VETS

[ccmjr77]

Thanks to all that have served!!!!
God Bless!

[radco]

HEY Dont pick on us Old Farts! We may have Snow on the Roof but we still have Fire in the Furnace LOL....... The Nam/Nam Era Vets NEVER got a WELCOME home.. and Seeing our Troops today getting LARGE WELCOME Home GREETINGs at the Airport is PRICELESS!!!!
Rich USN 71 Gator Navy

[gghost]

USN 71-75, Dad was in subs WWII, my 2 older brothers and I were airdales....

[jastearns]

USMC - September 72 - November 76. Didn't make it to Vietnam. I traveled for several years (2001-2007) and used to see a lot of first class seats given to service people. I couldn't travel in uniform as you would be singled out and ridiculed.

Thanks to all vets!

[dandolfn]

I couldn't travel in uniform as you would be singled out and ridiculed.

I never had that experience (in '68-'69).

Traveled "stand-by" in uniform. At worst, no one paid attention. At best, was treated with respect.

Went to a race track (horse racing) in New Jersey one time in uniform and a guy bought me a hot dog.

[rickmeister56]

vietnam veteran, us army 1969-1989, retired 1sg.....

[duneseven]

THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE SERVED!

[analog]

Army - 1974 -1976; USAR - 1984-1995

[dennisbailey]

I haven't taken time to count but anyone can see that there are a lot of service years to "OUR COUNTRY" here. "Some gave all, all gave some."

[Kawhead]

USN 1982-1986 USS IWO JIMA. My hat is off to you fellows who carried the rifles, pounded the ground and slept in fox holes!

[bobhamlin]

US Army 67-72. Got put in language school, became fluent in German and, from atop "Devil's Mountain" in West Berlin -- the "iron bar in the jaws of communism" -- got to listen to the East German government for 2.5 years.

Don't remember ever being treated with disrespect because of my uniform (ignored, like someone said earlier).

Riding with the Patriot Guard has restored my link to an experience that opened horizons that I would have never known existed had I not become a "draft-induced volunteer." (Admittedly, I didn't fully appreciate the experience at the time, being, as mentioned, a "draft-induced volunteer").

My father, a U.S. Marine, received Purple Hearts in WWII and in Korea-- sniper bullet in the back in Okinawa and a land mine in Korea. Every year, my awe of the Marine tradition increases.

To anyone who has served, is serving, or intends to serve our country-- thank you.

[oldbikers]

Army 64 to 67 2 years in Okinawa, brother spent 3 tours in Vietnam is the reason I didn't go, we were the only 2 adult males in the family.

[tinskeep]

USAF '66-'70, Nam '68-'69

[rayski271]

U.S. ARMY 82-86

[cactusjack]

I went to aviation maintenance school at NAS Memphis in Millington, TN. A Marine's wife and kids were injured in a car accident, so they organized a blood drive at one of the big hospitals in downtown Memphis. In the service, if you donate blood, they give you a day off - so this was a no-brainer. We had to wear our service uniforms since we were going into town. Marines can't wear combat duds off base. They loaded us into buses and drove us the 25 miles or so to Memphis.

It also happened to be payday. They told us after we had donated, we could leave the hospital and go cash our checks. I remember just walking down the sidewalk, getting called names. This was a few years after Vietnam, and I'm sure the crap I got was nothing compared to what the Vietnam vets received. It really pissed me off, though - I thought I was doing the right thing by serving my country and these local idiots were calling me names. I was barely 18 and still a little wet behind the ears back then.