Although this is a uniquely American (US) observance, I know there are others on this forum who have served their nation (Dev?). As one who has “stood on the wall”, I congratulate you, whatever uniform you wore, for your dedication to your beliefs.
For those of you who served the United States, and to those of you who continue to serve, thank you.
Although this is a uniquely American (US) observance, I know there are others on this forum who have served their nation (Dev?). As one who has “stood on the wall”, I congratulate you, whatever uniform you wore, for your dedication to your beliefs.
For those of you who served the United States, and to those of you who continue to serve, thank you.
You are welcome, and I also extend my thanks to those that both served and continue to serve, especially those that made it their careers and lives. It’s your willingness to protect the freedoms we have that make this country one of the best in the world.
John
I echo the happy veterans day…
Also a PSA to vets… There are hundreds of restaurants / eateries giving back to y’all today…
Starbucks, Applebees, Olive Garden, Red Slobster, ext…
Enjoy your day and the gifts from corporate America. You deserve it.
Yes, thank you to all who have served or continue to serve.
We had assembly at our HS yesterday and one of the speakers made a really good point. Veterans Day, like many other holidays, has undergone the same commercialification like many holidays, and that almost everybody has forgot the true origin of the holiday. If you asked 100 people where it started, how many would be able to tell you the correct story.
Yes, thank you to all who have served or continue to serve.
We had assembly at our HS yesterday and one of the speakers made a really good point. Veterans Day, like many other holidays, has undergone the same commercialification like many holidays, and that almost everybody has forgot the true origin of the holiday. If you asked 100 people where it started, how many would be able to tell you the correct story.
Please enlighten us as to the correct story. I freely admit that I am ignorant of the history behind Veterans’ Day.
Although this is a uniquely American (US) observance, I know there are others on this forum who have served their nation (Dev?). As one who has “stood on the wall”, I congratulate you, whatever uniform you wore, for your dedication to your beliefs.
For those of you who served the United States, and to those of you who continue to serve, thank you.
Veterans Day as “Veterans Day” is unique to America, but the same is observed under the name of Remembrance Day throughout the Commonwealth, including Canada, and as Armistice Day in other countries, all on November 11th.
Yes, thank you to all who have served or continue to serve.
We had assembly at our HS yesterday and one of the speakers made a really good point. Veterans Day, like many other holidays, has undergone the same commercialification like many holidays, and that almost everybody has forgot the true origin of the holiday. If you asked 100 people where it started, how many would be able to tell you the correct story.
Please enlighten us as to the correct story. I freely admit that I am ignorant of the history behind Veterans’ Day.
Started in 1918, as a celebration of Armistice Day, the day that fighting actually ceased for WWI. 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Predates the Treaty of Versailles officially ending the war by about 7 months.
John
on the 11th minute of the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the Armistice effectively ended World War I, a war where literally bazillions died in the trenches of western Europe ~ 1914-1918. I’m a little fuzzy on the years.
Veterans’ Day used to be called Armistice Day, the ending of WWI.
on the 11th minute of the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the Armistice effectively ended World War I, a war where literally bazillions died in the trenches of western Europe ~ 1914-1918. I’m a little fuzzy on the years.
Veterans’ Day used to be called Armistice Day, the ending of WWI.
Thanks for the context… As a vet, I am ashamed I did not know that. I appreciate learning something today!
Thank you to sinkinswimmer for starting this thread. I would to also add my heartfelt thank you to all veterans.
Casey McKinney
Major USMC, retired
1991-2013
Yes, thank you to all who have served or continue to serve.
We had assembly at our HS yesterday and one of the speakers made a really good point. Veterans Day, like many other holidays, has undergone the same commercialification like many holidays, and that almost everybody has forgot the true origin of the holiday. If you asked 100 people where it started, how many would be able to tell you the correct story.
Please enlighten us as to the correct story. I freely admit that I am ignorant of the history behind Veterans’ Day.
These people seem to got you covered. Yes, it was the whole 11-11-11 thing.
Although this is a uniquely American (US) observance, I know there are others on this forum who have served their nation (Dev?). As one who has “stood on the wall”, I congratulate you, whatever uniform you wore, for your dedication to your beliefs.
For those of you who served the United States, and to those of you who continue to serve, thank you.
Today is Remembrance Day here in Canada. Others have done far more dangerous and valuable service than what I did in my time in the Royal Canadian Air Force from 1983-1996. One of my best memories from 11 November was being on parade at the National War Memorial here in Ottawa in 1984 as a 19 year old. Keep in mind that in 1983, we still had a bunch of WW1 veterans still alive and on parade with us, although they were in their 80’s.
Wars are imperfect and the final outcome of when our societies and politicians cannot sort things out at an intellectual level with reason and verbal negotiations. It is with some sadness that I celebrate Remembrance Day as they only reason we have to remember the dead, or lay wreaths at the tomb of the unknown soldier is simply because our sons and daughters had to go to war in the first place. I’d rather that there were no wars and we need not celebrate the sacrifice.
