Back in 2003, after I had returned from my first tour of duty into Iraq, the United States seemed like a very different place. A lot of the patriotism from the 9/11 tragedy had worm off and people were getting back to their everyday lives.
Don't get me wrong, that's a good thing! The last thing anyone wants is to be terrified of what could happen next. No one deserves to live in fear and live their life that way every day!
There were a lot less flags flying when I came home...people had to be reminded to remove their hat when the National Anthem was sang at Kaufman Stadium in Kansas City...people seemed too busy to stop and look at our flag as it waved in the summer breeze.
On November 11, 2003, I attended my first Veteran's Day parade as a veteran. It was at the Liberty Memorial for WWI vets. The theme for the day was the Korean War. I was in Dress Blues and as the flag was paraded past me by veteran's of the Korean War, I raised my arm to salute and was overwelmed by the thought of my Grandfather who had been in WWII and my dad who served during Vietnam - both were gone at this point.
Both my dad and grandfather were in the Air Force. My brother Jeff was in the National Guard-Army. My brother Derek was in the Air Force. My daughter Erin was in the Navy. My uncle John was in the Navy. With the geneology I have been doing on our family, we had someone back in the Revolutionary War - James Elkin of Virginia. My family has a rich heritage in this country's military.
This Veteran's Day, say "Thank You" to a veteran who gave of their time to preserve our freedom and our way of life here in this United States of America!
2 comments:
Thank you Steve for your commitment, sharing your experiences and memories...I think you really should commit your thoughts to paper, one of these days the techno world may crumble and we'll lose all these great observations, insights, memories and stories...
Thank you Steve for serving. I was privileged to know Curly as well.
Post a Comment