thedrifter
08-20-09, 07:21 AM
Jim Six: Thank you for your service
by Jim Six, Gloucester County Times
Thursday August 20, 2009, 3:00 AM
Last week, when I learned that Sgt. Bill Cahir, a Marine who had been our Washington, D.C. correspondent for almost 10 years, was killed by enemy fire in some desert hellhole in Afghanistan, I called a couple friends of mine who are Marines.
They're both Vietnam vets and I wanted to tell them “Welcome home,” thank them for their service and tell them I was glad they made it home alive.
As someone with a little military experience who wrote for some years about veterans and the military, I understand how important it is to welcome Vietnam veterans home. They were never properly welcomed back home after serving in that Godforsaken country a generation ago, so it's quite appropriate to welcome them home now.
You should try it.
I also try to thank veterans and current GIs for their service. It doesn't matter whether their service was in Vietnam or Iraq or Afghanistan or Grenada or Panama or Texas -- they put on uniforms that show the world they are serving our flag and our country with pride.
I say it doesn't matter, but I do believe we owe an extra measure of thanks to the veterans of World War II. They literally saved the world, preserved our freedom and kept us from speaking Japanese or German. When I speak to WWII vets, I not only thank them for their service, I thank them for my freedom.
But not everybody is as outgoing as I am. You might be a little shy about walking up to strange men and women in uniform (in an airport, train station, bus depot, anywhere) and saying, “Thank you.”
That's why I wholeheartedly endorse something people are calling the Gratitude Campaign.
Instead of saying a word, just put your hand over your heart, like you would when they play the Star-Spangled Banner, then pull your hand down and out, bending it at the elbow. Stop a little above your waist level, with your flat hand facing palm up, angled toward the person to whom you're saying “Thank you.” (There's a video at the Web site for those of you who need further instruction.)
In American Sign Language, doing this but starting the sign at the chin means “Thank you.” Minor difference and, maybe, if you read about it at the Web site, some military significance.
Simple. Effective. Costs nothing.
I plan to be in Arlington when Bill Cahir is buried. It will be a quiet, dignified event. What better time for me to use the sign.
You can try it out this weekend, if you'd like. The incredible Gloucester County Veterans Picnic will be taking place at the county's DREAM Park on Route 130 South in Logan Township from 1 to 5 p.m.
There will be veterans from WWII, Korea, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf wars there. To someone like me, it's like a gathering of heroes. Maybe you're a vet who's never been to the picnic. You should go.
And if I don't see you in person, welcome home and thank you very much for your service.
Ellie
by Jim Six, Gloucester County Times
Thursday August 20, 2009, 3:00 AM
Last week, when I learned that Sgt. Bill Cahir, a Marine who had been our Washington, D.C. correspondent for almost 10 years, was killed by enemy fire in some desert hellhole in Afghanistan, I called a couple friends of mine who are Marines.
They're both Vietnam vets and I wanted to tell them “Welcome home,” thank them for their service and tell them I was glad they made it home alive.
As someone with a little military experience who wrote for some years about veterans and the military, I understand how important it is to welcome Vietnam veterans home. They were never properly welcomed back home after serving in that Godforsaken country a generation ago, so it's quite appropriate to welcome them home now.
You should try it.
I also try to thank veterans and current GIs for their service. It doesn't matter whether their service was in Vietnam or Iraq or Afghanistan or Grenada or Panama or Texas -- they put on uniforms that show the world they are serving our flag and our country with pride.
I say it doesn't matter, but I do believe we owe an extra measure of thanks to the veterans of World War II. They literally saved the world, preserved our freedom and kept us from speaking Japanese or German. When I speak to WWII vets, I not only thank them for their service, I thank them for my freedom.
But not everybody is as outgoing as I am. You might be a little shy about walking up to strange men and women in uniform (in an airport, train station, bus depot, anywhere) and saying, “Thank you.”
That's why I wholeheartedly endorse something people are calling the Gratitude Campaign.
Instead of saying a word, just put your hand over your heart, like you would when they play the Star-Spangled Banner, then pull your hand down and out, bending it at the elbow. Stop a little above your waist level, with your flat hand facing palm up, angled toward the person to whom you're saying “Thank you.” (There's a video at the Web site for those of you who need further instruction.)
In American Sign Language, doing this but starting the sign at the chin means “Thank you.” Minor difference and, maybe, if you read about it at the Web site, some military significance.
Simple. Effective. Costs nothing.
I plan to be in Arlington when Bill Cahir is buried. It will be a quiet, dignified event. What better time for me to use the sign.
You can try it out this weekend, if you'd like. The incredible Gloucester County Veterans Picnic will be taking place at the county's DREAM Park on Route 130 South in Logan Township from 1 to 5 p.m.
There will be veterans from WWII, Korea, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf wars there. To someone like me, it's like a gathering of heroes. Maybe you're a vet who's never been to the picnic. You should go.
And if I don't see you in person, welcome home and thank you very much for your service.
Ellie