11-11-11
Happy Veterans Day...to all of my fellow veterans.
(Also to everyone who appreciates veterans)
11-11-11; Veterans Day always falls on November 11th, but this year it's all eleven(teen!)s. Nice symmetry, but I digress.
There are a number of places offering meal deals to veterans today, so I plan to go have dinner at one of them. Not wanting to totally take advantage though, I'll get a drink and dessert or something, which isn't included where I'm going. Also, I'll be sure to leave a decent tip.
Here's a list of places to go, with embedded links:
Applebee's
Chili's
Golden Corral
Hooters
Olive Garden
Outback Steakhouse
Subway
Texas Roadhouse
T.G.I. Friday's
Uno Chicago Grill
On a more somber note, here's what Michael Yon posted today:
That 1%
11 November 2011
It has been an honor these seven years to cover American and British troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Philippines and elsewhere. It is said that only about 1% of Americans serve in the armed forces. Many of our troops are not even American citizens. I see them in combat regularly. Many veterans are in hospitals or have fresh scars and are recovering from recent wounds. A message just arrived from the military in Kabul that we just lost another service member in Southern Afghanistan.
Many of our finest will be in combat as you read these words. They will cope with their losses and continue to fight. Mostly they are very young. It is common to meet a young combat trooper who has fought for several years overseas. He doesn’t make much money. A heartfelt “thank you” goes a long way.
They have lost friends. Many of our young veterans have been wounded more than once, and yet they are out there right now. Some have more Purple Hearts than stripes. Their strength and dedication is inspirational. Their courage seems bottomless.
Tonight, many will sleep on the ground, their ears ringing from the nearby bullets and blasts that they have experienced so many times. They have killed the enemy, and watched their buddies die in their arms. They have seen and smelled and heard things that most of us rather would not. They will carry these things forever as Veterans. Tonight they will fight. We’ve already lost at least one today, yet most Americans seem to have forgotten that many of our men and women are still out there.
This is the longest war in the history of the United States. It’s far from over. I have not forgotten. I never will forget.
Thank you, Veterans.
(Also to everyone who appreciates veterans)
11-11-11; Veterans Day always falls on November 11th, but this year it's all eleven(teen!)s. Nice symmetry, but I digress.
There are a number of places offering meal deals to veterans today, so I plan to go have dinner at one of them. Not wanting to totally take advantage though, I'll get a drink and dessert or something, which isn't included where I'm going. Also, I'll be sure to leave a decent tip.
Here's a list of places to go, with embedded links:
Applebee's
Chili's
Golden Corral
Hooters
Olive Garden
Outback Steakhouse
Subway
Texas Roadhouse
T.G.I. Friday's
Uno Chicago Grill
On a more somber note, here's what Michael Yon posted today:
That 1%
11 November 2011
It has been an honor these seven years to cover American and British troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Philippines and elsewhere. It is said that only about 1% of Americans serve in the armed forces. Many of our troops are not even American citizens. I see them in combat regularly. Many veterans are in hospitals or have fresh scars and are recovering from recent wounds. A message just arrived from the military in Kabul that we just lost another service member in Southern Afghanistan.
Many of our finest will be in combat as you read these words. They will cope with their losses and continue to fight. Mostly they are very young. It is common to meet a young combat trooper who has fought for several years overseas. He doesn’t make much money. A heartfelt “thank you” goes a long way.
They have lost friends. Many of our young veterans have been wounded more than once, and yet they are out there right now. Some have more Purple Hearts than stripes. Their strength and dedication is inspirational. Their courage seems bottomless.
Tonight, many will sleep on the ground, their ears ringing from the nearby bullets and blasts that they have experienced so many times. They have killed the enemy, and watched their buddies die in their arms. They have seen and smelled and heard things that most of us rather would not. They will carry these things forever as Veterans. Tonight they will fight. We’ve already lost at least one today, yet most Americans seem to have forgotten that many of our men and women are still out there.
This is the longest war in the history of the United States. It’s far from over. I have not forgotten. I never will forget.
Thank you, Veterans.
posted by camojack | 16:51
15 Comments:
Nobody ever said it better than Michael Yon . If one could take half Michael's brain and put it in 0bama's head ,0bama still wouldn't know anything.He's just a blood sucker,as are those around him.
God bless Michael Yon and all our Heroes.
Barb,
I disagree. If one could take half of Michael Yon's brain and put it in Obama's head, Obama's IQ would instantly increase by about 160 points. Not only that, but Obama would instantly become compassionate, and reflecting on his past life, he might immediately consider suicide out of sheer guilt.
