Veterans

Over the past couple of weeks, much has been written and spoken about the treatment of veterans.  Politicians and pundits, always eager to get air time in the media, have jumped on their cause de jour for varying reasons.  Allegations, horrific and dismaying, have filled news reports.  A cabinet secretary resigns, a president bemoans the situation, calls go out for investigations, and assurances are offered to veterans.  All fine and good.

During the past four days locally, groups of veterans gathered as volunteers for three events, or missions as we call them.  The funeral for an active duty Navy Petty Officer; the welcome home for a Marine Corps unit returning from a combat deployment in Afghanistan; and welcoming home the remains of a 19 year old Army Specialist who died overseas.  Three events, one joyous and two somber and sad.

At the joyous event, the vets (young and old) and family members escorted the buses of Marines from the airfield where they landed to their home base on a southern California night.  Once there, two flag lines of vets holding American flags provided a cordon through which the Marines walked to reunite with their loved ones and families.  There were tears of joy and shouts of happiness as these warriors rushed into the arms of their families and friends.

At one of the sad and somber events, the vets gathered at a small airfield to honor the return of a 19 year old who had died in service to his country.  At the airfield, two lines of vets, holding American flags aloft at the Present Arms, stood solemnly as the Army Honor Guard off loaded the casket from the aircraft.  With the casket centered on the two lines of vets, an Army Chaplain brought out the soldier's mother, father, and grandfather.  The vets stood at the Present Arms with flags fluttering in the warm breeze, some with tears rolling unashamedly down their cheeks as the soldier's mother cried out her son's name and hugged the casket.  A short while later, the vets mounted up on their motorcycles and escorted the family and hearse to the funeral home.

The funny thing is, you didn't see any of the politicians or pundits at any of these events.  You didn't see any reporters or TV cameras.  You didn't see anything about either event on any news outlet.  You did see veterans, the majority from the Vietnam era, many limping or showing other signs of physical injuries or infirmities.  Volunteers one and all, they took time to honor fellow members of the Armed Forces.  They stood tall in rendering honors.  They recognized their duty to one another and performed it superbly.  Gray of beard, for the most part, these veterans represent what is special about this segment, the real 1%, of our nation.  They will be there to answer the call for the next mission and the one after that and the one after that.

Sadly, it's my guess the politicians and pundits will all too soon forget about this cause de jour in favor of the next opportunity to get their faces and voices on TV and radio.  Most likely, veterans will once more be left out of their thoughts.  Unfortunately, we veterans are used to it.