On May 23, 1966 I was forced against my will to leave my home.
I was 19, and it was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life. I was rounded together with 50 or so complete strangers, pushed into a bus, and transported to a facility miles away where I was mentally, physically, and verbally abused, had my head shaved, and was forced to wear ill-fitting, ugly clothing and eat uniformly bland food.
I was a draftee, conscripted to serve in my Uncle Sam's ARMY.
Thank God we don't do that anymore.
Thank God there are enough volunteers willing to raise their right hand and put their lives on the line for us.
Thank God for all the selfless women and men who have acted as our sword and shield.
There is NO WAY to repay them for our freedoms.
7 comments:
Thanks for your gun cover 40+ yrs ago!! We all did a job!! Now as old men we are able to understand FREEDOM. SLICK
We are once again in violent agreement.
You and all the other veterans of this great nation have my respect, admiration, and gratitude.
Thank God that you didn't burn your draft card with the rest of the hippies....
Thanks for your service sir.
So....would you have made a different choice today?
So....after 9/11 if your country and ASKED you, not demanded you serve, would you have?
I know the Vietnam vets were not actually "defending" our country and the outcome was horrible, especially how our own country treated you guys.
But do you REALLY feel like you were abducted?
I am PROUD of your service. It was not your choice to serve, but I know that you and my husband would not have made another choice. And that you are both also proud of your service.
Vietnam was an ugly war and was not as "vital" as the wars we have now.
But you guys NOW are our generation's heroes.
We know you didn't want to go, but you did.
I only wish we could have allowed you guys the appreciation that today's soldiers get.
It's incredibly late, but America says, "Thank you".
And so do I.
Thank you all.
Interesting questions, A.B..
I would NOT have volunteered for service in 1966. I have pondered that point for years...
What course my life would have taken if I had not been drafted, then taken all the different schools leading to my tour in Viet Nam.
There is just NO WAY to know how my life would have proceeded.
But you're right of course...
9-11 changed everything and yes, I'd have been in line to serve.
And that's the point of this post...
There are still plenty of kids who aren't constantly into the ME! ME! ME! thought process, and the fact our all-volunteer force can continue to attract these kids should be a great source of pride for us all.
God Bless 'em.
Andrea read this post on Thursday night's show. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Amazing how many of you "US" types wound up staying in while most of us "RA"s ran for the hills after 3....
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