Thank you Dad, and all Veterans

Tuesday is Veterans Day. My dad is a Veteran, he faught in the Vietnam War. My grandma Lenore said that when he came home and told her and his dad that he enlisted, they offered to go to the Priest at their church and see what he could do to get my dad out of his obligation, but my dad declined their offer. He was pretty young when he went to war, late teens early twenties and was a door gunner on a helicopter. Have you ever seen the movie "We Were Soldiers"? It is based on the book "We Were Soldiers Once, and Young." The movie did not depict the time or place my dad fought in the war, but I think it portrayed some of what he went through. There are a few scenes showing door gunners. To this day, he cannot watch any war movies, especially We Were Soldiers, but can you blame him? He lived it, he survived it, why would he want to re-live it?

It brings tears to my eyes to think of the welcome home he recieved, or should I say the lack of support he recieved when he came home. He was spit on and had things thrown on him because he served his country. It was awful. Every Veterans Day, I call him, tell him how much I appreciate his service to our country, and that I love him. So thank you Dad for serving our country. I hope that the thanks and love I show you today and in the years to come can begin to make up for the way your were treated when you came home from war. Thank you to all of the veterans and current members of the miltary!

My dad has a Zippor lighter that he got when he was in the army, and I will never forget what it says on it: "When I die I will go to heaven because I have spent my time in hell."