For all vets!! (Page 1 of 2)

THANK YOU RICK!  And I too am very sorry that you haven't gotten more thanks for your service to our country.  My Dad and Uncle served during Nam.  My Dad didn't go anywhere as my grandparents pulled the "only one to carry on the family name" clause.  My uncle is a much different story, not in good shape from what he did and witnessed still today.  NO ONE should take chances with their own life, by serving even if they never leave the states, and NOT get a THANK YOU from the rest of us yahoos who are incapable or unwilling to serve.  THANK YOU, from the bottom of my heart.

I also served during that time. 69-72.  Thanking vets back then was almost unheard of. I don't think I was ever thanked until recently when I was wearing my US Army T-shirt.  It is nice that the world has finally come around to thanking people who have served. Thanks for serving your country Rick.

USN 1990 - 2010, Desert Storm / very first operation deny flight / Kosovo reilef are the main biggies I was part of.

I got lucky and never saw action in Viet Nam. My three years in the Marines got me three years of paychecks to attend college and a five point bonus on the post office exam that was enough to get me hired. My life is so much richer for having served. I am grateful.

I too was in the Army in 1972, and saw the elephant! I have never ever been thanked for my service, No, not ever, that is, If you don't count my wife. I did however have a few ruff spots while walking through some airports. Got to where I would not wear my uniform when going home on leave. Some knew anyway because of my extremely short hair cut, which was a dead give-away in those days. The discontent in our society was bad enough that some stores who catered to military soldiers sold (advertised) wigs for off duty wear or while on leave. Stupid idea in my opinion. But I did know some who bought them.

Now, please recognize that I'm not looking to get thanked now. so please don't. It wouldn't  feel right now and besides, those days are long gone, at least until I got the chance to visited the Vietnam wall while in DC a few years ago. Bummer! Anyway what I'm really interested in, is rick the plumber's statement that the VA will help vets. I do not have a service connected injury or disability. I have been under the direct impression that the VA will not help you unless you do. I was given this impression directly by the VA hospital. Has something change in the past ten years or so? I'm interested because I would like to get my right eye fixed but can't afford the $3,000 to get it done right now. I should contact them again?

Thanks for the information,

Cj-5

In Canada, we often joke about the small-sized Armed Forces we maintain and the deplorable state of the equipment we ask our military to serve with. That said, the men & women who serve deserve the very highest level of respect and honor. My next-door neighbor is a retired vet, who served in the Balkans during the ethnic cleansing brutalities of the time. He suffers terribly with P.T.S.D., and enjoys a bit of music now and then when we get together. As we count our blessings and express thanks to God for our many freedoms, we can't forget that they certainly didn't come without an immense cost. 'Nuff said.

DD214  (you were just one digit off,, )

Thanx Rick,

I'll  dig out my DD-214 and make contact with the VA. Hopefully I can get the cataract surgery I disparately need. If not I'll keep saving my pennies. That's how I got my left eye done. They immediately took care of my left eye because I had the money. They really wanted to fix my right eye at the same time. However, it was amazing how quickly they backed off that Idea when I told them I did not have any insurance and only had enough to pay cash for one eye. If you don't have cash in full or insurance they won't even talk to you. They also do not have any type of payment plan. But they do have a big sign that reads in part, "WE ARE HERE FOR YOU". How funny.

Thanx again,

cj-5

@beamer-thanks for right number getting a slight case of oldagenes!  cj-5 i hope thing are going well. I did remember when the Dr. looked at my eyes she said i had an age approate cataract. Too small to worry about but they will look at it every yearly checkup! at no cost! Good luck
Rick

Well there you have it folks. If ya wanna know how Our Country really feels about the Vietnam Veteran in general, all you gotta do is tune into CBS and watch their new reality show called The "Amazing Race" It highlights Communism and spits in the face of every American solider who served during the Vietnam war. It makes me sick to my stomach to see one of their war monuments of victory being a downed B-52 where two of it's pilots/crew taken as POW and others MIA, presumed dead. They use this monument for a spot to hide clues for their stupid race. Contestants are also treated to communism propaganda parties and songs. If CBS did this in Iraq or Afghanistan they probably would be run out of our country. How about if they did something like this with the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor. Do you think our country would have tolerated that! Oh Hell no!!!

Where's the outrage over the courts requiring the removal of crosses put up decades ago to  commemorate fallen Vietnam Soldiers? Yeah, we're appreciated alright.

How come Vietnam Vets are the only soldiers in American history who basically are made to feel like an abomination to our own country. What did we do so wrong? Yet most of us old farts would do it again if called upon to do so. My heart goes out to the families of those lost in the downing of any B-52. I hope they did not see that stupid, stupid, stupid reality show. CBS can stick it!

Someday I'd like to share why we at Ft Bragg years ago, use to refer to Fayetteville North Carolina as Fayette-Nam. But that's another story of bad memories.

I had a real dilemma on whether or not to post this. Often times I write things out then just delete them. This time I did not. I apologize if this is felt by any to be inappropriate. Sometimes I just vent and most of the time I regret doing it. OH WELL!

cj-5

One of the greatest US Marine Generals ever had a lot to say on that topic, Phill.   His name was Smedley Butler, and he wrote a book called "War is a Racket" that was a condemnation of war profiteers, and his thesis was simple.  Wars are fought by many for the private interests of a very few.

The older I get, the more I see he was right.