsty and simply disgusting things certain soldiers said - however, I still respect their courage. Soldiers used racist slurs, insulted and demeaned the locals. However, whether otr not I agree with why they're there, or how they act is irrelevent - I still will respect them.

Whats the name of this documentary..? I have heard of a documentary directed by a british director about US war crimes in afghanistan...same thing?

[Ponycar_302]

Main Entry: na·tion·al·ism
Pronunciation: 'nash-n&-"li-z&m, 'na-sh&-n&l-"i-z&m
Function: noun
Date: 1844
: loyalty and devotion to a nation;
Merriam-Webster

You quote me and call me a nationalist, say nationalists (me) suck, and then say you respect the soldier? I suck because I'm devoted to America? I suck because I (and many, many others) have chosen to defend this great nation if the need ever arose? You are a confused, sheltered child.

[Charged]

Originally posted by JoeyNormal


I will not follow the lie that a soldier is by definition perfect. I will not accept blind respect alone. I give you my respect, but it is paired with my criticism. We all have faults, although few have the courage to admit or accept them.

Having once been a soldier,

We don not expect you to respect us for the people we are, as in our political beliefs, bigotry, or for our other personal faults that we as individuals have, just respect the fact that we have fought to defend the rights that you enjoy every day. No we are not perfect and don't profess to be, however, No One is.

[Ponycar_302]

I will not follow the lie that a soldier is by definition perfect. I will not accept blind respect alone. I give you my respect, but it is paired with my criticism. We all have faults, although few have the courage to admit or accept them.

Fair enough; and for the most part I agree with that post. Perhaps I was somewhat harsh. My apologies.

[JoeyNormal]

Originally posted by Ponycar_302

Fair enough; and for the most part I agree with that post. Perhaps I was somewhat harsh. My apologies.

Thanks, apology accepted. On my part, I apologise for any offence I caused by rewriting that poem; I simply wished to show that American soldiers are not always seen as perfect, nor are they such.

[Kareem]

Originally posted by Ponycar_302
Main Entry: na·tion·al·ism
Pronunciation: 'nash-n&-"li-z&m, 'na-sh&-n&l-"i-z&m
Function: noun
Date: 1844
: loyalty and devotion to a nation;
Merriam-Webster

You quote me and call me a nationalist, say nationalists (me) suck, and then say you respect the soldier? I suck because I'm devoted to America? I suck because I (and many, many others) have chosen to defend this great nation if the need ever arose? You are a confused, sheltered child.

yea..u suck

[Ponycar_302]

yea..u suck

Why exactly?

[Rugen]

Originally posted by Ponycar_302
The following brought a tear to my eye. I just thought I'd share it. Feel free to discuss, expound, etc.


Some veterans bear visible signs of their service: a missing limb, a jagged scar, a certain look in the eye.

Others may carry the evidence inside them: a pin holding a bone together, a piece of shrapnel in the leg - or perhaps another sort of inner steel: the soul's ally forged in the refinery of adversity.

Except in parades, however, the men and women who have kept America safe wear no badge or emblem.

You can't tell a vet just by looking.

What is a vet?

He is the cop on the beat who spent six months in Saudi Arabia sweating two gallons a day making sure the armored personnel carriers didn't run out of fuel.

He is the barroom loudmouth, dumber than five wooden planks, whose overgrown frat-boy behavior is outweighed a hundred times in the cosmic scales by four hours of exquisite bravery near the 38th parallel.

She (or he) is the nurse who fought against futility and went to sleep sobbing every night for two solid years in Da Nang.

He is the POW who went away one person and came back another - or didn't come back AT ALL.

He is the drill instructor who has never seen combat - but has saved countless lives by turning slouchy, no-account rednecks and gang members into Marines, and teaching them to watch each other's backs.

He is the parade-riding Legionnaire who pins on his ribbons and medals with a prosthetic hand.

He is the career quartermaster who watches the ribbons and medals pass him by.

He is the three anonymous heroes in The Tomb Of The Unknowns, whose presence at the Arlington National Cemetery must forever preserve the memory of all anonymous heroes whose valor dies unrecognized with them on the battlefield or in the ocean's sunless deep.

He is the old guy bagging groceries at the supermarket - palsied now and aggravatingly slow - who helped liberate a Nazi death camp and who wishes all day long that his wife were still alive to hold him when the nightmares come.

He is an ordinary and yet an extraordinary human being - a person who offered some of his life's most vital years in the service of his country, and who sacrificed his ambitions so others would not have to sacrifice theirs.

He is a soldier and a savior and a sword against the darkness, and he is nothing more than the finest, greatest testimony on behalf of the finest, greatest nation ever known.

So remember, each time you see someone who has served our country, just lean over and say Thank You. That's all most people need, and in most cases it will mean more than any medals they could have been awarded or were awarded.

Two little words that mean a lot, "THANK YOU".

It's the soldier, not the reporter,
Who gave us our freedom of the press.
It's the soldier, not the poet,
Who gave us our freedom of speech.
It's the soldier, not the campus organizer,
Who gave us our the freedom to demonstrate.
It's the soldier, Who salutes the flag,
Who serves others with respect for the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protestor to burn the flag."

Father Denis Edward O'Brien, USMC

I have copied it and very,very good.
You caught me off guard I thought you were discussing the vetenarian.


Rugen

[JoeyNormal]

Ah...you called him a "confused child"; if this was in the politics forum I expect the mods would be swooping down about now...

[Kareem]

Originally posted by Ponycar_302

Why exactly?

LOL...i wasnt really trying to be serious..i just wanted to say that cause you called me confused,etc....if i thought that nationalism sucked

I respect SOME soldiers...i dont like nationalism.....its possible isnt it?