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Christmas before Veterans Day ... ?.?.?
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Christmas before Veterans Day ... ?.?.? I posted a portion of this in reply to a Post on a friend's Blog and felt the need to expand the conversation below. The names have been changed to protect the innocent ... ... LOL !.!.! XXXXXXXX, Your Post is GREATLY Appreciated !.!.! As a decorated Combat Veteran of 3 Campaigns I feel you should know that all 'We' (Veterans) have ever wanted is a simple thank you and for the promises made to us when we volunteered to be honored. I may be presumptuous in saying that - but the overwhelming majority of the men I served with and the Veterans (Young & Old) that I interact with are uncomfortable with lavish and very public showings. It is difficult for many Veterans (Myself included) to talk about our service as few will truly understand what we saw, what we felt, and what we may have had to do to carry out our mission - and most importantly survive !.!.! I never fully understood why Veterans Organizations existed until I returned home after my first combat deployment. Suddenly the shared bonds and the fellowship of those who 'knew' and more importantly 'understood' what I had experienced became very, very important. Of course you do have some who love being the center of attention ... these are usually the one's who are full of 'War Stories' and for the most part were never really in harm's way. These are the one's who wear a chest-full of medals they bought from the surplus store or pawn shop and make the loudest noise and biggest showing about being a 'Veteran.' I want You and those who have extended their gratitude in today's Posts to know your respect and gratitude is greatly appreciated and very humbling. It is very nice to know that their are people who place the same level of importance and still hold Veterans Day (Remembrance Day in Canada and the rest of the Commonwealth) and Memorial Day in great reverence like I and other Veteran's do. Without these two Holidays - I believe that very little attention, public gratitude, and respect would be extended to Veterans. The reasons are many - some ideological, some political - but for the most part, because most Veterans do not seek attention for our Service; We, as General Douglas MacArthur said, "Old soldiers never die; they just fade away ..." For those of you who do not know the difference Veterans Day (November 11th), which used to be known as Armistice Day, began as a Holiday to honor the dead and sacrifices of those who served in the 'Great War.' At this moment in time, World War I was the most deadly and destructive event in modern memory. As President Wilson stated in the first Veterans Day Proclamation in 1918, that World War I was the, "... most destructive, sanguinary, and far reaching war in human annals ..." In some nations an entire generation of men between the ages of 16 and 35 were wiped out - this became known as the 'Lost Generation' throughout Europe and their Colonial Dominions. November 11th is significant as it is the day the Cease Fire was implemented and the Armistice negotiations began. In 1954 with the huge number of Post-World War II Veterans, Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day to honor the service of anyone who had served in the US Armed Forces. Veterans Day is not to be confused with Memorial Day. Many people if asked would be hard pressed to explain the difference between the two holidays. So here is the skinny - As noted above November 11th - Veterans Day is a Holiday honoring the service of all members of the US Armed Forces. Memorial Day - observed annually on the last Monday in May - to honor the service and remember the sacrifice of members of the US Armed Forces who were killed in the line of duty. Memorial Day also began as a holiday with another name. It was previously known as Decoration Day, which was first celebrated in 1868 by Union Veterans of the Civil War. Decoration Day received its' name from the ceremony of decorating the graves of Union Civil War dead with flowers. There are a few discrepancies as to who, and where the first Memorial was observed; but, consensus agrees that the first 'true' Memorial Day was in 1868 as described above. Confederate Veterans celebrated their version of Decoration Day on May 5, 1868. The Union Veterans quickly organized their 'version' for celebration on May 30, 1868. Regardless, May was the chosen month because it was regarded as the best time that flowers would be available in sufficient quantities and the weather conditions would grace the decorated graves for several days if not a week. As the 19th Century progressed and Civil War Veterans of both sides began to pass, the Union and Confederate Decoration Days were consolidated into a single day for all Civil Ware Veterans by the 1880's. Decoration Day was renamed Memorial Day in 1882 and held annually on May 30th. Due to the Uniform Monday Holiday Act the day on which Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday in May. A number of Veterans Organizations have advocated for a return to celebration on May 30th as Veterans Day had been returned to its' actual day in 1978.. Attempts to do so have been unsuccessful thus far. For those who fly the flag on these days - the flag is flown normally on Veterans Day. On Memorial Day, the flag is to be flown at half staff until noon and then raised to full staff from noon until sunset. So the next time you see a Veteran just say - "Hello and Thank You !.!.!" You would be surprised to know how warm and happy that makes them feel inside ... ... Someone Who Served His Nation Proudly, RangeBull Sgt. USA (Medically Retired) From the Gold Country of Northern California's Sierra Nevada Mountains, Range Bull |
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An excellent post Bull! Well done and ty for your service too hugsssssssssss V Become a blog watcher sweet_vm
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