A VETERAN IS EVERY MAN GROWN UP A LITTLE TALLER-A PERSON
UNDERSTANDS THE ACT OF
FREEDOM. JUSTICE AND
DEMOCRACY HIS MONO IS TO LIVE AND
LET LIVE. BUT IF HE HAD TO, IF HE HAD TO CHOOSE BEIWEEN
SERVITUDE AND CONFLICT A VETERAN
WOULD ONCE AGAIN ANSWER A
A CALL TO DUTY.
AMERICA'S WAR VETERANS COME IN A WIDE VARIETY OF SIZES, SHAPES
AND AGES. THEIR COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCE SPANS TWO WORLD WARS
AND
SEVERAL FOREIGN CONFLICTS. THEY HAVE FOLLOWED WAR
MULES THROUGH FLANDERS FIELD, DROPPED FROM LANDING BARGES
ONTO THE
BEACHES OF NORMANDY, FACED THE ICY COLD OF
PORKCHOP HILL, TRUDGED RICE PADDIES OF THE MEKONG DELTA,
AND WALKED THE SANDS
OF THE MIDDLE EAST.
BUT REGARDLESS OF DIFFERENCES IN MAKEUP AND EXPERIENCE,
ALL VETERANS SHARE A COMMON BOND-A BROTHERHOOD
OF MEMORY
AND HARD-WON WiSDOM THAT HELPS DEFINE THEIR CHARACTER.
A VETERAN IS THE FIRST MAN UP AS THE FLAG PASSES BY ON
4TH OF JULY, AND THE LAST ONE DOWN FOR HE HAS
BEEN A
WITNESS THE BLOOD AND TEARS THAT MAKE PARADES POSSIBLE.
A VETERAN IS A MAN OF PEACE, SOFT SPOKEN, SLOW TO ANGER,
QUICK TO REALIZE THAT ThOSE WHO TALK MOST ABOUT
THE GLORY
OF WAR ARE ThOSE WHO KNOW LEAST ABOUT ITS HORROR. HE NEVER
JOKES ABOUT WAR; HES BEEN THERE, AND STILL SEES
ON
MEMORY'S SCREEN THE WOUNDED AND THE DYING, THE WIDOWS AND
ORPHANS; HE KNOWS FIRST-HAND THAT NO WAR IS GOOD AND THAT
THE
ONLY THING WORSE THAN WAR IS SLAVERY.
HE IS FRIEND TO ALL RACES OF MAN, BEGRUDGING NONE;
HE CARRIES WITH HIM THE KNOWLEDGE
THAT IT IS NOT THE MAN WHO
IS THE ENEMY BUT ENSLAVEMENT AND FALSE IDEOLOGIES. THOSE
WHOM HE ONCE FACED ACROSS THE HOSTILE
BATTLE LINES, HE NOW
ESTEEMS AS BROTHERS.
A VETERAN IS AT ONCE PROUD AND HUMBLE; PROUD OF THE FACT
THAT IN OVER 200 YEARS NO FOREIGN ENEMY HAS
SET FOOT ON AMERICAN SOIL;
AND HUMBLE IN THE REALIZATION THAT MANY OF
HIS COMRADES WHO HELPED HIM MAKE THIS LOFTY
AIM A REALITY,
NEVER RETURNED.
MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. A VETERAN LOVES FREEDOM. HE CAN
SPEND A WHOLE AFTERNOON DOING NOTHING JUST BECAUSE
IT
SUITS HIM.
TO DO WHAT HE WANTS WITH HIS TIME. HE ALSO TAKES A
PERSONAL PRIDE IN FREEDOM OF OTHERS IN MEN AND WOMEN
ATTENDING THE CHURCH OF
THEIR CHOICE IN FRIENDS VOTING HOW THEY CHOOSE AND IN SLUMBER
BECAUSE, ABOVE
ALL ELSE-A VETERAN IS AN AMERICAN.
AUTHOR UNKNOWN
