What is a Veteran

[hermogenesm]

:usmc: Some veterans bear visible signs of their service: a missing limb, a jagged scar, a certain look in his eye.

Others may carry the evidence inside them: a pin holding a bone together, a piece of shrapnal in the leg-or perhaps another sort of inner steel: the soul's ally forget 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 Veteran 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 then five wooden planks, whose overgrown fratboy behavior is outweighed in the cosmic scales by four hours exquisite bravery near the 38th parrallel.

She -or he- is 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 U.S.Marines, and teaching them to watch each others backs.

He is the parade-riding Legionnairs 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 momory 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 other 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.

Two little words that mean a lot, "THANK YOU".

"It is the soldier, not the reporter, Who has given us freedom of the press. its is the soldies, 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. its 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.:

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SACRIFICE AND SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY.
:marine:SgtHermogenesm
Blinded Marine Veteran

[ecfree]

Thanks Hermo,you struck home....:flag:
SEMPER FI my brother.

[Wyoming]

WOW!!

Thanks , My Brother!!

Semper Fidelis

[rb1651]

No finer words have ever been written. Thank you, Brother.

[RON 68]

Semper-Fi.that made my day a little better.Ron 68

[sparkie]

I choked a little,,,,,,,, And a lot. But you know???/ The world don't care. It's just us. I Love all you Bros. Semper Fi.

[ecfree]

BACK AT YA SPARK.........:beer:

[sparkie]

BACK AT YA SPARK.........:beer:
I will buy,,,,,, Any Friggin time, Bro.

[hermogenesm]

:usmc:STRENGTH, HONOR, PRIDE, DEVOTION.
To be an American Warrior is to have Physical, Mental, and Spiritual Strength. A Warrior must be prepared to overpower the enemy and face death head-on.

We honor our Veterans for their bravery and because by seeing death on the battlefield, they truly know the greatness of life.

American Warriors Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen have fought heroically in all of this century's wars and armed conflicts. They have not only been formally recognized for their bravery through military decoration but through anecdotal obervation as well.

The real secret which makes the American Warriors such an outstanding Warrior is his enthusiasm to fight.

More important, however, is the Warrior's Spiritual Strength. Many American traditional cultures recognize that War disrupts the natural order of life and causes a spiritual disharmony. To survive the chaos of
War is to gain a more intimate knowledge of life. Therefore, Military Service is a unigue way to develop an inner Strength that is valued in
American Society.

Having a strong sense of inner Spirituality is also a part of the American Warriors character. Many American Warriors are raised rural or remote USA an in environment that fosters self-reliance, introspection, and meditative way of thinking. these character traits can be very beneficial when adapting to the occasional isolation of military life in times of both Peace and War.

Wisdom as used in this context, means the sum total of formal learning and worldly experiences.
:iwo:THANK YOU FOR YOUR SACRIFICE AND SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY.
Semper-Fi
Sgthermogenesm
Blinded Marine Veteran.

[bucksgted]

Sgt. Marrero, I salute you!! Your words made these old eyes sweat. I can only hope that I acquire some wisdom to pass on to my nephew that just began his journey to become a Marine. Unless I am a terrible judge of strengh and character, he will earn his Eagle, Globe and Anchor on 9/12/08.

With your permission, I want to copy and paste your two posts in a letter to my nephew.

:flag:Semper Fidelis, Marine! And thank you for your service to our Country!

Ed

[Bruce59]

I new one of those men you talk about, a Marine who could not hold rank. Every time he got a stripe, soon after he was busted. Often he would
disobey orders, he got out of the Marine Corps as a Pvt. in 1970. But before he got out he disobeyed his last order, and in doing so he was awarded the Medal of Honor. The Marine Corps gave him a Pfc stripe because it look better. He got the MOH after he was out at the Whitehouse. Many Marines said that he drank way to much, and so do I,
but he was one hell of a nice guy and he loved his Marines. One day on the 31 of Jan 1970 he was a Hero and Marine. His name was Raymond Mike Clausen Jr. Miss You Mike.


Bruce
http://wallofhonor.bravehost.com

[hermogenesm]

THE CEREMONIES THAT HONOR OUR AMERICAN WARRIORS CREATE A SPECIAL PLACE IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD. SO AMERICAN WARRIORS DO NOT FEAR DEATH, BUT RATHER REGARD IT AS THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR THEIR OWN AND THEIR COUNTRY. WE WILL NEVER FOREGET YOU. SEMPER-FI MARINE FIRST CLASS RAYMOND MIKE CLAUSEN JR.

[FistFu68]

:usmc: IT WILL BE A GRAND REUNION SOMEDAY :usmc::iwo:

[Backblast]

Semper Fi Marines and thank you all.

[gunnyhiles]

Before You Go (http://www.managedmusic.com/php/BYGIndex.php?page=playBYGVN)

[ecfree]

Before You Go (http://www.managedmusic.com/php/BYGIndex.php?page=playBYGVN)
Thanks Gunny.......:beer:

[rb1651]

Gunny, on behalf of my Dad, a wounded Viet Nam vet who is gone now, I thank you for that post. The eyeballs were sweatin' by the second verse. :cry:

[john helies]

As always, a true warrior is known by his heart. Thank you for touchiing mine. Semper Fi

[SgtHMH]

Well as the song says " Stand up next to you and Defend her still today ain't no doubt about I love this land God Bless the USA". We are Marines and once earned the Title we are Marines forever. We do our duty and don't ask for anything in return, just that we are the brotherhood of the Corps. Ones that never served in the Corps will never understand this and how we feel about each other. It's does not matter from what era or time, if you earned the Title Marine we are all the same from Nov 10, 1775 and forever. We are all the life blood of the Corps and we feel for each other as more than a branch more like a family.

