Perspectives on Veterans

[HunterDave]

Coincidentally, I found this article today. I like that retired colonel Pat Stogran fella. He'll tell you what he thinks.........whether you like it or not!

http://thechronicleherald.ca/novasco...ot-fading-away

"CH: Going down a different track, some of the younger soldiers, particular those coming back from Afghanistan in their 20s and 30s, seem to be somewhat uncomfortable wearing the mantle of veteran. Why do you think that is?

PS: I think it’s because we’ve been conditioned by the mandarins to believe that veterans are those World War Two and World War One and Korean War icons that we dust off and polish off their medals and put up on show on Parliament Hill."

[Big Daddy Badger]

Originally Posted by sureshot

I have the utmost respect for any soldier, but why did 911 happen because the states stick thier nose where it don't belong. And as for lies look at vietnam. I don't mean any disrespect The problem is the states try to flex thier muscle to much.

Andy

And what does that have to do with soldiers?

They go wherever they are sent by the politicians YOU elect.

And while we are at it...

Does that mean that only veterans that served before 1917 and before 1941 count?
Thats when the states got involved.

Or maybe we should have minded our own business in 1914 and 1939....I don't recall being told that Ottawa was being bombed...we could have minded our own business then to.

Face it...she was just a bitter old cow and out of touch with the reality of war because her boyfriend, husband, son or grandkid isn't over there.
Afghanistan isn't the big show or her generations war...she doesn't see news reports of hundreds being killed on a beach in one morning so she doesn't think it rates...

[Big Daddy Badger]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

I wasn't going to comment until I read this post. I served 27 years and I feel the same way. What I imagine WWI, WWII and Korean Vets went through compared to what I did makes me hold them in much higher esteem. Calling myself a vet in comparison to those fellas is a little embarrassing.

I think most of us don't think of ourselves as vets because we see them as the old men we grew up around and because the world wars were so big.
and...we have been bombarded with it....because it was so well documented and...everyone that could...served.

But...the reality is that most of us have spent as much or more time in war zones and combat that any of the WW or Korea vets ever did.

Think about it... bussiness has been pretty good and almost non-stop since what?
About 1990?

I know lots of guys that have lived 6-7 years of their lives not just in theatre but in a war zone... which is longer than any of the WWI and WWII vets did.
Its just that our wars have been in smaller portions...6-9 months at a time instead of all in one big lump.

Because we have fewer regiments and fewer soldiers and are (for the first time) a professional rather than volunteer army of uniformed civilians...
I'd be willing to bet that we have lots of young men that have more time in active combat than most saw in the either world war or Korea.

I know that most fighting Vietnam vets spent more days in combat than their fathers or grandfathers and I'd be surprised it that wasn't also true today.

I'm a vet... just as much as any other...I just happened to be unfortunate enough to be a veteran of wars that didn't see half my peer/age group in uniform... all at the same time.
But...I'm also fortunate enough to have served at a time when the nature and tactics of war along with advances in medicine and technology have ensured that we don't see large scale pitched battles that result in thousands of needless casualties/deaths occurring on a daily basis.

The scale is different but the reality is the same for any individual that has ever fired an angry shot or hear the whiz of small arms fire... the freight train or felt the heat and the concussion of incoming arty, lost a pal, soiled his pants... puked from fear or smelled burning and rotting corpses.
We have the same nightmares...the same daymares the same scars and swaggers that the old boys did... we just don't have the same numbers.

The nice thing is... the guys that know... the vets from prior wars... know it and they accept us as equals... at least in my experience.

[Big Daddy Badger]

Originally Posted by Dgirl

As a descendent of a WWII survivor and a partner to a peacetime captain it is a topic of great interest. My OH served and watched his friends die in service during the Cold War. Legion services on Remembrance day only officially honour those who served during a select time frame. Granted the timeframe includes the origin of the day. But I look forward to a day when the Legions realize that service didn't end with the veterans they have chosen to honour. You would think that an organization that is struggling to stay viable would take steps to embrace ALL servicemen and women.

Thanks for saying that.
The Legion has lost touch.
As the old fellas have died off the Legion started recruiting more and more civilians and has become more of a country club than a veterans association.

It is to the point where some branches don't even express interest in the new vets joining.
Myself and a few others I know have tried to contact our home town branches regarding joining... and they didn't even bother to return our calls.

My suspicion is that this is because of the obligations that the legion has to vets and how that would impact upon their bottom line and their internal politics.

Whatever... I'm not asking twice.
When they decide to re-establish some legitimacy by actually welcoming some living vets on their ranks... maybe they'll get my interest again.

In the mean time...I have my mess... there are lots of vets there... they want my patronage and it isn't just a social club for anyone with enough coin to join.