Show it off - Veterans

[Huntsman]

Thank you to all the veterans that have served their country. Today I watched the Veterans day parade in our town and thought… by 2023 the Veterans Day parade will have Cybertrucks hauling those hero’s with zero emissions for the spectators. Now all we need is someone to create a division within this website that allows us to know who to call in our area that wants to show off their Cybertruck in the 2023 parades.
I’m not even a little ashamed to admit, the first Cybertruck I see in North Alabama, I’ll likely follow to their house just to see it in person.
Thank You vets!

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[TheLastStarfighter]

Weird. I've heard of a lot of living war veterans referred to as heroes. All the time. From everyone. This it the first I've ever heard of saving that for dead people.

 

[Crissa]

Weird. I've heard of a lot of living war veterans referred to as heroes. All the time. From everyone. This it the first I've ever heard of saving that for dead people.

Referred to is not the same as using that word themselves. False valor is a big deal.

-Crissa

 

[Rees]

Weird. I've heard of a lot of living war veterans referred to as heroes. All the time. From everyone. This it the first I've ever heard of saving that for dead people.

You're not alone. I know several heros alive today. They likely don't consider themselves heros but that doesn't make them any less heros.

 

[Red61224]

I think what the gentleman who actually served was gently trying to convey was that it brings hard feelings that are difficult to explain to the uninitiated bystanders. I think what he meant was that to be the one who survived the mission, the fight, the patrol when others did not carries with it a little bit of survivors guilt, a very real pain when one steps back and considers the cost of a particular event, that is all. People often say things without considering how it affects those who were actually in the fray, just repeating phrases and meaning no harm but still the pain is there none the less. That's all.

 

[Rees]

I think what the gentleman who actually served was gently trying to convey was that it brings hard feelings that are difficult to explain to the uninitiated bystanders. I think what he meant was that to be the one who survived the mission, the fight, the patrol when others did not carries with it a little bit of survivors guilt, a very real pain when one steps back and considers the cost of a particular event, that is all. People often say things without considering how it affects those who were actually in the fray, just repeating phrases and meaning no harm but still the pain is there none the less. That's all.

As a veteran of the US Army, I get the sensitivity. I do not consider myself a hero but I wouldn't shame or scold those that call me a hero. I just appreciate their support, humbly. Some gave all but all gave some.

 

[Quicksilver]

Being a veteran I always appreciate someone thanking me for my service and for the discounts many companies give us.
Being retired on a military pension, Social Security and a VA pension are benefits earned while in the service of my country.
I have never considered myself a hero.......just an American citizen doing my duty to the best of my ability.
I never regretted one day of my 34 years of Army, National Guard and Army Reserve service.
I guess by luck of the draw I never saw combat even though my first four years in the Army were during the Viet Nam war.
I later re-enlisted in the National Guard and returned to Active Duty in the early 80's.
I missed Gulf War I because I was in Korea and missed Gulf War II because I had left the Active Army and moved to the Army Reserve,
My Reserve unit was mobilized to mobilize other Guard and Army Reserve units in 2003.
From 2003 until 2007 I was on active duty as a Public Affairs Supervisor for a Training Support Division. I medically retired in 2007.
My oldest son did four tours in Iraq and was injured on a convoy mission on his last tour.
The VA took good care of him (and me) and they do good things with what they have to work with.
My youngest son is in the Air Force Reserve but may be discharged because he refuses to get the Covid shot. He refers to military service as "the family business".
Having once been in the Transportation Corp I saw some of the attempts to electrify military vehicles. I was never impressed with any of them. Just the government trying to go "green" for the sake of Public Relations.
My jaded view of military contractors is born of having to utilize some of the junk that the government bought that was made by the lowest bidder in some politicians district.
I am reminded of what former President Dwight D. Eisenhower said......."beware the military industrial complex".
To all the folks on this forum that appreciate veterans let me offer my personal thanks.

 

[Zabhawkin]

Like many of the veterans here I cringe but try to keep it polite when someone calls me a hero.

I served 4 years during peace time, did my job took the GI bill and got a degree.

 

[ThomasG]

One vet explained to me that there is doing your duty and then there is going above and beyond which includes giving all. Those who do their duty are special and deserve all the appreciation we can provide, but those who go above and beyond and those who gave all deserve something more. Showing appreciation to those who served also shows appreciation to those who went above and beyond and gave all. A common refrain from recipients of the US Medal of Honor is that they don't wear it for themselves, they wear it for those they fought with who are no longer here.

A song I listen to at least once a year is A Pittance of Time by Terry Kelly. He is a Canadian and those of the British Commonwealth mark Remembrance Day, what citizens of the US call Veteran's Day, by standing still and quiet for two minutes at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month which was when the guns finally fell silent on the Western Front in 1918. You can find it on YouTube. He wrote it when he saw an oblivious person who didn't understand. It is well worth a listen if you care about those who gave so much for all of the rest of us.

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