<VV> Gordonsville VA Veterans' Day parade

[Tony Underwood]

At 06:59 AM 11/13/2011, Rick Norris wrote:
>Well stated Tony. We have been there, done that.
>As we well know the real heros are those who died for this country.
>I worked on Vetrans Day. Never got the day off unless I was out of work.
>So be it.
>Rick


I never got the day off either.  Didn't bother me much since I'd 
wager that nobody in uniform got the day off.   Spoke briefly to Ken 
(guy at work) who was a grunt, talked about his latest trip to the VA 
hospital for some more work on his neurological issues with numb legs 
and pains in his lower back that a doc there says is service related 
(dioxin?) and that he should apply for a disability pension.   Ken 
said to enjoy Vet's Day and the weekend, and that he was going home 
and fix himself a drink when work ended on Friday.

Outside of that, one other person mentioned my time in uniform.

It's ok, not a problem...  used to it.   When I came back from 
overseas the war was beginning to wind down and people were still 
mostly kinda talking trash about the military.  The only people glad 
to see me were my immediate family.  My brothers grinned, and mom cried.

That was my homecoming.

I still think about my time in uniform to this day, and how I view 
things a bit differently now than I did then, with a much modified 
reappraisal of my respect for those who serve and those who lead them.


...and there's a .45 ACP under my computer desk, and an AR-15 (older 
vintage with no forward assist) wearing the smooth black furniture of 
those times stashed above the kitchen cabinets.  Those were the only 
weapons I ever carried in service, and that's why I own them now.  My 
time in uniform changed me a lot, and they're reminders of the changes.


...never saw a Corvair while overseas though, although during AIT at 
Ft Sill, I did see an RVN regular there (still not exactly sure *why* 
he was there) who drove a '64 Monza coupe who thought highly of it, 
kept it washed and waxed and was always doing maintenance on it like 
oil changes and air filters etc (Oklahoma is dusty).


tony..