During these fly-overs and other festivities, football fans everywhere cheer and wax their little patriotic chubbies and feign support for the sacrifices of our Boys and Girls and their families…then today another 24 of our Boys and Girls that are or have served will end their lives and 99.999% of these celebrating assholes won’t give it a god damn thought.

Anyone that cheered or gets off on the rah rah nationalistic power of our military is not at all thinking of the 168 Boys and Girls that will take their own lives in the next 7 days; or about how hundreds more will feel when they get the news that a mate they shared a fox hole with just blew his effing brains out or took out a restaurant full of people before doing so.

So many assholes celebrate and may even say to our uniformed boys and girls they see on the street, “thank you for your service;” but don’t stop to think about what they purport to fight for. Respect for all Americans, faithfulness to US and International Law, the peaceful transition of power and supporting the institutions that perpetuate America.

Right now, we are involved in over 70 conflicts where bullets are flying around the heads of our troops; and in most of these conflicts the People of those nations don’t want us there. We are there to support interests of amoral regimes and/or Chiquita Banana or BP oil. So much of our military spending is dedicated to killing civilians, creating refugees, while at the same time killing, maiming and/or destroying the mental health of our most servant-oriented youth. We spend money on flyovers; one orange asshole wants a military parade; and they keep building planes and tanks like the F-22 in a way where only half can fly at $150M each plus zillions in maintenance; yet our Vets have to wait months/years for treatment and/or get answering machines on suicide hotlines.

Then our best youth, often guilt-ridden over what they did or didn’t do, depressed over leaving their comrades behind arrive to culture of political and racial hate. Much of their mental health could be restored if they had a job that an adult can be proud of. A job that pays a true living wage like a union electrician in Chicago once did. One where he can work 40 hours, take pride in what he is building and make enough to keep his family comfortable and send his kids to college. And be insulated from the stigma an employer might attach to his seeking mental treatment for their PTS.

Where’s is the outrage over the US illegally sending our boys and girls to the southern border; to put them into a position of firing on refuges that are throwing rocks; refugees that our military industrial complex created. So many racist xenophobic fucks, desperate that the US don’t turn Brown, don’t give a shit if 24 of those troops per day end up ending their lives. Because it is about what they want; it’s about them satiating their Nationalistic hate. These Fucks are the ones that cheer loudest on Veterans Day; you’ll never find a tear in their eye; because they don’t give a shit about our serving boys and girls or respect that for which they fight.

BF,

This may shock you, but I agree with a lot of what you say. We stick our noses is in way too many places internationally, and it is the best and the brightest to pay for it, many times to advance our business interests more than our moral or national security interests.

I am for compulsory national service. If you want to serve in the military, it’s two years. If you don’t want to serve in the military, it’s four years. And that way, people wouldn’t be so eager to send their kids, nephews, nieces, and their friends kids to the stupid wars.

That notwithstanding, our country is done to help more people than the rest of the countries in the history of the planet. Our military has helped free millions of people, including during World War I and World War II. And for those reasons, I wish those who served a happy Veterans Day and I’m very appreciative for their service, irrespective of whether or not they served and complex we believe to be worthwhile.

In the spirit of the holiday I’m going to leave it at that, because we disagree about the many other things.

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I liked what FOX did. The history stuff and stories were great.

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Barf, I for one do thank those that have served in our military when I see a vet that wears a hat or coat that states that they did serve. Does that make me an asshole? If that’s what you think, so be it.
What should I do? Ignore them?
As was already stated, our country has helped liberate so many people who would have suffered had we not gone there. Are we perfect? No. But the way you talk, we should just turn our collective backs and ignore it all.
There are too many evil people in today’s world. From Hitler, Pot, Hussein, Bin Laden, North Korea’s leader, and so on. Had we not stepped in, you think these horrible people would mind their own business and not try to take over the world?
Have these animals not killed anyone that gets in their way? Would they stop by themselves without someone standing up to them?
No, better to attack our military then the actual “assholes”.
You are consistent, that’s for sure.

I do understand that war is horrible. I’m NOT a “war monger”. But to ignore the horrible things that are happening in the world is not the answer. That won’t make them go away.
Also, is protecting our borders fro people entering illegally such a bad thing? Yeah, just let people to ignore our laws. That’s the answer, hey? How has that worked out so far? Ask the Americans that live in the border states that actually have to deal with it how they feel.
I appreciate what our veterans and those serving now are going through.
I don’t ignore their sacrifices. That’s why I appreciate and thank them when ever I can.

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Until someone has gotten a call at 3:17 am from their son who is in a combat zone, they have no idea of what they are talking about. Platitudes are meaningless.

I guarantee you when you hear, "Um, Dad? First of all, I was injured but I am going to be ok." you will not have any trouble waking up.

I have talked about it a few times on this site so for those of you who have heard this before I apologize.

My son is a purple heart recipient from a suicide car bomb.

Before his service I thought Veteran's Day was a good thing. It's such a small thing to take one lousy day out of the year and tell the men and women who have served that we realize that they did something others have not done.

Today I understand much more about the sacrifice these men and women have made in addition to the sacrifice their families have made. While it is not easy on parents, it is so much harder on the spouses and children. My son served in the local guard unit. Every week or two we saw the toll it took on family members. We organized groups to mow yards or shovel the snow. Among so many other things.

While I missed my son it is no where near what the women in our group were going through. Or how about a 2 year old? That's old enough to know you have a Dad but not old enough to understand why he isn't here for your birthday. It's not old enough to know why Mommy is crying all the time. Skype or whatever helps. It wasn't very good when my son was overseas. No matter how good video is, there is no hug, no kiss, no physical contact that every human deserves.

Barny is still looking to pick a fight and I don't really care what his is saying. To me it isn't worth my time.

The truth is today I understand the meaning of THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE so much more than I did 10 years ago.

It is interesting that my son told me young servicemen don't care for it. (Viet Nam vets appreciate it. because they didn't get it when they returned.) They think it's somewhat phony. People don't know what to say so that's the go to response for many. When one young serviceman very politely and sincerely suggested to my wife that others may think less of her for saying it, she explained why she had earned that right. He agreed with her that she does have the right. I always begin by stating my son told me that some people don't like it and I understand why. It takes longer but I show them it's not like someone mumbling the rosary or walking through the receiving line at a visitation. I have never had anyone complain. My suggestion to those who want to thank a service man/woman take 10-15 extra seconds to qualify what you are saying. It will seem to be more heartfelt.

Since my son values Veteran's Day, I will too. There is so much of what the army and politicians do that is wrong. No matter how wrong they are, it has nothing to do with honoring those who served. I don't care if they were in combat like my son, those who stayed safely inside the wire like most, or those who are fortunate enough to never leave our shores. It doesn't matter. They all have earned the right to have people show a little appreciation for their sacrifice and effort.

All the flyovers, flag waving and commercials are just a by product. That's not where our focus needs to be.

Of course I yield to NSD and his opinion.

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My opinion? It's a waste of emotional energy to hate any holiday, but it's really fucking pointless to hate a holiday when no one on the face of this planet gives two shits whether you celebrate it or not. This isn't Christmas or Thanksgiving.

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I have had so many relatives that have been seriously wounded in wars From WW2 and on. I have listened to what they went through, the horrors.
When I thank vets, I try to make it a conversation when possible. Not just “mumbling”, but really trying to let them know they ARE appreciated.
Others can have their opinions. It’s a free country.
I choose to try to let those that served know that at least one guy cares. And really means it.

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Good stories shared in this one.

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Regardless of what anyone else thinks, I thank ALL who have served and like my old friend Cheesey, I mean that!