My Veterans Day Thoughts

So I wanted to do my Veterans Day Post early because my Thursday's are pretty hectic and I definitely did not want to forget.

Well, the lovely Amber at Goodnight Moon posted this AMAZING comic. I loved it so much I asked her If I could repost it and she said OF COURSE!

This is so true, and something T talks about almost on a regular basis. For a little story time. When T first joined the Navy and was at Naval Station Great Lakes, him and a bunch of friends went out on the town in their Blues. Well, some civilians decided to spit on them. What those civilians probably didn't realize (among other things any rational person would realize) is that those Sailors fight for your right to express yourself and your views. Basically, they are fighting for your right to spit on them. (In a round about way).

T tells me all the time "Make the most of your opportunities, because that is what I am fighting for." He fights so I can go to school, hold whatever job I choose, and even fight for a change in any system.

This was also a reoccurring theme today at the Veterans Forum at my College. In honor of Veterans Day, today we held a Veterans Forum, where veterans were able to talk about their experiences in the military and their transition into the civilian world.

I think it is a rule that whenever there is a veteran there is someone that adamantly opposes the war. So during this forum everything was going swimmingly until this woman (who is known for causing a scene) stands up, interrupts one speaker and starts yelling about how the war is wrong, that troops are tearing countries apart and leaving them in pieces and something about how America is not following the Geneva Convention. I didn't get all of what she was saying because I was so amazed and I was looking around the room to see if anyone else was shocked at her behavior.

Before anyone could answer her she stormed out the room. The moderator was trying to calm the room and move on but one veteran was adamant to respond to her comments. I was amazed by his eloquence and how he handled the situation.

He said (and forgive me I am paraphrasing):

You know I am glad she stood up and gave her opinion because I have been to places where you are not able to do that.  One thing we have to remember is that we are not here to talk about the war, we are here to talk about the warriors.  Any issues anyone has with the war, that's all politics and we have nothing to do with that. We fight because we all raised our right hand, took an oath, and swore to this country that we will do so.

AMAZING.

So, this Veterans Day I would like people to remember (and all you mil-wives/SO's know this already)  that this Veterans Day is not about the war. It is about the men and women that are willing to put their lives on the line so us civilians can still have all the rights we know and love.