I remember for those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, but they only had to make that as a result of a failure at the political level to avoid war in the first place.
I leave you with this set of words from John Lennon, who wrote this in a time when we humans collectively could have annihilated one another by pressing buttons launching nuclear missiles:
Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace…
You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one
Maybe a bit utopian, but in my time I saw the cold war end, the Berlin Wall come down, Yugoslavia implode, the Gulf War 1 happen. Today some of the software that we wrote is still flying in CF-18’s over in the ISIS strikes. I wish that was not neccessary, but the world is an imperfect place, where we use our muscle force when words cannot do the trick. I’d rather that all arms end up like the nuclear ones, not used since Nagasaki and sit there as a deterrent only.
Below were the boys on sentry duty 2 weeks ago here in Ottawa. To my classmates/peers who paid the ultimate price during service in both peace time and active duty in war, I will join you sometime somewhere when this life is over. You left me/us with great memories.
Dev
Capt (Retired) Royal Canadian Air Force 1983-1996
Thanks for the post, Dev. I knew I could count on you for something well written.
My hope is that the following words are never again true:
“Our God and soldiers we alike adore ev’n at the brink of danger; not before: After deliverance, both alike requited, Our God’s forgotten, and our soldiers slighted”
Although this is a uniquely American (US) observance, I know there are others on this forum who have served their nation (Dev?). As one who has “stood on the wall”, I congratulate you, whatever uniform you wore, for your dedication to your beliefs.
For those of you who served the United States, and to those of you who continue to serve, thank you.
+1 - thank you!
Thank you.
Although this is a uniquely American (US) observance, I know there are others on this forum who have served their nation (Dev?). As one who has “stood on the wall”, I congratulate you, whatever uniform you wore, for your dedication to your beliefs.
For those of you who served the United States, and to those of you who continue to serve, thank you.
Oh, and while the Veteran’s Day twist is uniquely US, the day itself is common to a few countries as Armistice or Remembrance day. Australia, Canada, Belgium, France off the top of my head.
John
By the way, I hope everyone had a good workout today. The act of working out itself is a luxury of a civilized world, where it means we have too much food that we have to burn it off and our lifestyles are elevated to the point that we are not tired from manual work or better yet, not tired from digging trenches, dodging bullets, tip toeing around land mines, not having anyone shoot our airplane down while we work, or end us inhaling nerve gas or mustard gas.
When I was a servicemen, we had the saying, “Friendship through sport” where ideological foes could do battle on the playing fields and learn from each other and about their societies rather than on battlefields. I am thankful that my hardest fights with the foe were actually done in triathlon kit and not in battlefield fatigues. In an ideal world, this will be the extent of the battle…through sport and not with armament…we can only hope for the generations that come next…to whom from failing hands we throw the torch. Please make your world better than our generation was able to, through respect and collaboration and understanding each other and celebrating your commonality to overcome differences.
I had an awesome workout…20 min spin bike-30 min hard run-20 min hard weights…all done connecting between flights in Toronto airport…and glad that I am getting on an aircraft now to collaborate with the tech world tomorrow in silicon valley rather than getting on a C-130 to go into a deployment zone.
Fpr those of you going on deployment to operations the precious sons and daughters have been entrusted to you by their parents. Treat them with respect and keep them safe!
As mentioned, in Canada as well as Britain and other commonwealth countries its called Remembrance Day and is on Nov. 11th.
Its definitely been far more pumped up this year in Canada than I can ever remember. Maybe the two recent “terrorist” killings of two military personnel and the fact we’ve recently sent six f18’s to Iraq to take out a few ISIS dump trucks and a back hoe so far might have something to do with it. Neither of the terrorists were brought up Muslim, but were home grown Canadians and recent facebook converts to radical Islam and both were individuals with a history of mental disorders. One used his car and the other had a hunting rifle so it was obvious from the start it was not an organized terrorist operation from abroad.
But as far as Remembrance Day in Canada is concerned, my dad and two uncles both served in WWII. Dad flew a Spitfire and uncle Jerry was in a Lancaster bomber in the RCAF, while uncle Ted was in the army. Talked to my 89 yr old dad today, last man standing of the three. He mentioned that today should be a day of sombre remembrance and not a glorification of war.
Today my wife took her grade 2 class to an optional outdoor remembrance ceremony where her kids actually got to talk with WWII veterans. The sad part was that out of twelve teachers at her school, only three chose to take the kids out of the classroom.
BTW - doesn’t this belong on the LR ?
Thanks for posting, many thanks and respect to past, present, and future Veterans.
As an unwilling “participant” (draftee, first lottery) with my induction notice ( “Greetings from the President”) ironically arriving on Christmas Eve, I ended up being one of the lucky grunts. I feel very fortunate for so very many in my position were not so lucky. My “band of brothers” developed a bond that continues to this day, 43 years later. We still have each other’s “back!”