I always heard that times moves more quickly the older you get and I can certainly attest to that. Here it is May 21st and it slipped up on me so quickly I can't believe it. I guess by the time I'm 70 I'll just keep the Christmas Tree up all year.
Today is Armed Forces Day. That's right, a day set aside to honor those men and women in uniform who protect the United States of America. I received two photos yesterday of my young nephew who just joined the Army and had all his hair cut off so, as if I needed a reminder, today was "brought home to me" in a special way. In reality, however, should not EVERY day be Armed Forces Day?
From October, 1942, my Daddy craweled through island jungle after island jungle and fought with the Army all the way into Japan. My grandfathers and great grandfathers fought in WWI and one even in the Spanish-American war. I go to church with men who fought WWII and I have heard stories that should be in books about The Battle of the Bulge, or the bombing runs on Germany, about the Bataan Death March and so much more from the men to lived it. Do you know what a "Disney Bomb" is? It is NOT a lousy movie from the Disney studios, it is an actual bomb used in WWII. If you want to know, ask me. I was given quite an education by a bomber pilot who dropped them on Germany.
I am so proud of Racers Reunion Radio and Zeus Radio Network because at the end of each of our radio shows Jeff, or the host, will always thank the men and women in the Armed Forces who "do what they do so we can do what we do". I love that. I have heard the saying, as well, that "Some gave all and all gave some". I agree with the first part of that statement but I can attest, and many of you can back me up with this, that there are many out there who give nothing, but that's a political statement which I will not pursue at this time. I only mention it to magnify the "some gave all" portion.
There is an e-mail running rampant on the web which has been forwared to me several times which gives information as to America's fighting forces and is quite interesting. I can't locate it this morning but it seems that the average age of today's military is like 20 years old. Interesting to me. Having, only last year, made a few visits to Fort Jackson in Columbia, I have noticed that the men and women I see in basic training there are young and the ones I've met are well educated and choose to do what they do to serve their country.
I could go on and on with this Forum because of the deep pride I have in my country, a pride that is shared by most all here on Racers Reunion. We have many members here who currently served and many, many more who served at some point. Today is the day to honor the Armed Forces. Next weekend is the weekend to honor those who DID give all. If you encounter someone in uniform today, speak, say thanks for their service. I do this to all the people in uniform I meet and it is almost a 100% certainty that the response will be a somewhat shy "thank you". Weird how that works. Just shows why we have such a great country and the freedoms we have. There is one saying that always runs around with which I can agree 100%:"Freedom isn't free".
Tim
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What a change! It's been awhile since I've checked in and I'm quite surprised. It may take me awhile to figure it our but first look it's really great.
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:02:57PM
