Happy Veteran's Day

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

To all that have proudly and courageously served in the defense of our freedoms and liberty, Happy Veteran's Day.

[Nemisythe]

Happy Veterans' Day to all who have served and sacrificed to let me love the way I wan to live and be who I want to be! Thank you for it all!!! And special thanks to all and their families who have given and lost it all to serve this right and freedom!!!

[Major Prime]

Thank You to all veterans, past and present. May we all never forget the sacrifices made. Love your country question your goverment. Proudly served, PFC Skerrett U.S. Army '95

[MOTU_Maniac]

Thanks to all veterans! My father served during Vietnam.

[HammerFall]

A heartfelt thank you to all serve or have served in our armed forces.

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

Thanks to all veterans! My father served during Vietnam.

"MOTU Maniac...I am your father!"

USAF Aerospace Medic: 1969.

[Zargon]

Thank you to all of the veterans.

[MOTU_Maniac]

Thanks to all veterans! My father served during Vietnam.

"MOTU Maniac...I am your father!"

USAF Aerospace Medic: 1969.

Hahaha! Thanks Jack. That made me laugh. Having a bad day and that's exactly what I needed, so thank you

To be honest, I don't know a lot about my dad's time in Vietnam. He suffers from PTSD and doesn't like to talk about...which is very understandable.

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

Glad to have brought you a smile, my friend.

I get the whole PTSD thing and I get why your dad doesn't talk about his service during the Vietnam War. It's very common among Vietnam vets. But the reason it's common comes from much more than just the stress of having been in combat, difficult though that was. Younger people today cannot possibly comprehend what America was like back then, in the 60s and early 70s. Yes, there were racial and ethnic divides. But overlapping it all was the generational divide. The country was nearly ripped apart because the young were pitted against the older generation and vice versa. Young protestors at the 1968 Democrtic convention in Chicago hurled bags filled with feces at police and in turn National Guard troops wearing gas masks forced them back with tear gas and a line of police dogs.

You can't understand what it was like unless you lived during those times. So many older people hated younger people and so many younger people hated older people. That divide transcended all racial and ethic groups -- i.e., in almost all of society's groupings, the older and younger generations were at odds and I mean every day, every hour, every minute, on the news, on the streets, in restaurants. The hatred and anger was everywhere, out in the open, and it was toxic. Just meeting the eyes of someone from a different generation could often create contempt and enmity and shouts of recirmination and sometimes worse. It was awful and it felt like it would never end.

Placed squarely in the middle of this were young people serving during the Vietnam war era. On the one hand we were under suspicion from many in the older generation and on the other many people in the younger generation despised us as traitors to youth. It was very difficult, especially because all we thought we were doing was serving our country and trying to defend freedom. I know that seems terribly naive now, but in those long ago days it was a different mindset: your country called, you served. No less a heroic figure than John F. Kennedy told us in his inaugural address: “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” Those were stirring words and a decade after Kennedy had delivered them they inspired a legion of young people to not only serve because they were drafted but, like me, to actually enlist because we wanted to do what generations of soldiers before us had selflessly done. How devastating it was for us to later find that what we thought were courageous and patriotic actions would be perceived as ignominy and disgrace.

But no, scores of years later and a lifetime away from those days, things have changed in a positive way and I find when we veterans who served during the Vietnam War tentatively speak about the war that not only are people not angry about it, but some actually reach out and shake our hands and some actually tell us they're grateful for our service. Maybe your dad should try it. He might be surprised.

It's really difficult for me to even write these words and I find myself choking up as I do -- partly because it's still rough to go back to those times, but also partly because it's nice to finally be appreciated. I never thought it would happen. I guess if you live long enough you get to see everything and while there will always be a certain pain that comes from having served during that time, seeing people's attitudes toward we who served being so different now sure can make an old soldier smile...even if only a little.

Hahaha! Thanks Jack. That made me laugh. Having a bad day and that's exactly what I needed, so thank you

To be honest, I don't know a lot about my dad's time in Vietnam. He suffers from PTSD and doesn't like to talk about...which is very understandable.