Unfortunately, that's an experiment we will never be able to test.
(:D) Best regards...
________________________________________
Camo,
God Bless you my good friend, and thanks for your service. Not only your service to the military, but to the military-industrial complex (necessary to bring better technology to our troops), and to humanity in general. Patriotism and selflessness are in short supply in this country, and those who exhibit it should be honored in double-measure.
(:D) Sincerely grateful...
Perhaps I never talked much about my Army nursing days at Ireland Army Hospital at Ft. Knox. Maybe I never mentioned it. That's okay because I suffer from PTS and therefore blocked that segment of my life from discussion.
Thanks to Golden Coral and a few friends from my apartment I have emerged to the place I can talk about the horrid things that befell my young life. Not to worry--my heart goes out to our wonderful soldiers daily and when I meet one they always get a hug from me (if they want it).
Maybe the 40 plus years have chipped away at the nightmare, but as I said above--a good meal with other Vietnam era buddys has allowed this nurse trainee to proudly say God Bless America.
To other women or men who have suffered unbelievable trauma, the number one way to fight nightmares is trust in the One who is supreme above all--Jesus Christ. No matter how bad the past, life is not over until the last breath is given.
I can attest to the transformation. God has allowed me to have another shot at chefing again. Though it is just volunteering, it has allowed me to use my powerchair less and less. Yes, I get wore down but like the restaurant business--if you love what you do the fatigue is worth it.
God bless our fighting men and women and the nurses who may never be called to go to arms, but yet have to experience the worse part of war--blood, trauma and death.
God bless the ministers of faith who also never carry a gun but walk a different but necessary path.
Good bless all our veterans, from the aged WWII soldiers to our young men and women who are fighting in the hell hole of earth
It has beem a great Veterans day. Went to Applebee's in Palmdale,CA. and we made new friends. De was also in the Air Force so we swaped stories and his family was behind us in line and they called us and the table was big enough for his family of four with us, The steak was still mooing just as I like it.
This day has been a Blessing. It turns out we have mutual friends. Can you beat that!
Happy Vets day Shelly
Happy Veterans Day, Camo!
Thanks to all who have served in their own myriad ways! God bless you all, my friends!
Beerme!
How are you? Happy Vets day to you.
Nick / angus the scot
Beerme. When are you going to post anything new?
This comment has been removed by the author.
Barb:
As I said to you in an email, Michael Yon is out there putting it all on the line along with the troops and I give him a lot of credit for that.
Hawkeye®:
I'm fortunate to have gone through the experience (relatively) unscathed. I have a lot of respect for those who are going through it now. As for my current vocation, I definitely get some degree of satisfaction from knowing that my efforts are helping them with theirs.
Shelly:
As you may know, the only females listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall were nurses. I'm glad that you weren't one of them.
Nick:
I also saw a fellow veteran where I went for dinner yesterday, but it was crowded there and he was across the room, so I didn't have the opportunity to speak with him. It's good that you managed to connect with somebody though...and very cool that you had mutual friends.
Beerme:
Thanks, and I'll second Nick's inquiry. :-)
Bunny:
Good point, and thank you for bringing it up; I often think about the families of our people serving over there in "The Sandbox" too...
yes I know and the one nurse that was killed became such a sad story. Should have never happened. Fortunately I never left Ireland Army Hospital but I could write a book on the ravages of war--but I won't
SGTUSMC 1ea
Camo,
GOD Bless You and I thank you for having been "The man in khaki kit, who could handle men a bit"
I am currently deployed with a contingent of our glorious servicemen astride a blizzard swept mountaintop in country X. I bluff and tell them I have already done my time and chewed more and worse dirt, but inwardly I feel guilt when I get to drive down the mountain to a 5 star hotel and they are stuck up there in tents, often without hot chow. My crew smuggles in such rarities as fresh apples when we go up to site and it is amazing how appreciative they are for even little things.
Best Regards.
Robert J
Shelly:
I daresay that you could write a book on a number of topics.
Maybe you should give it a go?
SGTUSMC 1ea:
It sounds like an interesting assignment that you have, but hopefully not in the sense of the ancient Chinese curse.
Indeed, it is the little things that make life complete...
Hey, GOD bless ya, Camo! :D
I hope the Christmas Season finds you well, and happy! Or at least not too grumpy. ;)
Have a Merry Christmas!
benning:
Back at ya, my friend.
I'll be posting something new for Christmas, but you have a merry one yourself...
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