Coming from a family of military background and as a person who is an American patriot who loves his country, I decided that it would be poignant to reflect a little on Veterans Day by writing this story.
The Miriam-Webster dictionary describes a veteran simply as a person who has served in the armed forces. To me and to many others a Veteran is much more. A Veteran is a person who has served our country for all citizens to enjoy our freedoms. Without our armed forces, would we have the freedoms that we have today. Veterans have fought far and wide over decades so that we all may enjoy the freedoms given to us. Yet many only honor our brave men and women on Veterans Day.
Veterans have served our country valliantly in many conflicts. Many were killed in action, many have come home physically maimed, many have memories that haunt them to present day about their combat and their comrades in arms, some have been lucky and have made it home. However, unfortunatly others are forgotten, such as our POW/MIAs. I have decided to take a look at various angles of the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces, past and present.
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The following statistics are heartbreaking and some that no American should ever forget. They are the POW/MIA stats from the Vietnam War: 2,583. This number comes from the American Legion Riders Information Center, also known as NALRIC. Their website is www.AmericanLegionRiders.net. Here you can view more than just the latest data they offer, posted Dec. 13, 2007.
Another website, www.pow-miafamilies.org/league/updates.html, states the number of Americans verified by the Defense POW/MIA Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) dated Oct. 2011 as 1,681.
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The numbers vary but I needed more insight. I decided to speak to a Vietnam veteran. Joe Germano, 64, of Barnegat, is such a hero. During our conversation I learned quite a bit. Of course we all know that the turmoil during the '60s was outrageous. There were people for and against the War in Vietnam. He remembers how members of the armed forces were treated when they came home. Today, Mr. Germano, a member of The American Legion in Barnegat, feels that he is "envious" of the way our veterans are treated in present day. This is in part because of Vietnam veterans. They led the way so that "it would not happen to future generations."
Mark Sofia, 45, President of the American Legion Riders in Barnegat and veteran of The Lebanon/Grenada Conflict agrees, telling me that because of Vietnam veterans, today we have organizations such as The Legion Riders, Rolling Thunder, The Patriot Guard Riders and other such groups. Mr. Sofia also informed me of a very special award started by General Patton's granddaughter, Patti Patton-Bader. It is called the Soldiers Angels Award. The Award is given to people who show strong Support of members of Our Military. I never knew the true meaning behind this award when it was given to me a year and a half ago. I now treasure it even more.
Richard Skinner, 45, of Lacey Township and member of The Barnegat American Legion who served in the Army also during The Lebanon/Grenada Conflict recently found out information about his cousin, PFC Doanld Skinner. PFC Skinner was a member of the second platoon which need support during The Battle for Van Tuong 1 during the Vietnam War. According to Historynet.com, the enemy had struck hard, the men on the north end bearing the brunt of the attack. It is here that PFC Skinner was killed in action in Bunker 8 along with other members of his platoon. Richard tells me with tears in his eyes that he never knew the true story on how his cousin had died.
These are just a few of the hundreds if not thousands of stories and statistics from our hero veterans from Vietnam.
Today, we are faced with a new war: the War on Terror. This war a result of the sensless and cowardly acts of 9/11/01. Thousands of our brave military members have died, many have come home with severe injuries, some are POW / MIAs.
Many members of our military men and woman may be asked in this century as well as the last what did they do to make life worthwhile in their lifetime. They can respond with a great deal of pride and satisfaction, "I served a career in the United States military."
In closing this blog, I ask you the following. Do you enjoy your freedoms? Do you enjoy living in a free nation with choices? Do You enjoy all your Constitutional rights? I am sure everyone has answered yes. Then I ask you to do one thing – no, I implore you to do one thing. When you see a veteran, when you see a member of our armed forces in uniform in the street, at the mall or wherever, take time out to say two very simple but much appreciated words.
THANK YOU.
On behalf of myself, my wife Diane and our entire family, we say THANK YOU, we say may God bless you always, and on 11-11-11 we say:
HAPPY VETERANS DAY.