[Divia]

Yes, a very special thank you to those who served in the past and those currently serving now.

[MOTU_Maniac]

Glad to have brought you a smile, my friend.

I get the whole PTSD thing and I get why your dad doesn't talk about his service during the Vietnam War. It's very common among Vietnam vets. But the reason it's common comes from much more than just the stress of having been in combat, difficult though that was. Younger people today cannot possibly comprehend what America was like back then, in the 60s and early 70s. Yes, there were racial and ethnic divides. But overlapping it all was the generational divide. The country was nearly ripped apart because the young were pitted against the older generation and vice versa. Young protestors at the 1968 Democrtic convention in Chicago hurled bags filled with feces at police and in turn National Guard troops wearing gas masks forced them back with tear gas and a line of police dogs.

You can't understand what it was like unless you lived during those times. So many older people hated younger people and so many younger people hated older people. That divide transcended all racial and ethic groups -- i.e., in almost all of society's groupings, the older and younger generations were at odds and I mean every day, every hour, every minute, on the news, on the streets, in restaurants. The hatred and anger was everywhere, out in the open, and it was toxic. Just meeting the eyes of someone from a different generation could often create contempt and enmity and shouts of recirmination and sometimes worse. It was awful and it felt like it would never end.

Placed squarely in the middle of this were young people serving during the Vietnam war era. On the one hand we were under suspicion from many in the older generation and on the other many people in the younger generation despised us as traitors to youth. It was very difficult, especially because all we thought we were doing was serving our country and trying to defend freedom. I know that seems terribly naive now, but in those long ago days it was a different mindset: your country called, you served. No less a heroic figure than John F. Kennedy told us in his inaugural address: “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” Those were stirring words and a decade after Kennedy had delivered them they inspired a legion of young people to not only serve because they were drafted but, like me, to actually enlist because we wanted to do what generations of soldiers before us had selflessly done. How devastating it was for us to later find that what we thought were courageous and patriotic actions would be perceived as ignominy and disgrace.

But no, scores of years later and a lifetime away from those days, things have changed in a positive way and I find when we veterans who served during the Vietnam War tentatively speak about the war that not only are people not angry about it, but some actually reach out and shake our hands and some actually tell us they're grateful for our service. Maybe your dad should try it. He might be surprised.

It's really difficult for me to even write these words and I find myself choking up as I do -- partly because it's still rough to go back to those times, but also partly because it's nice to finally be appreciated. I never thought it would happen. I guess if you live long enough you get to see everything and while there will always be a certain pain that comes from having served during that time, seeing people's attitudes toward we who served being so different now sure can make an old soldier smile...even if only a little.

Thanks for sharing all of this. It means a lot to hear from a Vietnam Vet and read some of your feelings. My dad won't talk. I won't bring it up. The few times I did bring it up as a teenager I ended up getting beaten. Never again. I feel for him and all he and others went through, but I learned my lesson.

I do know this year he FINALLY went to talk to someone about it at the VA Hospital where he was diagnosed with PTSD. I know he is getting help and I hope that allows him to work through some things.

What members of the military go through when they go off to war, young and old...male and female alike, is nothing short of miraculous. I know I couldn't do it, but that is also why I am a champion for our military men, women, and families. They are true heroes!

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

You are both in my prayers.

Thanks for sharing all of this. It means a lot to hear from a Vietnam Vet and read some of your feelings. My dad won't talk. I won't bring it up. The few times I did bring it up as a teenager I ended up getting beaten. Never again. I feel for him and all he and others went through, but I learned my lesson.

I do know this year he FINALLY went to talk to someone about it at the VA Hospital where he was diagnosed with PTSD. I know he is getting help and I hope that allows him to work through some things.

What members of the military go through when they go off to war, young and old...male and female alike, is nothing short of miraculous. I know I couldn't do it, but that is also why I am a champion for our military men, women, and families. They are true heroes!

[Spitfire]

I bow my head for the fallen, and raise my chalice to my fellows in arms. May we always honor their sacrifice and service

16 years myself, by the grace of God still here and still serving.