Veterans day story

[SStockDart]

I would like to share details of an event that happened to me yesterday, Veterans Day.

My youngest daughter, Nicole, wanted to take her 2 sons to the Veterans Cemetary to see where their great grandparents are buried. Gavin is 9 and Hudson is 6. Nicole also wanted to help the boys understand "freedom is not free" and that many veterans have helped us to remain free. Additionally, it was a lesson in going to heaven.

I got some fresh cut flowers prior to picking up my family, primarily for my mother who is burried with my father, after 60 years of marriage, in the Phoenix National Cemetary.

As we drove quietly into the massive cemetary, an eerie stillness overcame us. My grandsons were in awe of all of the American flags, thousands of people, and hundreds of thousands of grave sights.

I had the boys transfer the flowers into a provided vase and water and we proceeded to where my dad and mother were. I had brought along a dish towel and asked Hudson to dust off the headstone while Gavin set the flower vase securely above the headstones.

After a few moments, we held hands and said the Lord's Prayer.

As we were finishing up the prayer, out of the side of my eyes I noticed a young man and about a 8 year old boy standing quietly about 20 feet away. Shortly, they approached us. The clean cut father asked "would you mind if we clean your loved ones head stone "? I initially said "no thanks, we have already done that", when I noticed that the young man and his son both had soft bristled brushes in their hands. Once noticing that I changed my mind and told them, "that would be nice".

My family watched as father and son delicately brushed all dust and sand from the headstones. As the father knelt down his pants leg moved up, a prosthetic foot was noticeable.

As they stood up, I asked if the father was a veteran himself. Yes he was. I promptly saluted him, to which he immediately snapped to attention and returned the salute. We were both Army veterans although many years apart, and my dad was also an Army veteran and former prisoner of war. This young man had served 2 tours in Afghanistan and some obvious serious injuries. As the father and son walked away one could notice a distinct limp as he held his sons hand headed to the next loved ones headstone to clean and pay respects.

My daughter had never before been so moved and filled with understanding and emotion. My grandsons experienced something that they will never, ever forget.

FREEDOM IS NOT FREE

[Jeff Stout]

Thanks for sharing. I ride my bike on memorial day to join several hundred other bikers at the phoenix cemetery and stay for the ceremonies. It's touching and a great feeling to pay respect for the ones that gave all for our freedom.

[Eddies66]

Gary, Great story. At the Finals Greg Reimer and Tony Janes made donations to our annual fund raiser to provide comfort items to our Veterans that are staying in the VA Hospital over the Christmas Holidays. A special thanks to them for their generous donation. To all of our Veterans thank you for your service and sacrifice to this great nation. Semper fi!

[Greg Reimer 7376]

That story of the Veteran's Day observation in Phoenix is an all time classic. What an example to those young persons that was. I want to publicly thank Eddie for his devoted faithful service while enlisted and beyond. He's retired, also, and still serving others. That's the greatest occupation that a man or a woman can possibly undertake. I was just young enough to miss Vietnam, but there was a lottery taken for men born when I was. I was number 022. Nobody was drafted that late in the war, so I missed that one. Lots of people went and were never the same. Some were damaged mentally,physically, and emotionally, they need our love and support. It's beyond me to imagine how anybody could disrespect our country and treat them the way some of them were treated.All of you who went are somebody really special in our nation's history, and I look up to you as a great national resource. Thank you, one and all. Greg Reimer, Stk#7376.
Semper fi, Eddie!

[SStockDart]

Greg, very well stated, and thank you very much.

I was one of those that was spit at, cursed, and called baby killers. Until a couple of weeks before I returned home in 1968, I couldn't understand why anyone would treat returning veterans that way...

We were doing what we were instructed and trained to do by our country.

Someday, I pray that all Americans understand that this country is not free without sacrificing by millions of servicemen.

In my opinion, the recent immigrants, legal or illegal, have no appreciation or understanding of that. That is the "divide" in this country.

[SStockDart]

Hey Greg....

I sense something in your comment that I would like to address. You made comment about being too young and a draft number, don't be ashamed of that, I am sure you would have served if you had to.

Greg, when I was drafted, in the largest draft of the Viet Nam war, October, 1966......we had no lottery numbers, I certainly did not want to go, but...if you could breath, you were drafted into the Army or Marines.

Please do not feel ashamed that you did not have to serve. I am sure that most of us veterans feel the same.

What makes me turn red and angry, besides all of the protesters, are the anti Americans that went to Canada to avoid the draft. Then be allowed to return by chickenshi-t Carter.
And now all of the illegals that demand our freedoms.