falcaineer Posted November 11, 2017 Share Posted November 11, 2017 From someone currently serving to all who have, are, and someday will, Thank You! I salute you. What is a Veteran? Some veterans bear visible signs of their service: a missing limb, a jagged scar, a certain look in the eye. Others may carry the evidence inside them: a pin holding a bone together, a piece of shrapnel in the leg - or perhaps another sort of inner steel: the soul's ally forged in the refinery of adversity. Except in parades, however, the men and women who have kept America safe wear no badge or emblem. You can't tell a vet just by looking. He is the cop on the beat who spent six months in Saudi Arabia sweating two gallons a day making sure the armored personnel carriers didn't run out of fuel. He is the barroom loudmouth, dumber than five wooden planks, whose overgrown frat-boy behavior is outweighed a hundred times in the cosmic scales by four hours of exquisite bravery near the 38th parallel. They are the nurse who fought against futility and went to sleep sobbing every night for two solid years in Da Nang. He is the POW who went away one person and came back another - or didn't come back AT ALL. He is the Quantico drill instructor who has never seen combat - but has saved countless lives by turning slouchy, no-account rednecks and gang members into Marines, and teaching them to watch each other's backs. He is the parade - riding Legionnaire who pins on his ribbons and medals with a prosthetic hand. He is the career quartermaster who watches the ribbons and medals pass him by. He is the three anonymous heroes in The Tomb Of The Unknowns, whose presence at the Arlington National Cemetery must forever preserve the memory of all the anonymous heroes whose valor dies unrecognized with them on the battlefield or in the ocean's sunless deep. He is the old guy bagging groceries at the supermarket - palsied now and aggravatingly slow - who helped liberate a Nazi death camp and who wishes all day long that his wife were still alive to hold him when the nightmares come. He is an ordinary and yet an extraordinary human being - a person who offered some of his life's most vital years in the service of his country, and who sacrificed his ambitions so others would not have to sacrifice theirs. He is a soldier and a savior and a sword against the darkness, and he is nothing more than the finest, greatest testimony on behalf of the finest, greatest nation ever known. So remember, each time you see someone who has served our country, just lean over and say Thank You. That's all most people need, and in most cases it will mean more than any medals they could have been awarded or were awarded. Two little words that mean a lot, "THANK YOU". "It is the soldier, not the reporter, Who has given us freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, Who has given us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier, Who salutes the flag, Who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protestor to burn the flag." Father Denis Edward O'Brien/USMC Miboy, mathews31, Red Rambler and 12 others 11 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mariner Posted November 11, 2017 Share Posted November 11, 2017 Thank you, Chris! And thank you to all the Veterans out there. As civilian members of the merchant marine, we are honored to be able to sail the same seas as the US military and support them during times of peace, as well as be available to be called into service during times of war. We of all people understand their great sacrifice, and are ever grateful for everything our veterans have done, and will do for us in the future. falcaineer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Bowtie Posted November 11, 2017 Share Posted November 11, 2017 Thank you to all that have served and those who are serving this great country! It was an honor to wear the uniform and today as a civilian, I enjoy going to work everyday to continue to train our warriors! falcaineer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falcaineer Posted May 28, 2018 Author Share Posted May 28, 2018 Bump, in remembrance of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Rambler Posted May 28, 2018 Share Posted May 28, 2018 Thanks to all who have served and paid the ultimate price. God bless. falcaineer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falcaineer Posted November 12, 2018 Author Share Posted November 12, 2018 Thank you to all who have served! ObsessedDetailer and RayS 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ObsessedDetailer Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 Thank you veterans!!! Proud to say my grandpa who is 95 is a WWII Veteran and pretty amazing he is still alive. You veterans don’t get the attention you deserve. Thank you to all. falcaineer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 Here's a picture of me in 1967 just out of basic training. Headed out for a ship, then off to Nam. For every one of you who served, or is currently serving, a huge THANK YOU from me. Your sacrifice and service is appreciated. ObsessedDetailer, TheWolf, RayS and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8675309'SS Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 