Quote:
Originally posted by Gypsy
Thirty years have passed since the end of the Vietnam War. During those three decades, the brave men and women who served in that conflict have never been given the recognition they deserve for their heroic sacrifices in service to our country. Now, the time for that recognition has come. Welcome Home…America’s Tribute to Vietnam Veterans will be the homecoming celebration they never received.
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You know I have heard all this whinning and snivelling now since the 1970s and maybe I just don't get it. I certainly don't think anyone owes me anything nor do most of the folks with whom I was privileged to serve. While I can't speak for others, the only recognition, and I am not sure that is even the correct term, that was ever important to me was among those of us that served not just there but at anytime in uniform for this country. There are a lot of folks long before Vietnam, during, long after and in the future that have done and will do things for this country that will never make the light of day and probably all of them to a person will take a certain amount of satisfaction, and perhaps pride, when they have the time to reflect back on what they were called to do and what they were able to accomplish. Now I certainly do not want to try and wax poetic here and absolutely do not have the command of the English Language to paint the picture I would like but I guess the easiest way to do this is to relate a short vignette. I was at a stateside post after returning from RVN in 1969 and an NCO by the name of Carl Monday (and I am not really sure about the name) searched me out to tell me that he just had to come by to meet me and say hello. Now I had never met him and he had joined the team I had left but felt that he just had to meet me in person. Now that is the only "recognition" that is important to me. I guess what I am trying to say, and again I cannot speak for others, is that I hope that the character of my service has made a difference for those with whom I have served because the nature of where I was sent and what I was required to do really has nothing to do with me or anyone else because we had no choice but to be there. What we did where we were has everything to do with each other and for whom we worked and very little to many of those who for some reason or another think we now need to be stroked or "recognized". I hope that is not to harsh, but that is just the way it is-at least for me.
Jack Moroney