Kleenex highly recommended before viewing

[Toecutter]

Wow. This topic kinda got off on an unintended tangent there for a bit.

To all who have, are, or will serve, a big thank you and I hope everybody comes home safe. Unfortunately, everybody doesn't, and that's why my prayer to our soldiers is service in the Patriot Guard Riders. All those families who have made the supreme sacrifice need to know that their loved one, who stood and fell for the just cause of protecting our nation's interests, will be honored as the heroes they are and not forgotten as we go on about the business of enjoying our freedoms....

 

[mattster31]

Well, I served, as did my father and brother. I'm proud of my service, and have nothing against others who didn't, no matter their reason. One of the things military service in a free country ultimately provides is the ability for all to exercise certain choices, and the last thing I'm going to do is throw stones at someone for enjoying the type of life we helped keep available.

Your brothers to the north helped too <_<

They were included!

Yep..........got it...............read too fast. My bad.

 

[eeksnake]

Touching article. Thanks Toecutter.

Twenty years active duty with Uncle Sam's Misguided Children... Leaving my wife and daughters to go on deployment was never easy.

Major thanks to those who served or are currently serving. Your sacrifice has not gone unnoticed.

 

[copilot]

That's the reason I've never served in the Military or accepted job opportunities that would take me away from my daughter for any significant length of time.

It's a very personal thing to decide to join the defence forces and something that requires a lot of consideration. I have the utmost respect for those who do and for those who have not should not be criticised for their personal reasons for not doing so...

Right on, Thug.

During the Viet Nam conflict a lot of people went to alot of trouble not to serve, for a mulitude of reasons, and that was OK with us. We didn't want to have to depend on them to watch our backs anyway.

Edit: to add, So why would a family man put himself in the position of being seperated from them. I submit that one of his most compelling reasons is standing tall right by his side.

EXACTLY---The young and the old are the reasons many of us served our time. So that we could protect a way of life for those who cannot protect themselves. I just hope we don't lose that way of life from internal actions of our own.