Friday, May 16, 2008
Hug a soldier (carefully!)
Before I begin my tails of Krystals and reunions and travels and freezes, I think it is important to take a moment for a very special message about tomorrow. You'll probably read on the above link that when Truman tried to get ALL of the US Armed Forces to drop their individual days of celebration in favor of Armed Forces Day the Marine Corps declined. While the Marines happily celebrate AFD with the rest of the services, if you try and take away "The Marine Corps Birthday" (10 November, 1775) you are in for a world of hurt. See also: Marines Gone Wild. Obviously I have a special attachment to the military. There is blue, gray, khaki, and olive drab up and down my family tree. My grandfather was in the Navy, my father is a retired Marine and my brother is in the Army. Oddly, I am the closest my family has to the Air Force with my 5 years teaching at Robins Air Force base. Some are confused with both Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day. Here is the easiest way to think about it. Armed Forces Day is a celebration (worldwide actually) of those who are in the armed forces NOW. Memorial Day (May 26th this year) is more a celebration of those who have served and in particular those who died for our country.  About two weeks ago I happened to find myself in a Subway at about 10pm. In line in front of my was a solider in his fatigues (BDUs, or "cammies" if you must). For the life of me I can't figure out where he came from. There just isn't that big of an Army population in Wilmington. I knew he was cavalry, because my brother was armored cavalry at one point and I recognized the patch.He stepped up to the register. As the girl at the register rang up his order I told her "His goes on my tab." His head about snapped off it turned around so fast. There was a long pause as he tried to figure out what my "angle" was. I just held out my hand and said "Thank you for your service, and have a good night." Now I realize that it was just a "five dollar footlong" and in the grand scheme of things that's not much. (Heck it's a Subway sandwich, it's almost cruel.) But here's my angle: These young men put their lives on hold, put their lives in jeopardy, and volunteer to kill or die so we have our choice of toppings on our sub. A lot of these men get paid crap wages and some have families that are forced into government assistance programs to make ends meet. They deserve so much better. On the flip side we have the worthless retards up in Washington who somehow think they are qualified to run a war. John McCain got in hot water recently by saying if he was elected he'd bring the war in Iraq to an end in 5 years. Heck I can top that. I can end the war in 6 months. It's easy. It's a two step process:
Those in Congress are only good at talking and they really only live to hear themselves talk. If you doubt me then answer me this: why do we need C-SPAN and C-SPAN 2? Watch either one late and night and you'll see our congressmen talking away. The cameras are not allowed to show the rest of the hall, though, otherwise the public might see that there is no one there. Those who know how to run and win a war are the ones in uniform. The ones who volunteered and paid their dues in time and blood to EARN the shiny ranks on their collars. While those in Congress are good at talking, those in uniform are good at solving problems, anyway they can. So tomorrow, if you see a serviceman, be sure and thank them. Buy em a sackful of Krystals. (Don't buy em Subway, that's just mean.) Thank them for their service, even in the face of a government who seems to take pleasure in kicking our servicemen in the teeth. What good is having the most powerful fighting force in the history of the world if you keep it half starved and locked in a cage? Well actually, you don't have to wonder too much about that. Turn on the TV, watch the news and you'll see what we get.  |
Labels: Warner Robins
