Some Veterans I Have Known

My dad was a Marine (Semper Fi). We have a picture of him looking 'way handsome, wearing his uniform and jarhead crew cut, sitting in the back of a bicycle cart on the streets of Tokyo. He was stationed in Japan after basic training and was just about to be shipped out when the Korean war ended. He didn't see a lick of action. But he's a veteran. Thanks for scaring away the commies, daddy. (That's what he always told us...that the Communists heard he was coming so they gave up).

My father-in-law saw rather more action. "Saving Private Ryan" action. He was part of the "greatest generation", served in WWII and came home to never speak of it again. The ways in which he was a hero pretty much went with him to his grave. He passed before I ever met The Spouse so I can't thank him for beating back the Axis forces. But we can all agree that 'twas a pretty great thing.

The Spouse's Uncle M was a WWII veteran, as well, pilot in the south Pacific. We heard rather more stories from him, mostly about flying itself, not so much the war. He was a big, wonderful, generous love of a man who hated the "Japs" (and that was as polite as he got) until the day he died.

As for my generation, I didn't know anyone who served in Viet Nam. We were in a Mennonite church at the time. I knew conciencious objectors. I worked for John Kerry, though. And I respect John McCain a lot. Does that count?

Then there was Larry (Nicaragua) and Art (Iraq I). Young men, healthy men. Neither one of them likes to talk about what they experienced. War, apparently, is indeed hell. And since a veteran is anyone who has served as opposed to only those who actually saw action I think too of assorted uncles, Dale, Tim, others who were willing and able and, in my view, particularly fortunate.

As for the current conflict, we have a "degrees of separation" thing going on...no one personally known to us, lots of brothers of and sisters of and friends of friends. My hair dresser's husband, the Neighbor's cousin's husband's friend. It takes a lot of courage to put on a uniform, give up your will and be sent wherever your government decides they want you. I've learned that it takes a lot of courage to stay back home and wait and pray and hope that you'll see your loved one again.

I am pretty conflicted about war (interesting choice of words) and peace. I wish people had listened when Ike warned against the military-industrial complex. I have been in my share of anti-war demonstrations but it makes me sad, fundamentally, that there are ever wars to protest. I bawled my eyes out the first time I ever saw "Gallipoli"...a movie which pretty much sums up, for me, the general evil of war. And yes, blah, blah, blah, sometimes war is necessary and of course I'm glad that we're not all speaking German or Russian or whatever else we'd be speaking if we hadn't stopped the barbarians at the gate. I'm old enough to have heard all the arguments, right, left and center and furthermore, I understand them all. Hence the statement "I get pretty conflicted about war".

But here's the thing: whatever else I may think, those who put on that uniform and those they leave behind make a sacrifice on behalf of the rest of us. Which is an honorable thing. Which is why a "grateful" nation should:

a) never send them into war without having first exhausted every diplomatic option;
b) never lie about why they are going;
c) never send them off without the necessary planning, training, troops and equipment to do the job or without a plan to "win the peace";
d) prove we truly honor their service by doing everything we can to care for and support them when they return. Never cut veterans benefits. Especially don't cut benefits while solidiers are still fighting the war that is making them veterans. That's really not ok.

Who says Veteran's Day is just a bank holiday that nobody cares about? Sure, it's not like I'm baking a Veteran's Day cake for the big Veteran's Day party we're having later. But I just spent the last hour and a half thinking about the veteran's I have known and loved and I honor them. I shall now conclude my Veteran's Day commemoration by listening to John Lennon's "Imagine", because what's a holiday without music? Peace out.