Quote Originally Posted by OldSoldier View Post
Being a former artilleryman, at one time in my career, I am somewhat embarrassed to say I am unfamiliar with either of your quotes. I do find them interesting, especially the second one considering how artillery turns a battlefield into a scene of vulgar carnage when it's used effectively.
My personal take on the whole American gratitude for our military is sure to step on a few toes here so I will apologize now. Everyone here has tough skin and has proven they are open to varied opinions. My opinion on this topic is just that, MINE and you can take it or leave it. This country had a heritage of honoring it's veterans when they returned home from the front lines up until the Korean war and it got down right embarassing how our Vietnam veterans were treated when they came home.
Those same hippy war-protesting freakshows who so willingly spit on our returning warriors back in the 60s and early 70s are now the parents and grandparents of the warriors returning home from the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq. How would it look for them to spit on their children and grandchildren? Some of those same people are now politicians and it would not bode well for winning votes to out there treating returning veterans like shit again even though deep down inside they can't stand what we are doing.
BUT most of all the veterans of Vietnam have spearheaded the efforts to ensure no returning veterans ever get treated the way they did. If not for their efforts and the resurgence of national patriotism by a small majority of Americans after 9-11 I think it might be a different story. So I would say that most of the credit goes to the Vietnam veterans for the way returning warriors are welcomed home now.
When I walked through the Dallas airport I had tears in my eyes while walking through the lines of people welcoming me home. The tears came from never being one who enjoyed being in front of a crowd receiving accolades for doing my job so I guess you could say I was embarassed. As I walked I noticed a lot of Vietnam veteran caps worn by men who also had tears in their eyes; I began telling them "welcome home" remembering how they had been treated. I went through this reception both times I came home on R&R leave, as I did 2 tours and I cried both times.
One thing else I noticed about the lines of people who flanked us and showered us us with "welcome homes" was that besides Vietnam veterans there were veterans from other wars, surviving spouses of men who gave their all, surviving spouses of veterans, and a very small amount of non-military connected personnel. While the world looking sees it to be a national effort, I would say it is still primarily a military thing and probably always will be because when it comes right down to it we have an insight that civilians just can't understand because they haven't been there.
For those who are ready to blaze away at your keyboards, please remember that this is MY opinion and at no time did I say I did not appreciate the effort or the reception. I actually felt it was too much for me any way because I am the type who gets embarassed when recognized for doing my job. If I ever got wind I was about to receive a medal I would attempt to have it given to me in the 1SG's office and leave it at that. Anyway...
Amen! Double O