Semper Fi

[Sgt Jim]

Semper Fi

[hermogenesm]

Almighty God,
By who's grace we are call upon to positions of trust and responsibility,

We ask Your blessing upon all who serve in the UNITED STATES MARINE

CORPS, at home and abroad. Inspire us with the courage to always seek

The truth, and the wisdom to give proper counsel to our comrades. Give

Us the strength to persevere in the face if doubt and adversity, And

Clarity of vision that we may alway know the light when it is revealed

From the darness; That by serving honourably and with wisdom, We may

serve you well and be worthy of our calling.

Amen

:marine:THANK YOU FOR YOUR SACRIFICE AND SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY.

[Jim Oliver]

ohboyo I don't feel big enough for the shoes you guys are talking about

[hermogenesm]

Veterans Honored the memorys of those Marines who lost
their lives while serving their God, Country, and Corps:

Often it has been said that;
"Dates and places, facts and figures are the bare bones of any historical
event. For,it is the sights, sounds, tast, gestures, and feelings locked
away in Veterans memories that give history its color and nuance."

:iwo:THANK YOU FOR YOUR SACRIFICE AND SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY

[sparkie]

I am an aging vet now, My left knee and ancle are swolen, and my right wrist has hurt bad for 5 years. I put 2 aspirin in my belly every morning, and a few beers in there every nite.
Every 6 months, my back locks up, and I don't go to work, I lay on ice.
I smoke and drink too much, and on some occasions, I cry a little.
I cut grass, clean the patio, and BBQ every weekend.
I love my wife, when she most needs it, and I love my kids from a distance.
I go to work most days in 110, and honor my employer. I work outside.
I would like a retire with my love,,, But that is expensive.

This site has become a playground, and I could not have found better group of playmates. I feel Honor here. The world is lacking. I feel trust here. The world cannot be trusted. I feel faith here, the world is unfaithful.

Veterans have something,,,, Even my Korean combat Army father-in-law has something other sad humans don't.

We have us.

[gunnyhiles]

Sparks, I'm in as bad shape with 75% disability. The pain will never go away, both physical and emotional. I am blessed to have retired from the Corps, and from a major petrochemical company. What I did not get from my last retirement is the relationships we as Marines enjoy through hard work and sacrifice. Like you finding this site, I found one in the early infancy of the internet, Prodigy. There I met many Nam Vets like me, and there on a screen with a keyboard we were able to talk of things we could not and all to often never did with anyone. Eventually we began to meet in DC over Memorial Day, and did for a number of years until age and health got us all. From that I was able to come to grips with events and most of all my feeling of guilt. Guilt that I came back and so many others did not. How many of my recruits did I kill by not doing enough to keep them safe. I thought I did all I could, but did I, what did I forget, what did I not teach them?

[sparkie]

Sparks, I'm in as bad shape with 75% disability. The pain will never go away, both physical and emotional. I am blessed to have retired from the Corps, and from a major petrochemical company. What I did not get from my last retirement is the relationships we as Marines enjoy through hard work and sacrifice. Like you finding this site, I found one in the early infancy of the internet, Prodigy. There I met many Nam Vets like me, and there on a screen with a keyboard we were able to talk of things we could not and all to often never did with anyone. Eventually we began to meet in DC over Memorial Day, and did for a number of years until age and health got us all. From that I was able to come to grips with events and most of all my feeling of guilt. Guilt that I came back and so many others did not. How many of my recruits did I kill by not doing enough to keep them safe. I thought I did all I could, but did I, what did I forget, what did I not teach them?

The only Marines without 'Survivors Remorse' Have gone before us.

I am going to go see the Wall this fall,,, I hope I can handle,,,,, I shall also see VMSN 513, My Brother, A WW2 vet, in NO Carolina, Can't wait,,,But I can, 'Cause I don't know if I can take the Wall. And I have a hard time seeing a Marine pass. Semper Fi,,,, :iwo:

[ecfree]

The only Marines without 'Survivors Remorse' Have gone before us.

I am going to go see the Wall this fall,,, I hope I can handle,,,,, I shall also see VMSN 513, My Brother, A WW2 vet, in NO Carolina, Can't wait,,,But I can, 'Cause I don't know if I can take the Wall. And I have a hard time seeing a Marine pass. Semper Fi,,,, :iwo:
The Wall will take something out of you Spark,I was there in 89.
You go there looking for a buddy or two,and when you find em,it hits you like a sledge hammer in the gut.
I didn't know how I was going to react.....:iwo:

I still remember every minute,,,,,you'll never forget it.
They have a moble Wall,that travels the country,it was here in Myrtle Beach a year or two ago.
I took pic's,i'll try to post them.

[gunnyhiles]

I'll never forget the time we all went to the Wall, it was daylight. I went through and was impressed and somewhat skittish. Then my wife and I went down around midnight, what a transformation. Feelings of scariness, guilt, shame, and so many other feelings did as one just said "Hits ya in the gut". But then as exiting there was a single little tent with a young lady. We went to see what she was doing and found her to be taking names of Nam Vets for a project. She asked if we would sign the book, I did. Then whe said the 2 words I never heard since '78, "Welcome Home!". I lost it, I ran over to the reflection pool and sat and cried. My wife came by and I asked her to leave me alone. After we got home these feeling hit me again. I told my Dr., he asked me a few questions and next day I was in the "Funny Farm" for a few weeks. They got me on meds and all is well. Every so often the meds begin to fail but something new comes along and is well for a few years. Hell, I'm 70, won't have to put up with it much longer.

[sparkie]

Gunny,,,,,, I don't know if I can face it. My eyes are wet now. The portable has been in Vegas, and I couldn;t go. My wife don't get it.