Veterans Day 2018 ~ Thank You

Today is the day we should all stop and take a moment to say thank you. Many of us have a veteran in our life that served. But here on the monkey we also have many special men and women who served our country. You are heroes.

 

On Veterans Day, businesses always want to say Thank You also. Maybe some of the deals are in your area.
Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill: Free meal from a special menu Sunday.
Back Yard Burgers: Free Back Yard Classic Burger Sunday.
Bakers Square: Free Veterans Day Breakfast Sunday plus get a 20 percent off coupon for a future visit.
Bar Louie: Free flatbread or burger Sunday.
Bertucci's: Free small cheese pizza Sunday and Monday.
BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse: Free meal up to $12.95 and free Dr. Pepper beverage Sunday. Also in November, military personnel can also reserve a Pizookie through the Buy a Hero a Pizookie Program.
Bob Evans: Free meal from a special menu available all day Sunday at all locations.
Bonefish Grill: Free Bang Bang Shrimp appetizer Sunday.
Follow link for complete list:
Veterans Day 2018: All the places vets can get freebies and meal deals Sunday and Monday

 

Thank you ...and Thank You to all who served
It was my pleasure ( mostly ) to serve...I got to see a large part of the world , learn much about people and myself...and experience life in a manner the makes me glad to be alive and an American.
Andy

 

I was born in 1938, so my earliest memories are of family appearing in uniform, home on leave or for funerals. There was a parade the year after the war, Nov, 11, 1946 in my hometown in which all who had served marched. There were vets from the Spanish American War, WW1, WW2, several other wars like today's Bosnia, Iraq or Afghanistan, only then it was Russia or China or some place in South American. The parade had the flag bearer's , then cars with the widows or parents or nearest relatives of those lost, then those who had served and were now out or on leave. We had a parade again in 1951 when the National guard was again called up, lead by those leaving for Fort Rucker for training and who were called up for 2 years, followed by those who had served before them . So from the time I was about 12 till I was 15, I had cousins, friends older brothers, etc, on active duty, and most of the people I knew either joined or were drafted during that time when they finished school or college as I did. I was not there for Vietnam, but we had vets from that war in the parades as well from what I was told. Things basically stopped and the churches held combined Memorial services as well as the parades. \Now we seem to have discounts on meals instead of parades and even with our soldiers in harms way in several different countries, no real attention is placed upon it. Armistice Day used to in my mind honor those who had or were serving our country and were still with us, Memorial Day honored those who had served and had either died during the conflict or passed on since then. I thank all of those who have served our country in its time of need, we would not be enjoying our freedoms and lifestyle, without their sacrifices of at the least time, and up to the loss of their lives.
I was living in El Paso Texas for several years during the Vietnam war and had to drive on a road that ran thru Fort Bliss, which was a major training base for that war. El Paso County lost over 130 killed or MIA during the Vietnam War and between that and the losses of those who had trained there, there was seldom a week in which some one was not lost and mentioned in the paper. In at least that town, the Vietnam War was not something happening in some far off place.

 

The Finlander served in the US Army during Bay of Pigs. Scary times I’ve heard and read. I say thanks Finlander and to all other Vets.

 

I went in from family tradition, patriotism (Wolverines!) and a need to test myself. I set my sights on that blue cord and maroon beret and nothing was going to stop me.

Life in line units was a challenge at first but I proved to have a quick brain and a higher level of minimum efficiency than most. It was like Olympic tryouts (with a generous dose of Hunger Games thrown in) to this rural cotton farming kid. I met a universally superior class of men while there.

I'm proud to have served. I'm glad other folks stepped up and served. However, I'm kinda embarrassed when people thank me.

I just did my best to do whatever needed to be done. Occasionally, I could fill a need better than another but usually I was just keeping up and staying STRAC as best I could.

 

All gave some. Some gave all. The real heroes are the ones that never made it home. I'm no hero, I just did my job for my country to keep others free.

