Since there was little warning about last post here is something to counter it. People may or many not know that I am currently living in Alaska and here is a photo my wife Christine took when we went to Old Seward. You now in the Simpsons movie where they gasp about how pretty it is, it really is that nice.
In a matter of hours it will be Veterans Day. Festive grilling and parades will be the order of the day. But what is also on the schedule is the is the use of pandering veterans for political purposes, 4 day sales at 20% percent off and a day for dress up for the pretend heroes. All of these things have really have a impact on how Veterans Day is viewed as just another holiday. Veterans day should be a day were those who have served honorably should be recognized rather then just the one that we agree with politically. That it should be a day to dismantle every stereotype about Veterans that have endured various hardships, but also endured to live a happy and productive life after the guns go silent. To understand that a receptive ear with a helping hand have a more enduring effect then a free blooming onion. We are one of the few professions that has can provide such a strong and enduring connection with complete strangers. Also the task of making sure that the stories of those who have served before us are preserved for those yet to come. Also to protect them from those that would steal them for their own.
The reason that I started with this post was after watching a video posted by Rethink Afghanistan. In the video it calls to honor the Veterans that oppose the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq on Veterans Day. I was insulted not because of the fact that they oppose the Wars, but in the sense that it was all but saying that we should only honor those Veterans with their point of view excluding many that have not be vocal about their views or have been on the opposite side of the fence. Veterans day should not be about scoring political points for your gain , but a overall reflection and respect to those that have served with honor and distinction, regardless their views. It is about the small token of respect that is offered to those who have come before, with and after us. Also in the respect that despite how may people would like to see us as shown by popular media or political organizations. That how highlight how we have lived our lives in and out of the Military in contrast to the unstable loner. Because if we are not willing to do this now then how can we expect others to do this for us in our Golden years?
It should also be a day of family in that when we are deployed that may of us become close because of the hardships, separations and dangers. But that often disappears when we return home, a place were it could be said is needed the most. While family may want to help, it is the basic things like understood terms that help a difficult conversations to happen without having many intermissions to explain military jargon. If the military is to be considered a family then perhaps Veterans day should be looked more as a family reunion. To remember old times and learn of some new ones. We are certainly a dysfunctional family , but I think that is what keeps us coming back for more.
Lastly is to use it to remember the past. That we must be open to new types of media and communications of the newer generations. In one of the past Veterans Day,before I joined the military I took part in a WW2 them table top tournament at a Army Museum in Austin. While we were there we got a chance to talk to those that served in previous wars. One of the stories was about several Shermans going down a hill and the fuel tank breaking open and flooding the the crew compartment. Also it was a lively exchange of stories from retired military , educators, and other history buffs alike. It is preservation of the character of these people that should remember in hopes that the next generation will emulate it.
But lastly is the protection of the character from those that wish to steal it. Normally a medal is viewed a strand of fabric with a shiny signet. That it can infuse the wearer with respect and purpose just by wearing it, the more medals the larger the respect would be come. But it it not the undeserved praise that is greatest insult but in that many a times these medals come at cost, some more then others. The cost can be time, hardships, pain and longer natural life. If it were possible for these medals to allow these pretenders to relive what many had to do to earn these medals, then perhaps there would be less of a desire wear them.. But that will never happen, so it is up to us to keep a good look out and find these people. Because it is a crime not because of the honor taken from real honest to God Veterans, but because they are unwilling to endure the hardships to wear that strip of colored cloth.
All in I hoped I would not get too wordy in this, though I believe I failed in that. I wanted to say with a detailed answer of what it means to observe Veterans Day and what we can do to make it have real meaning rather then just another four day weekend on the calendar.
After Jonn made an eloquent post paying tribute to our Navy, I thought it was only appropriate that I post this:
Happy birthday squids.
Yup, it was four years ago today that Right Nation banned me on my birthday. I’d been banned at the History Channel forums more than thirty times before I became one of the charter members of Right Nation…and this banning was the only one to piss me off. So I sat down and started this blog. It took me a few days to learn how to drive it, and I got a comment in the first few hours…the blog bug bit me.
Six months later, I was the first blog to post pictures of the Gathering of Eagles 2007 rally at the Vietnam Wall to protect it from the smelly hippies. I got 40,000 hits that weekend, and the bug dug his teeth in further.
A few months before that, I’d found COB6’s email address on a page maintained for our Desert Storm unit and I sent him a message. We hadn’t seen each other since Christmas 1991. He answered me and told me had just launched his own blog. A year later, he joined us here at TAH.
