Veterans day is here again. And the parades, memorial services, gatherings at various places around the country are taking place. We will Honor those who served, those who came home leaving parts of themselves on the field of Battle and those who made the final sacrifice. Each one of them deserves and needs to be remembered. They fought for us every one of us who live here bleeding and dying in places most of us never heard of.

We have over a hundred thousand troops directly in harms way in Iraq, several thousand more in Afghanistan. An unknown number of others are in other places we don’t hear of too much. They are young men and women who volunteered and signed on the line with full knowledge of the risks and dangers. They are our sons and daughters, nieces and nephews, the neighbor kid from down the street. They are us, a wide swath of young people from our heart.

Dedicated, motivated soldiers who need our support, no matter our opinion of the politics of their situation. I know from personal experience what the Media can do to morale. How badly it affects the grunt on the ground to hear people calling the ordinary soldier names, when all they are doing is following orders they have no hand in shaping.

It’s not easy doing what they do, yearning for home and family, wondering when the next assault will come. Looking around at countless strange faces in the streets, which one will throw a grenade, or start shooting?
Where will it come from next time?
Who gets the free ride home when it comes?
They will be kidding around, laughing as youngsters do, but its there.
The elephant in the room they don’t talk about much, but know its there.

As a very good friend of mine wrote;

To carry a warrior’s weapons is one thing, death is a constant companion. You get used to him leering at you in reflections and dreams.

Sort of.

On the field of battle you never forget that, you may push it to one side, even joke about it. But you never forget it.

So, on this day, the one we have set aside for remembering those who serve, and have served. Spend a little time thinking on what they sacrifice for the good of us all. And thank a Veteran if you can, it helps a lot. Much more than you think