A shout out to Central Ministries School
Nov 11, 2023 07:08:45 #
On Friday the school had a fantastic 1 hour long presentation to thank the veterans. My navy son-in-law and I attended. The children and the school recognized each military branch in the order of their start date. There were a few people from the Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard and Airforce who stood up when their song was played. There there was no one from the space force. It was apparent that a lot of work and thought went into the presentation.
An unrelated side note. A couple of days ago used my military discount at Lowes and the clerk did not not thank me for my service; not that i need thanks. I wonder if it was an oversite or just what she felt.
An unrelated side note. A couple of days ago used my military discount at Lowes and the clerk did not not thank me for my service; not that i need thanks. I wonder if it was an oversite or just what she felt.
Nov 12, 2023 09:08:53 #
Wonderful that the school did that.
As to the Lowe's encounter, a couple of thoughts. It may not have been relevant to the conversation, but it's also (apparently) a cultural and age related thing.
Thanking veterans has really only been a thing since the late 1990s, and seems to have come from the Vietnam war when so many returning military personnel were treated appallingly. Whether they should have been there in the first place is a different question, but they did as their government commanded and were rewarded despicably.
According to polls, about 49% of all veterans don't want to hear "thank you for your service" while 40% do.
My own father, a very highly decorated submarine Captain, never ever wanted to refer to WWII at any time. He only described it to me once as a an awful, hideous thing. Sleep was evasive for many years.
I've since read about some of his activities in Navy chronicles, and some books in which he is mentioned.
I'm extremely grateful for what he and his generation did.
He also taught me that only a few are at the sharp end of the stick, and in a functional cohesive society everyone (other that a few parasites) plays a critical role, the infantryman, the teacher, the factory worker, the garbage man, the doctor and the lawyer.
To that list, I'm happy to add us energy industry folk - upon whom the globe's population is totally dependent and without whom most people would be dead within 3 months. But that's an entirely different topic.
For me, 11/11 is Remembrance Day, the one day of the year that I pause for a few moments and reflect on what brave people did so my life is as it is.
It has always horrified me that it has been turned onto some meaningless bullsh*t commercial opportunity.
As to the Lowe's encounter, a couple of thoughts. It may not have been relevant to the conversation, but it's also (apparently) a cultural and age related thing.
Thanking veterans has really only been a thing since the late 1990s, and seems to have come from the Vietnam war when so many returning military personnel were treated appallingly. Whether they should have been there in the first place is a different question, but they did as their government commanded and were rewarded despicably.
According to polls, about 49% of all veterans don't want to hear "thank you for your service" while 40% do.
My own father, a very highly decorated submarine Captain, never ever wanted to refer to WWII at any time. He only described it to me once as a an awful, hideous thing. Sleep was evasive for many years.
I've since read about some of his activities in Navy chronicles, and some books in which he is mentioned.
I'm extremely grateful for what he and his generation did.
He also taught me that only a few are at the sharp end of the stick, and in a functional cohesive society everyone (other that a few parasites) plays a critical role, the infantryman, the teacher, the factory worker, the garbage man, the doctor and the lawyer.
To that list, I'm happy to add us energy industry folk - upon whom the globe's population is totally dependent and without whom most people would be dead within 3 months. But that's an entirely different topic.
For me, 11/11 is Remembrance Day, the one day of the year that I pause for a few moments and reflect on what brave people did so my life is as it is.
It has always horrified me that it has been turned onto some meaningless bullsh*t commercial opportunity.
Nov 12, 2023 14:05:12 #
Alexol
As you said those who served in war are usually very quiet about the event. My father in law saw and did stuff that haunted him for the rest of his life. My dad saw little combat and did not discuss what he saw. He had a few stories that we not related to fighting.
I don't need "Thanks". It was the first time a clerk did not say thanks. My service was in Germany from 1973 to 1975 and my new wife was there for most the tour. We had a great time on what now seems like a 2 year honeymoon. We had a car and traveled as often as we could. I was thankful I did not go to Vietnam as 11Bravo driving an APC and instead ended up in battalion supply in Kornwestheim out on the economy.
As you said those who served in war are usually very quiet about the event. My father in law saw and did stuff that haunted him for the rest of his life. My dad saw little combat and did not discuss what he saw. He had a few stories that we not related to fighting.
I don't need "Thanks". It was the first time a clerk did not say thanks. My service was in Germany from 1973 to 1975 and my new wife was there for most the tour. We had a great time on what now seems like a 2 year honeymoon. We had a car and traveled as often as we could. I was thankful I did not go to Vietnam as 11Bravo driving an APC and instead ended up in battalion supply in Kornwestheim out on the economy.
Nov 12, 2023 14:18:41 #
"I don't need "Thanks". It was the first time a clerk did not say thanks."
Please don't take my comment as any form or criticism, certainly absolutely none was intended - merely an observation.
I have the utmost respect for anyone who puts on a military uniform (or civilian one for that matter, such as police, fire etc).
I wouldn't have written anything but for the current events in the Middle East making the military, in the broadest sense, top of mind.
Please don't take my comment as any form or criticism, certainly absolutely none was intended - merely an observation.
I have the utmost respect for anyone who puts on a military uniform (or civilian one for that matter, such as police, fire etc).
I wouldn't have written anything but for the current events in the Middle East making the military, in the broadest sense, top of mind.
Nov 13, 2023 22:30:47 #
home brewer wrote:
On Friday the school had a fantastic 1 hour long p... (show quote)
I don’t need anyone to say “thank you for your service” because I never served in combat. If anything, I thank the service for teaching me the leadership skills and team skills that helped me wind up as the unit director for 12 years of my 30 year career in my technical specialty. Yes, I enlisted as a private in the Army during the Korean War and even got a direct commission as a Second Lieutenant and eventually promoted to First Lieutenant, but my military career mostly was making sure that military manufacturing facilities and army bases were not causing health problems to both the troops and the community.
Bud
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