Thank you veterans, and those still in uniform, for my freedom and my safety. I’m deeply grateful for your sacrifices and your selflessness, today and always. falcaineer, RayS and ObsessedDetailer 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayS Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 My wife and I are both proud of the years we spent in the service, yes we are both veterans. We also very much appreciate those who served before us, after us and are serving today. I know there are members here that collect limited edition sprays, I collect Eagles. Paintings, prints, figurines and metal cut outs. My largest Eagle stands 4 foot high and weights in at just over 300 pounds. On Saturday, I picked up a very unique Eagle made by another veteran from 13 different types of wood and it is beautiful. The wings are 13 inches each to give a large and distinctive look. We also look for businesses that appreciate the veterans, Adams, Lowes and a few others. To all of you who appreciate the veterans, I thank you for supporting us. ObsessedDetailer, falcaineer and Rich 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ObsessedDetailer Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 My dad told me this yesterday but i forgot to add it. he was telling me about his dad so my grandpa. He had two pairs of socks as he walked with the infantry from France to Germany. During the winter he would take his wet socks off and put them inside his uniform on his chest to dry out, sleeping in a fox hole they would dig a foot deep in the frozen ground. Greatest generation falcaineer, RayS and Rich 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falcaineer Posted May 25, 2019 Author Share Posted May 25, 2019 Bump. And in remembrance of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, here are a couple recent pics from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Simply, awesome. 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲 8675309'SS, Firebuff17, Nickfire20 and 1 other 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USCGRetiredJosh Posted May 25, 2019 Share Posted May 25, 2019 Me at my retirement ceremony in 2014. To the all active, veterans, retirees, and the one those that never made it home, Happy Veterans day. falcaineer, RayS, 8675309'SS and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayS Posted May 25, 2019 Share Posted May 25, 2019 2 hours ago, USCGRetiredJosh said: Me at my retirement ceremony in 2014. To the all active, veterans, retirees, and the one those that never made it home, Happy Veterans day. From two USCG Veterans to another and to all you Non-USCG veterans - Thank you for your service. My wife and I both proudly served and have a US Army Captain son-in-law. falcaineer, 8675309'SS and Nickfire20 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galaxy Posted May 26, 2019 Share Posted May 26, 2019 (edited) Toootttaly not trying to be an ***, but please note you guys resurrected a Veterans Day thread on Memorial Day. Edited May 26, 2019 by galaxy Rich 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falcaineer Posted May 26, 2019 Author Share Posted May 26, 2019 1 hour ago, galaxy said: Toootttaly not trying to be an ***, but please note you guys resurrected a Veterans Day thread on Memorial Day. Completely understand. I use it for both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falcaineer Posted November 11, 2019 Author Share Posted November 11, 2019 Happy Veteran's Day! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Bowtie Posted November 11, 2019 Share Posted November 11, 2019 Happy Veterans Day to all my brothers and sisters. Training warriors today, so what a better way to celebrate!! falcaineer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayS Posted November 11, 2019 Share Posted November 11, 2019 Happy Veterans Days to all my fellow Veterans. falcaineer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amiguel6 Posted November 11, 2019 Share Posted November 11, 2019 Happy Veterans Day To All! falcaineer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8675309'SS Posted November 12, 2019 Share Posted November 12, 2019 Veterans, thank you for your service, and my freedom! falcaineer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted November 12, 2019 Share Posted November 12, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falcaineer Posted November 11, 2020 Author Share Posted November 11, 2020 Bump Happy Veteran's Day! 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲 RayS 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted November 11, 2020 Share Posted November 11, 2020 Happy to see this thread another year, and proud to thank every Veteran for your service. God Bless the USA, and God Bless all our Veterans and servicemen and women who are serving and will be our future Veterans. shmedley, RayS and falcaineer 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayS Posted November 11, 2020 Share Posted November 11, 2020 We'd like to extend our warm thanks and well wishes to all the other Veteran's. Ray & Mary - USCG falcaineer and Rich 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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