A Bit of Shame

[Rikao4]

i see this,
Snapper served, and there where moments & times when his son felt that Dad might not make it back.
bad parenting..nah,just a proud son. High 5
from TX
Dustoff 507th
Rika

[FOG]

Originally Posted by Rikao4

i see this,
Snapper served, and there where moments & times when his son felt that Dad might not make it back.
bad parenting..nah,just a proud son. High 5
from TX
Dustoff 507th
Rika

Rika,

You probably hit the nail on the head. Snapper's son gets his information (vice fantasy0 from his father and thus defends him when someone is more than likely taking potshots at the old man.

S/F, FOG

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by Laneco

When I was young enough to serve, I didn't want to. Then 9/11 happened and I learned something about myself. Turns out, this fat middle aged soccer mommy is a patriot...

Long and short, if you are in uniform anywhere around me, you'll never pay for your meal, your coffee etc. You won't know who did pay for it because I don't want you go know. I address it discreetly with the server and instruct them to to NOT tell you who is picking up the tab. The only thing a serviceman needs to know is that somewhere in this crowd of people there are people who recognize and appreciate the sacrifices you have made.

Never have I parted with money so happily than picking up the tab for those who serve.

angela

Bravo, girl!

[motion]

Originally Posted by legion

Whenever I see a service person in uniform, I usually avert my gaze. It's not because I don't respect them--I do. It's more because I feel that I'm not worthy of looking them eye-to-eye because I never chose to join the military.

Now I don't regret my decisions. I did what I felt was the best for me at various points in my life. I knew I wanted a career in business and that paying off student loans wouldn't be a problem. I've never been particulary interested in being in the military.

I don't regret my decisions, but I do regret that I didn't make different decisions. (Does that make sense?)

Legion, I applaud your feelings regarding this issue. We have a lot to be grateful for in this country and we owe much of it to the young people who sacrifice so much for us.

I'm a bit jealous about the treatment today's military personnel get... I was in the Air Force from 1980 to 1984 and let me tell you, things were different back then. When I was stationed at Biloxi, MS for technical training, then Barksdale (Shreveport, LA) for my first duty station, I might as well have had a contract on my head when leaving the base. Venturing out on your own was pretty much an invitation to get the living shiite beat out of you and to wake up in the gutter without your wallet. We had to go into town in groups of 4 or 5 in order to defend ourselves against the local redneck population. I know part of this is Southern Hospitality, but much of this treatment was residue from the Vietnam war, which had ended just a few years prior. You didn't dare drive your car off-base and park it in the wrong place: the military sticker in the front windshield made you a target and your car was sure to get vandalized.

Our country seems to be more tolerant these days to the point that common young men and women from across the country are respected for their service, no matter their economic or racial background. As it should be.

[scottmandue]

We have a large number of military families that attend our church (a lot of military housing in my area) and the funny thing is when they are at church I can't tell who are enlisted and who are civilians. Kind of strange when you find out you have been discussing the fine points of theology with an army Colonel.

I don't know if I would call it shame but it does feel a bit odd at times.

I am the youngest of three boys in my family, I was too young for Vietnam and too old for the middle east wars so I never served.

[azasadny]

Originally Posted by motion

Legion, I applaud your feelings regarding this issue. We have a lot to be grateful for in this country and we owe much of it to the young people who sacrifice so much for us.

I'm a bit jealous about the treatment today's military personnel get... I was in the Air Force from 1980 to 1984 and let me tell you, things were different back then. When I was stationed at Biloxi, MS for technical training, then Barksdale (Shreveport, LA) for my first duty station, I might as well have had a contract on my head when leaving the base. Venturing out on your own was pretty much an invitation to get the living shiite beat out of you and to wake up in the gutter without your wallet. We had to go into town in groups of 4 or 5 in order to defend ourselves against the local redneck population. I know part of this is Southern Hospitality, but much of this treatment was residue from the Vietnam war, which had ended just a few years prior. You didn't dare drive your car off-base and park it in the wrong place: the military sticker in the front windshield made you a target and your car was sure to get vandalized.

Our country seems to be more tolerant these days to the point that common young men and women from across the country are respected for their service, no matter their economic or racial background. As it should be.

Yep! Same here for me as I was a Navy Hospital Corpsman from '82-'91 and we were treated like dirt until Desert Shield/Storm. No shame should be felt for not having been in the military, just treat people (including active duty and veterans) with respect.