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"We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies."

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When The Lord Created Vietnam Veterans

When the Lord was creating Vietnam veterans,
He was into His 6th day of overtime when an
angel appeared.

"You're certainly doing a lot of fiddling around
on this one."

And God said, "Have you seen the specs on this
order? A Nam vet has to be able to run
5 miles through the bush with a full pack on,
endure with barely any sleep for days, enter
tunnels his higher ups wouldn't consider doing,
and keep his weapons clean and operable.
He has to be able to sit in his hole all night
during an attack, hold his buddies as they die;
walk point in unfamiliar territory known to be VC
infested, and somehow keeps his senses alert for
danger. He has to be in top physical condition
existing on c-rats and very little rest. And he
has to have 6 pairs of hands."

The angel shook his head slowly and said, "6 pair
of hands.... no way."

"It's not the hands that are causing me problems,
it's the 3 pair of eyes a Nam vet has to have."

"That's on the standard model?" asked the angel.

The Lord nodded. "One pair that sees through
elephant grass, another pair here in the side of
his head for his buddies, another pair here in
front that can look reassuringly at his bleeding,
fellow soldier and say, "You'll make it"...when he
knows he won't.

"Lord, rest, and work on this tomorrow."

"I can't," said the Lord. "I already have a model
that can carry a wounded soldier 1,000 yards
during a firefight, calm the fears of the latest
FNG, and feed a family of 4 on a grunt's
paycheck."

The angel walked around the model and said, "Can
it think?"

"You bet," said the Lord. "It can quote much of
the UCMJ, recite all his general orders, and
engage in a search and destroy mission in less
time than it takes for his fellow Americans back
home to discuss the morality of the War, and still
keep his sense of humor." "This Nam vet also has
phenomenal personal control. He can deal with
ambushes from hell, comfort a fallen Marine's
family, and then read in his hometown paper how
Nam vets are baby killers, psychos, addicts,
killers of innocent civilians."

The Lord gazed into the future and said, "He will
also endure being vilified and spit on when he
returns home, rejected and crucified by the very
ones he fought for."

Finally, the angel slowly ran his finger across
the vet's cheek, and said, "There's a leak...I
told you that you were trying to put too much into
this model."

"That's not a leak", said the Lord. "That's
a tear."

"What's the tear for?" asked the angel.

"It's for bottled up emotions, for holding fallen
Marines as they die, for commitment to that
piece of cloth called the American flag, for the
terror of living with PTSD for decades after
the war, alone with it's demons with no one to
care or help."

"You're a genius," said the angel, casting a gaze
at the tear.

The Lord looked very somber, as if seeing down
eternity's distant shores..."I didn't put
it there," He said.

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THIRTEEN FOLDS

Have you ever wondered why the flag of the United States of America is folded 13 times when it is lowered or when it is folded and handed to the widow at the burial of a veteran? Here is the meaning ofeach of those folds and what it means to you.

The first fold of our flag is a symbol of life.

The second fold is a symbol of our belief in eternal life.

The third fold is made in honor and remembrance of all the veterans departing our ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world.

The fourth fold represents our weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance.

The fifth fold is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, "Our country, in dealing with other countries may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong."

The sixth fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States Of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.

The seventh fold is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that we protect our country and our flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic.

The eighth fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor mother, for whom it flies on Mother's Day.

The ninth fold is a tribute to womanhood; for it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded.

The tenth fold is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since they were first born.

The eleventh fold, in the eyes of a Hebrew citizen represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon, and glorifies in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The twelfth fold, in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit.

When the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost reminding us of our nation's motto, "In God We Trust".

After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the sailors and marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for us the rights, privileges, and freedoms we enjoy today.

The next time you see a flag ceremony honoring someone that has served our country, either in the Armed Forces or in our civilian services such as the Police Force or Fire Department, keep in mind all the important reasons behind each and every movement. They have paid the ultimate sacrifice for all of us by honoring our flag and our country.

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DEDICATED TO THE MANY AMERICANS WHO HAVE
LOYALLY SERVED IN THE ARMED FORCES
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

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You Can't Tell A Vet From Just Looking

He is the cop on the beat who spent six months in Saudi Arabia sweating 2 gallons a day making sure the armored personnel carrier didn't run out of fuel.

He is the barroom loudmouth whose behavior is outweighed in the cosmic scales by four hours of unparalleled bravery near the 38th Parallel in Korea.

She is the nurse who fought against futility in Da Nang and went to sleep sobbing every night for two solid years.

He is the POW who left as one person and came back another.

He is the drill instructor who has never been in combat but has saved countless lives by turning no-accounts into Marines.

He is the parade-riding legionnaire who pins on his ribbons and medals with a prosthetic hand.

He is the white-haired guy bagging groceries at the supermarket, aggravatingly slow, who helped liberate a Nazi death camp.

A vet is an ordinary and extraordinary human being -- someone who offered his life's vital years in the service of his country.

He is a soldier and a savior and a sword against the darkness, and nothing more than the finest, greatest testimony on behalf of the finest, greatest nation ever known. We will never be able to repay the debt of gratitude we owe.

~Author Unknown to Me~

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Why do our homeless war veterans sleep in cardboard
boxes while our criminal convicts receive free
medical and dental care, wholesome food and
shelter, modern exercise equipment, free use of a
well equipped law library, and have the right to
sue the government from prison? And why does our
government spend billions of tax dollars on
politics and foreign aid while denying valid
medical complaints of its veterans?

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Freedom Is Not Free

I watched the flag pass by one day
It fluttered in the breeze
A young Marine saluted it
And then he stood at ease.

I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud
With hair cut square and eyes alert
He'd stand out in any crowd.

I thought, how many men like him
Had fallen through the years?
How many died on foreign soil?
How many mothers' tears?

How many pilots' planes shot down?
How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?
How many will never see their home?
No, Freedom is not free.

I heard the sound of taps one night,
When everything was still.
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill.

I wondered just how many times
That taps had meant "Amen"
When a flag had draped a coffin
Of a brother or a friend.

I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.

I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea
Of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No, Freedom isn't free.

~Author Unknown To Me~

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Our American heroes deserve to rest in American soil.

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To all of our past, current and future members of
our Armed Forces, God bless you. We owe our
rights, our liberty and our lives to you.
We cannot forget.

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"Greater love has no one than this,
than to lay down one's life for his friends."
John 15:13

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Links of Interest: Please visit these sites in honor of our servicemen and servicewomen.


Adopt a Vet
http://members.aol.com/adoptavet/


Military Order of the Purple Heart Home Page - Combat Wounded Veterans


What Is the Purple Heart


History of the Purple Heart





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