Veterans Day

11/11/2013

                       Every time I see the commercial for " Wounded Warriors," I
                       wonder if many of these young men and women know of the
                       horrors they face ? I believe they think their going to a place
                       around the world to fight for a cause ? Many come back 
                       tormented souls, broken bodies and minds that can't comprehend
                       the horrors they have seen. My personal advice to any young
                       person wether it be a man or a woman think twice before you
                       make that fateful decision.....

                                                                Cheers....Joe...

At least these current young people have that choice. Many veterans from earlier wars did not.

11/11/2013

                          Yes I know that. But I feel many young people who aren't
                    too educated fall intothis trap...

                                                       Cheers...Joe..

Don, I thank you.  Having experienced war as a civilian in Beirut's Civil War, the devastation is not just in the destruction of material things, but there is human destruction even for those who survive.  Separation of loved ones, worry for their safety while at the same time struggling to survive can destroy the spirit in one sense, and strengthen the person's resolve in another.  The basic things: Food and shelter is another kind of war.  Morals are unimportant when parents want to feed their children.  I know what this is like first hand when there was no food to be had.  I have also learned what it was like during WWII for the civilians living in the war zone.  As people get older, they think about the past and are reminded of those days struggling to survive.  Many have kept quite about this in that it caused too much pain even to talk about it.  It is difficult for many of these people as they witness young people in today's world who have too much, expecting even more.  This greed mentality becomes evident around Christmas when kids are concerned more about how much they get than the meaning of Christmas and/or the thought behind the gift.  Recently, there have been documentaries on TV where I live about past wars with actual footage of war activity.  Last night I had to turn off the TV not wishing to see more and to be able to sleep.  The waste of human lives as well as the destruction of homes and the land needed to produce food is horrible.  When I say I'm against war, the reasons are clear to me.  My wife tells me about her childhood during WWII.  She was six years of age and remembers clearly, as if were happening today, the horrors and the struggle they went through just to survive.  It doesn't matter about the politics causing the war, or who was right or wrong.  Survival is an instinct that we all have.  Our parents and grandparents paved the way so that we can enjoy the life we now have.  As Don pointed out, men and women were willing to sacrifice their lives if it became necessary.  Many did.  Those who survived are forever grateful to those who risked. 
Those who experienced war either by serving or living in a war zone, are for the most part in opposition to war.  I think that most would be willing to defend their homes and country when it is true defense.  Ideology is not a consideration.  Knowing what I now know, I would not be willing to risk my life for politics or any ideology.  My opinions about war may differ from others, but those opinions are mine and doubt if they will ever change.
 
We should honor those who were willing to sacrifice and for those who were placed in harms-way.  Circumstances change as well as attitudes. 
 
We read about our own Civil War.  The stupidity involved with neighbor fighting against neighbor rallying behind their flag, believing their cause was right, was horrible.  Since the Civil War was the last war fought on American soil, and being so far in the past, few American civilians understand the horrors of war and why we need to fight against it.   The only war that I support is a war of words to fight against war.

I was on a short cruise Veteran's Day and seated at my table was a father, mother and son. The son, a Lt. Col. in the Air Force was treating his parents to an anniversary cruise.  The mother was proud that their family went back generations serving the country in the military. 

Military families as mentioned earlier are also "in service" to their country as their lives revolve around the military person.