Memorial Day

This Memorial Day, I'd like to focus on those wonderful members of our military who didn't wind up underneath a somber white marble cross as depicted above.  For every fallen soldier, sailor, airman or marine there are 10, 50, or perhaps even 100,000 comrades who served honorably and survived.


For some of these fine Vets, death would have been a mercy - far too many have come back horribly maimed, both physically and mentally.  The lucky ones get the care and treatment they deserve and need - but again, far too many simply slip through the cracks, and spend the rest of their lives just trying to cope with the day-to-day stuff a lot of us take for granted.  Fortunately, we do have the Veteran's Administration to help look after all surviving Vets, but to be brutally frank, it really isn't enough when weighed against the sacrifices made.  


The VA is one of the very few Federal programs I wholeheartedly support, and it's my opinion that they should be granted a permanently open-ended budget; a small price to pay, all things considered.  We honor our dead Vets well enough; it's high time we did more to honor and care for our living Vets.  The VA aside, there's plenty more we can do for our Vets; everything from a simple "Thank you" to exercising our right to vote in every election.  I mean, said right is what all our Vets died or got wounded trying to protect and preserve, after all.  Absolutely no excuse for apathy, here.


Let's make this Memorial Day special by going the extra yard or three for our surviving Vets, as well as honoring the fallen ones.  Even if it's a small token like buying a Vet friend a beer down the local tavern, do it.  They deserve it, and you'll feel good doing the warm-fuzzy thing.  I feel very fortunate indeed to number quite a few Vets as close friends, over and above all my relatives who served.  I may not always vocalize my deep gratitude, but I try to show or demonstrate it every chance I get - and not just twice a year on Memorial and Veteran's / Armistice Day.  Honoring my Vets is a year-round thing like maintaining both Christmas and Easter spirit, if you catch me drift.


May God Bless and Keep all our Vets.  More shortly.........