Thanks to all the past and present men and women of the US armed forces.

God Bless America and thanks to all of the servicemen who have given their lives and limbs in service to the US. We are the greatest country in the world thanks to them.

I'm a vet of Desert Storm.

I was never really in harm's way, but since then, every Memorial Day is that much more significant to me. Because of strategy and planning, I was a decoy instead of a target.

However, I was once like those we honor today, young, idealistic, and never really grasping that life was something that could be lost. Except for them, reality had a different plan.

Today, many people don't honor that sacrifice like they should, and I think it's because war stopped being a shared sacrifice. Remember 9-12? Flags hung on every house. We all felt attacked, and saddened, and shocked. There are only two flags up today on my street.

The previous president told us we were fighting evil by continuing to shop, and consume. (Admission against interest: I voted for him. Never again will I be that blind)

It would honor our war dead if we spent the day remembering them, and trying to find a way to quit sending off our young to be ground up for cheap oil, and consumer convenience.

I'm not trying to be all self righteous and political. I'm just emotional about all the dead and wounded, and I wish more people understood how big a day this really is.

All good sentiments above; we must remember.

But is that John Kroger on the left?

Is the few comments an indication of the fading from our country's values the sacrifices of these American men and women and their families?

A Perspective

I watch all 10 episodes of The Pacific...very inspired/tragic story. I didn't like the production values as much as Band of Brothers, but it was still quite a show, and a testament to the enormous sacrifices made by so many.

"The real heroes didn't come home"

Since Nam it has become to routine. We hosted a going away party for a guy that didn't come back. My high school principle lost a son. My wifes dad was in Korea, her brother a Medic in Nam. (he wont talk about it. My daughters good friend in High School ROTC lost part of his squad and several fingers in an Iraq house raid gone bad. He wouldn't talk and has basically disappeared. I secretly am thankful my daughter dropped out of ROTC in college.
I fully respect and am ever so thankful for those with more courage and backbone that I would never have. I fly a flag, shed a tear, and pray for our men and women in uniform.

That photo of the WWII GIs is from a bygone era when America's wars actually came to an end.

Sorry, but the two happy Marines may have THOUGHT the war was really over in 1945. But as late as 1949 they might have been still in uniform, walking post in the frigid wastes of China (where we tried to keep the Commies from kicking out Chiang kai-Shek -- that failed).

Korea spilled over into a real war in mid-1950, thanks to the division 'tween us and the Russians in 1945. And let's not forget a long occupation in Europe, and the escalating Cold War, where real combat was always right around the corner.

Thankfully, for millions who survived, at least the extensive global war had halted long enough for lives to begin again.