Veteran's Day 2010

**Riverkilt** · 11th November 10, 01:31 PM

Decided to honor my father's service this year. Wore my Royal Air Force tartan kilt and replica battlejacket in our little city's Veteran's Day parade. Carried the POW - MIA flag in the color guard that lead the parade. Might have some pics later, saw a coworker taking pics along the route.

After met a Navajo Marine in his dress blues. Served in Iraq.

Think this is the 9th year since they started our local parade - biggest year ever. Just touching to see. Another young Navajo showed up just back from two tours of Iraq and one tour of Afganistan. Wasn't in uniform but had his purple heart pinned to his chest. The local VFW swept him up and gave him a great welcome home in front of the crowd after the parade. One of the regular VFW guys carried the Arizona state flag in the color guard and limped the entire route - like the Spirit of '76 painting. Can't keep an old vet down.

And, next year's Veterans Day will be 11-11-11.....

**vmac3205** · 11th November 10, 03:09 PM

Speaking of Navajos, one of the Code Talkers was our guest of honor at the Fort Vancouver ceremony today. It was a great celebration.

**DeWayne Ross** · 11th November 10, 03:31 PM

A poem I read once.

It is the veteran, not the preacher, who has given you freedom of religion.
It is the veteran, not the reporter, who has given you freedom of the press.
It is the veteran, not the poet, who has given you freedom of speech.
It is the veteran, not the protester, who has given you freedom to assemble.
It is the veteran, not the lawyer, who has given you the right to a fair trial.
It is the veteran, not the politician, who has given you the right to vote.
It is the veteran, who salutes the Flag, who serves under the Flag, whose coffin is draped by the Flag.

**CDNSushi** · 11th November 10, 11:09 PM

The version that is most commonly quoted uses "soldier" rather than "veteran." The incarnation with which I am most familiar goes like this:

“It is the soldier, not the reporter who has given us the freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who gives us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag.”

The most common attribution is given to a Father Dennis Edward O’Brien, who was a sergeant with the USMC during WWII. Like many such "poems" finding the original author, especially in today's age when anyone and everyone sends, forward, changes, and edits mass e-mails, is a daunting task.

Ultimately, I was not able to find the original author. I did however track down some op-ed pieces that seemed to at least contradict that Father O'Brien wrote this, in spite of the fact that he was indeed a sergeant in the USMC during WWII...
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1116-30.htm
http://bork.wordpress.com/2007/03/16...sergeant-usmc/
http://www.iwvpa.net/o_briende/index.php

**BoldHighlander** · 12th November 10, 01:20 AM

A great tribute to your father Ron!

**BoldHighlander** · 12th November 10, 01:22 AM

Rather it be "veteran" or "soldier" I have always loved this poem. Thank you for sharing it.

Originally Posted by DeWayne Ross

A poem I read once.

It is the veteran, not the preacher, who has given you freedom of religion.
It is the veteran, not the reporter, who has given you freedom of the press.
It is the veteran, not the poet, who has given you freedom of speech.
It is the veteran, not the protester, who has given you freedom to assemble.
It is the veteran, not the lawyer, who has given you the right to a fair trial.
It is the veteran, not the politician, who has given you the right to vote.
It is the veteran, who salutes the Flag, who serves under the Flag, whose coffin is draped by the Flag.

**cessna152towser** · 12th November 10, 02:29 AM

Excellent pics, Ron, a great way to honour your father.
We have our local veterans parade here on Sunday, but I am on door duty at church so won't have the opportunity to take pics this year. I will of course be wearing the Royal Air Force tartan kilt, tie and flashes.

**vmac3205** · 12th November 10, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by cessna152towser

Excellent pics, Ron, a great way to honour your father.
We have our local veterans parade here on Sunday, but I am on door duty at church so won't have the opportunity to take pics this year. I will of course be wearing the Royal Air Force tartan kilt, tie and flashes.

And I'm sure you will be dashing, Alex.

**English Bloke** · 12th November 10, 09:31 PM

Smashin' pictures Ron. Like the handshake.

On the North Sea platform where I work we observed the two minutes silence at 11:00 on the 11th and will be doing the same again this Sunday with the rest of the country. It's the least we can do.

Lest we forget.

**Drac** · 15th November 10, 03:49 PM

Adding to Riverkilt's collection (with his permission) -

I get the chance to attend some wonderful events as prez of a local Vet's chapter for my company. Two recently were on Veteran's Day. First was since my company was a sponsor we we allowed a tent. Rather than advertise the company directly we were allowed to advertise our project in a company tent, so the name was still promoted.

Our chapter has adopted an Army unit for Christmas. We have setup a Soldier Tree and are working at supplying them, both individually and for the unit. So we had a booth were people could fill out cards for the troops.

Here we have some Girl Scouts signing some cards -

Here a Vietnam vet taking the time to fill out cards -

We had dignitaries aplenty.

General's, Admiral's and Senators, oh my!

The greatest of the guests -

Here is the enlistment ceremony for over 100 future members of each of branch of the service -

This year they are honoring WWII Vets -