Veterans Day

As a Veteran this day is special to me, no matter how modest my own service was. I think I'm going to let my good friend Alemaster speak for me as his powerful words say it best;

"I'll be proud until my dying day to have been associated with men and women such as you."

My respects to all veterans on this day when we honor their service. Especially those who have given so heartrendingly much.

Six

Veteran's Day Kipling

That's right, it's that rarest of rares. The double Kipling Sunday. For you aficionados out there it's a great day. For those somewhat less enamored of Kipling I promise to post something else tomorrow. In the meantime it's a Veteran's Day tradition around here to post this poem on this day.

For all my brothers and sisters. For all who have stood their watch, in peacetime and in War. Who have served in every hell hole in the world. Who have seen their beloved comrades give their last true measure of devotion. Who have seen untold horrors and lived through the fire and the pain and the gut clenching fear. For those who have simply served, asking no favors and telling no lies, just proud to have been among the select. To every Soldier, Marine, Airmen, Sailor and Coast Guardsman past and present. I Love You All with every fiber of my being and to the very depths of my soul. This is my tribute to all of you. May your nation never forget and may you always wear your scars, both visible and hidden with pride.

Six

Tommy

I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins 

to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins 

to play.
 
I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in 

the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on 

the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on 

the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on 

the tide.
 
Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's 

yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin 

to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin 

to roll.
 
We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 

fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble 

in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble 

in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble 

in the wind.
 
You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, 

an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to 

our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, 

the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin 

to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything 

you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- 

you bet that Tommy sees!

Veterans Day Kipling

America exists still because of those who have served her. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. They have placed themselves "between home and the wars desolation". They have served because they recognized that there is a greater good than self. A greater need than personal safety and comfort. They have proved that they value something above themselves and even those they served with.
There's a lot of doom and gloom out there. Many who say America is dying. On her last legs with only her funeral and the division of spoils left to be seen. I reject that totally. I do that because there remains within the breast of my beloved country a hard core of resistance, embodied in, but by no means limited to, our veterans. Americans who see their duty clearly and take up their share of the burden with a pure heart, a clear vision and an iron will. As long as we can still produce such men and women we cannot be destroyed. Such as these do not quail before a difficult task but rise up and shout their defiance to the very Heavens.
We will never falter. We will never Fear. We will never Fail. And Woe to those who would attempt to cast us down because our retribution will be fearsome to behold.
Thank you to our veterans, who by their very service remind us of who we are.
We. Are. Americans!
Six


Tommy

I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!

Remembrance

Counted amongst the Veterans of our nation are the Six, Sarge, and myself, as well as my late Uncle Ken.  The Six, Sarge, and I bought the continued freedom of our nation with our time, Ken paid for it with his life.  For all those men and women that gallantly gave all, we salute you.  

(American Military Cemetery, Normandy France.  Taken by me, on a very emotional day.)

My husband is still active duty, and so my family still serves.  His time away, and our sacrifice is worth it to make sure our shores and way of life are safe.  We as a nation are very lucky to have had so many good men and women feel the same.  I tend towards embarrassment when people  thank me for serving, I'll admit.  My job wasn't that important, and I wasn't in that much danger.  I guess I don't feel that I did any more than anyone else could have.  The Sarge was in 'Nam, for crying out loud.  Sitting in an office all day surfing the internet, Secret internet or not, just doesn't seem that valiant to me.  When I sat in that cemetary I thought not just of what these men gave up, but also the lives affected that went on.  They all gave of themselves, even if some made it home at the end of the day.  And so, yes, they probably said what I'm saying: it wasn't that big a deal, I didn't pay like those boys paid, they are the heroes.  And yet to me they are every bit as heroic.  Their lack of death didn't diminish their efforts in fighting for freedom.  In that vein I try to be more accepting of the thanks of this day.  We serve because we can, to defend those that can't.

~The DO

Veterans Day

Lu and I will work today. We will load and plan and worry. But we will remember and carry in our hearts the love we feel for all those who have served and are even now risking their lives in places most would dare not go. Your service and the memory of those who gave their last true measure of devotion shall never perish from this country. We simply will not allow it.

I am an American Veteran. I am proud of my service. I am more proud to say that my family, both by blood and by choice, have a long history of military service. May it ever be so.

To my brothers and sisters I say, I love you all. May America remember your sacrifices.

May every day be Veterans Day.

Six