Open Letter about Veterans Day

Today at UW-Platteville there was a flag raising ceremony to dedicate new flag poles on campus to serve as a Veterans memorial. The ceremonies started at 11am (in honor of the original Armistice Day); there was a color guard, bugler, some speeches, a moment of silence and lots of applause. The best part? There were probably a couple hundred people in attendance today. (There’s usually about twenty). The interim Chancellor stated that students would be excused from class to attend, so perhaps that’s the reason for the big turn-out…regardless, there were a lot of people there, and it made me feel good inside to see that; Veterans deserve your initial respect. As the flag was raised, and then lowered to half-mast, I felt my eyes getting wet. It wasn’t because I love my country right or wrong (kinda like saying “my family, drunk or sober”), it’s way more than that. It’s because of the sacrifice I know something about that comes with signing a piece of paper and being thrown into the world of the military…that some 20 year-old kid from Greenbow, AL is sitting on a dirt mound in Afghanistan (as I’m safe at home watching the flag of my country at half-mast) and hasn’t had a shower for the past three weeks wondering if that farmer walking toward him has a weapon.

It’s been very PC the past eight years to put a magnetic sticker on your car that proudly proclaims “I SUPPORT OUR TROOPS” and then feel like “well, I’ve done MY part”. Only to forget the fact we’ve been fighting two wars over eight years. Women and men are having their lives threatened daily with a big target on their back.

Put up or shut up: You either donate money to the USO, send care packages (Copenhagen, Energy Drinks and Maxim Magazines are always appreciated), shake the hand of a Vet and tell them “thank you” or you don’t. It’s as simple as that. Did you know there’s an all volunteer welcoming committee (mainetroopgreeters.com) at the airport in Bangor, Maine that for (at least) the past eight years has been there to greet and send-off every military division to go through there on their way to (or home from) the front lines? Did you know some of those planes land or take-off at 4am? What does it take to motivate someone to get out of bed at 3am to do something that you know will get absolutely no recognition for yet means SO MUCH to a small few? That kind of sacrifice means WAY more than a sticker on your car does…

I’m a Veteran of the first Gulf War, enlisted in the US Navy from 1990 to 1994. We went to General Quarters (Battle Stations), twice, as Yugoslavia was going through their shit-storm and future war crime atrocities would soon be committed but I will be the first to admit that I have no fucking clue what it’s like to see your buddy get killed or be pinned down under fire behind whatever cover you can find. My service doesn’t measure-up to a Marine or Army combatant.

Veterans Day is for me, and others like me, who at one time put on a uniform (it doesn’t matter the reason) and wore a big target on their back. As a Veteran I have no “special” rights that non-Veterans don’t have. I don’t get a Xmas card from the President telling me “Thank you for your service”, I don’t get more free speech than you get, I don’t get to pursue life, liberty or happiness any more than non-Vets do. As I write this from the comfort of my sister’s basement some Veterans are homeless, others have no job to support their family, and still others have no means for medical care. (The V.A. Hospital doesn’t treat every Veteran, me included, FYI). In addition, there are tens of thousands of families living in a constant state of worry (just under the surface of their day-to-day rituals) that they’ll get bad news delivered by the State Department couriers of the US military. Marriages are failing, suicides are happening and lives are being changed forever every day this nation is at war.

DON’T FORGET THAT.

I’m a supporter of the graphic images and reminders of war: Movies like “Saving Private Ryan” and “Taking Chance”, pictures of flag-draped coffins returning from war (shame be upon H.W. Bush, himself a WWII Vet, for banning the practice) and pictures of soldiers (unidentifiable, of course) that are KIA. Americans need to know that “dithering” or “kill ‘em all” statements come at a very real and very personal cost to someone (99% of the time the person who says such things has never served themselves I’ve found…fuck them for speaking of which they know nothing about). A picture is worth a thousand words. One of the best bumper-stickers I saw related to war was the following quote printed over a Vietnam Service Ribbon: “Combat. Unless you’ve been there, shut up about it.” Word.

I served this country. I appreciate it when someone says “thank you” when they find out I’m a Veteran. It might seem awkward to you, but PLEASE do it if you get the chance! It means a LOT, trust me.

How do I feel about Veterans Day?

*Federal employees get the day off (with pay), what do Vets get on Veterans Day? Nothing. (Mail doesn’t even get fucking delivered!)
*Voting should take place on the 11th, not the 3d of November. Voting should take place on the same day that commemorates the people who died to give you the right to vote!!!! (If you disagree with this, please delete yourself from my facebook friends list…)
*For four years I served to give you the right to bitch about this country. You bitch about it, I EARNED the right to bitch about it.

Whether you’re for or against the war, support the people serving “over there” because they sure as hell don’t wanna be there.