A VETERANS DAY REMINDER FOR NEXT YEAR

The Conversation You Need To Have.

If You Wrap Yourself In The Flag Don’t Go Halfway

A conversation between an Army vet and a Non-vet:

V: People that join the Army with the right intentions come out better.

NV: If you join and serve your country it’s all the same.

V: Except it’s better for the people who understand the deal ahead of time.

NV: Sure. They sign up for a hitch and either stay or leave after it’s over.

V: Stay or leave, the one’s who get it before they sign come away better for the experience.

NV: I see where we’re going. You want me to ask what they ‘get.’ Okay, what do they ‘need to get’ ahead of time.

V: They’re joining to kill someone whether they know it or not.

NV: Okay Rambo.

V: You don’t believe it?

NV: People join to learn a skill, a trade, get money for college. Lots of reasons.

V: The Army’s reason for taking you is to train you to kill people.

NV: That’s what you said.

V: And you agree?

NV: Nooooo-o-o-o-o-o. That’s sounds silly.

V: What other job do you start that trains you to shoot a machine gun at a target with a head and shoulders?

NV: There’s more than that.

V: Right, the marching. So you march to the rifle range and shoot machine guns at man-targets.

NV: I mean the benefits.

V: And one of the benefits it the chance to kill someone whether you like it or not.

NV: Not everyone is a killer.

V: But everyone supports the mission.

NV: You didn’t.

V: I was a medic, on the other end of the process.

NV: And you didn’t kill anyone.

V: Glad to say I didn’t, but I knew going in I’d do it.

NV: You knew before you joined?

V: My Dad got the Silver Star in Korea. His citation reads like a scene from Forrest Gump. He was a hitter.

NV: A hitter?

V: He shot and got shot. That’s what the Purple Heart’s for. He took more than a few rounds.

NV: Like a boxer?

V: Like someone who decides to do what no one else would do. He got shot, his men got shot, and he pulled them together and shot the crap out of the Chinese soldiers firing at them.

NV: He didn’t go into shock?

V: Probably, but he was a Marine. They do their best work after going into shock. It’s the training.

NV: Do you really believe that?

V: Read a few Medal of Honor stories and tell me how anyone could do what they did?

NV: So that’s what Veteran’s Day means to you?

V: What am I leaving out?

Get Your America On Without The Do-Rag.