So a couple days before Veterans Day weekend, we remember when...

  I have an Appleseed in Redmond this coming weekend, and won't be at my church to honor the veterans, one of which I am. So I will mention it at Wednesday AWANA meeting, and stress the Dangerous Old Men stories on Sunday, since they seem to have all been veterans. My wife is going with other church ladies to do their day of volunteer visit to the Soldiers Home here in Washington. Our fourth graders normally say hello on the third Sunday with a trip on the church bus. I have changed my background and my personal picture daily on Facebook. As we get closer to the event the number of posts about the dead increase although it isn't Memorial Day. But fallen comrades should always be honored and remembered more than we do normally.

   I was never as great a soldier as I could have been, but then none of them are but they are all trying. My grandfather mentioned he was in WWI, not to me ever, but he had really spent the remainder of his life being a minister and missionary and working for International Peace. My father came home and until I got back from Vietnam didn't really talk about his wartime work in the Pacific Theater. He had used his GI bill to learn how to fly, and then raised a family and flew. I often thought that America after World War II was deeply affected and moved by veterans that came back from their war determined to build a better life than that they had lived while in the service.  I do remember my father telling me that The Gallant Men and Combat on evening television were nothing like real war. I enlisted in 1967 because I wanted to be a soldier, Special Forces, having read the Green Beret and having a love of history and heroes. Luckily I didn't ever get exactly what I thought I wanted. My recruiter failed to mention that I was a year too young to enlist for Special Forces so I signed up for Airborne Infantry.

   Shipped off to the Republic of Korea, where my wonderful test scores gained me a slot in an artillery battery (needs of the service) and I talked and worked my way into the Fire Direction Center after making corporal as an assistant gunner on the howitzer.  Like I said, luckily I don't always get what I want, needs of the service, and tours in ROK x2, FRG x3, RVN, 82nd ABN x3, Drill Sergeant 3 yrs, finally retiring in Aug 1994.

Reading Kipling "the 'Eathan" which says it all.

   I was asked by a brother at church what era I was in when I served, I found the term 'era' funny, but told him Vietnam and Gulf War. His son wanted to know if we killed anyone, and did I get hurt. But you can't really tell children what they need to remember when they get older and need your advice, can you? Tell them it was important that you did the best you could while there, don't tell them how stupid and helpless you often felt. Maybe when they get older and into a service uniform and trusting you they may need your best answers - keep talking to them.

  Yes, sir! Veteran of 27 yrs, 5 mos and one day. I have been thanked for my service and I do hope all of yours has been all that the Lord would wish. Mine was.