I met TSO at Winter Soldier in Silver Spring (met Army Sergeant and Rurik the same day) and we blogged and laughed over the testimony. Got harassed together by GOE because they saw our “media passes”. A few months later I connived to steal him from The Sniper while we were in West Chester, PA with Skye at another protest.
In some respects, it’s been the toughest job I’ve ever had because I spent more than a year flailing around trying to find my niche in the millions of blogs at that time. I started in Technorati at number 1.2 million, now we’re number 804 (regardless of what Agosto says). That was a steep hill;
Now I just have to sift through the hundreds of tips and news stories to figure out what you want to read about…and what I can say that entertains while informing. Your tips save me a LOT of trouble.
You pay me back with your visits, your tips and your emails to friends about the blog. Good thing because you ain’t paying back with ad clicks;
Yeah, 220 clicks for 250,000 page views since August. (In my best Will Arnett voice) C’mon!
But we’ve been getting around 90,000 visitors a month (despite what Agosto says) and we’re linked on 305,000 blog pages across the internet;
Last year total traffic hit 1 million in October, we’re almost at 1.8 million a year later.
At the Milbloggies Awards, we were behind Blackfive who won in our category…I think that’s incredible. Of course, TSO says it’s because all of those IVAW members (all twenty of them) voted for Blackfive to keep us from winning.
Honestly, I’m just honored that some of you followed me from Right Nation and the rest of you who’ve been with us the last few years. I guess it’s because you’re hoping “Today will be the day that TSO writes a real blog post”. Yeah, me, too.
Now every July 20th I get an email that reads “Today’s my birthday, I’m not blogging. I’m taking the day off”. Let’s see if I get the day off.
Oh, I think BooRadley has been with me the longest. Since I was getting banned from Veterans.com a now-defunct History Channel forum back in early 2000. Good to have you around, Boo. And, a recent member here, 1AirCav69, started there with me, too. Bored yet?
Anyway, thanks for letting us be a part of your daily life. I’ve made more friends than I’ve ever had on and off the internet because of this blog which began as chance to cuss and rant as much as I want. And thanks to those of you who disagree with us all of the time – you keep us honest. So here begins our fifth year.
The above pictured woman is Ines Sainz, a Mexican reporter who can’t understand why she was cat-called while she stood in the New York Jets’ locker room. Sorry, Inez. I can’t help you – I don’t understand it either – I just wanted to post the picture.
Two hundred years and you look so young;
The tradition of Oktoberfest began Oct. 12, 1810, when Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria invited the residents of Munich to celebrate his marriage to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The public gathered outside the city gates in a large meadow, christened the Theresienwiese in honor of the princess, and enjoyed five days of dancing, eating, shooting and drinking. An enormous horse race ended the party.
The festivities were such fun that it was agreed to stage the horse race — as well as the other festivities — the next year, and Oktoberfest was born.
I made my single visit to Oktoberfest in 1985 I remember I hung out with Tommy Colburn (who occasionally visits here at TAH) and all I remember is that the following morning, the white polo shirt I wore that day had a big footprint on my chest area. As I understand it, Tommy and I had an altercation with three Turks over a contentious bumper car episode.
Yay, beer!
Added:More Octoberfest pictures from Old Trooper below the jump;
(more…)
Since most of the recent post have been about current events, so I thought a change of pace with military history in entertainment media which brings us to this movie. I found about this movie from a clip on youtube. Otoko Tachi no Yamato that was made in 2005 and was never released outside Japan. But from what I have watched so far looks really good. Here is a quick review to get a general idea of what is going on in the next video.
Makiko Uchida arrives in a southern Japanese port hoping to find a boat that will take her to the final resting place of the Battleship Yamato on the 60th anniversary of its sinking. She is rebuffed by all until she reveals to Katsumi Kamio that she is the daughter of Petty Officer Uchida. Kamio is surprised for he thought unlike himself, Uchida had been lost when the Yamato was besieged and sunk on April 7, 1945 by American aircraft which prevented its fulfilling a final suicide mission against the American fleet battling to capture Okinawa. Kamio and Uchida were part of a close set of comrades that proudly and bravely served on board this, the largest battleship ever constructed. He agrees to journey with Makiko with only the help of Atsushi, a 15 year old deckhand. As he pilots the way throughout the rough 15 hour journey Kamio reminiscences about life aboard the Yamato during the war and also about the sailor’s mothers and girlfriends left back home.
This is the trailer. A recommend for anyone interested in military history.
Sorry, but it’s a slow news day and a busy work day. Economic news made me change the way I’m doing some things – you should, too – and I just don’t have time to do the research that y’all deserve so I’m just falling silent for a few hours.
You can use the comments to yell at me for being delinquent today. Click the links in the blogroll in the meantime.
I’ll be back after work.