“Freedom does not come without a price. We may sometimes take for granted the many liberties we enjoy in America, but they have all been earned through the ultimate sacrifice paid by so many of the members of our armed forces.” ~ Charles Dent
It’s Veterans’ Day in America, Remembrance Day in the UK. It used to be Armistice Day to mark the end of WWI. Funny, sometimes I forget how to spell, so I just looked up armistice to check the spelling, and I learned that it means “a temporary suspension of hostilities by agreement of the warring parties; truce”. How sad. Temporary.
Sad, because it was true, of course. “The War to End All Wars,” “The Great War,” temporarily ended in 1918 only to be picked up again in 1939. And since then, Korea, Vietnam, the Balkans, Gulf I, Gulf II, and countless other hostilities have claimed the lives and energies of countless military personnel.
And before the wars of the 21st century, America’s soldiers go back to the Revolution. That’s 237 years of service.
But wars need soldiers, and many heeded the call. A heartfelt thank you to the men and women of the US Armed Forces on this day when we remember their sacrifices.
In my childhood, Vietnam was being fought. Due to the unpopularity of that war, its veterans were treated abysmally, and many continue to suffer needlessly. I think the reason I’m so adamant that we support our vets comes from seeing people I knew so angry, damaged and defensive. I had only a child’s understanding, but I know it was frightening and sad. We can not let that happen again.
Thank a vet, help a vet. Not just today, but any time you can.
The Broad is Back! 