 

I wonder if the idea of a draft, everyone serving would make for a better society. A little discipline and some growing up. Serving your country and if everyone had a chance of having to serve in a war, Maybe there would be more pressure to limit our involvement in other countries. It opened my eyes as to how the government does things. A real education.

 

The greatest argument I've heard against this idea is the modern military doesn't need to be stuck with a bunch of dumb unmotivated slackers. However, resurrection of the Civilian Conservation Corps doing disaster relief, upgrades for the Parks and waterways, and highway maintenance and clean up might be a good alternative for the non-military candidate.

Current Tax dollars to private contracts would pay for a lot of it. However, government would grow outside probable Constitutional intent and shitloads of immigrants would be out of work....

 

Zimmy, I figured all the slackers would get an idea of how wonderful the gov. and its abilities really are. It is the people not the gov. and its throwing cash at our military that makes our military great. Maybe civil programs, thinning forest or some other worthwhile way to serve is in order.

 

Thank you to all who have served, and a thank you for the thanks, it was my pleasure to serve! I am proud to follow in the foot steps of many in my family who also served, some who lost their lives in that service to this country! I grew up with memories of the Vietnam war very fresh to my young eyes, seeing vets come home broken and some times missing something, all suffering! It was very profound and very real to me! These were young men I knew, people I had grown up with and they were sent to an awful place to do what was needed! My mind was made early on, I would serve too! I didn't choose my carrier in the military, it chose me, and it took me all over the world. I got to see places I had only read about, I got to meet and even live among great people as well and I got to make a real difference in my own small way! I also learned many hard truths, and they have driven the man I became! I am proud of my service, and I am very proud of my two boys who have chosen to serve as the next generation of my family to continue to carry on the proud tradition of service!

 

Grand dad served in WW 1,Sadler for a machine gun group in France.
3 left in WW 2, Dad and 2 Great Uncles, 1 killed by a Jap sniper 1 lost at sea sunken by a Jap sub.
1 came home.
2 Korea, 1-Uncle,1 Cousin both came home.
1 Vietnam,Lasted a week,Came home in a box.
Myself, Missed Vietnam by a year,Never looked back
My many Thanks to all that served!

 

I am no hero for serving ,,,but I did serve with some. And some of those didn't come home.
I was stationed on Camp Gieger in the 80s. That place has grown since I was there. It was and still is , where fresh out of boot camp Marines go for AIT ,, Advanced Infantry Training. A boy that used to work with me joined the Corps around '012 . He was at Gieger for AIT at Christmas time , and they weren't allowed to come home , so I went there for the hell uv it , so he didn't get the blues to bad , and to retrace some old footsteps. USMC - - U S uckers M issed C hristmas ,,,,, Anyway , he took me into a building that wasn't there when I was there. Right inside the front door they had a statue of the Field Cross , the empty boots , rifle stuck barrel down in the ground with a helmet on the rifle buttstock. Hanging on that statue was a dog tag for every Marine that had lost his life that had been thru AIT at Camp Gieger since this war started . It was really a humbling site.
I am proud to have known and served with the guys I met thru the Corps , and hope they are all doing well .
Semper Fi,,,,,

 

I get a little embarrassed when folks thank me for my service. I look older than I am, they often think I'm a Vietnam vet. Nope, too young, turned 18 and graduated HS in 1975. Served during peacetime, "between the wars" as I tell folks. I did my duty, had an interesting time, but never saw combat. Did nothing "heroic".
I hold special esteem for those who were on the sharp end in combat.

 

NO, just plain NO.

I joined up on my own. I worked with a lot of people that joined the USAF to avoid going into the Army.

What a miserable work environment - look up "Conscript syndrome" Forcing anyone to perform a service is akin to slavery. These people will do the minimum excusable level of 'work' (think low-level Gov't drone) - which then forces everyone else to pick up the slack...

Also - It wasn't until the draft ended that military pay got anywhere near minimum wage....