(July 25, 2014 at 12:51 pm)Chad32 Wrote: America loves its military, after all. Though strangely not its surviving veterans.
I must proudly admit that I make older vets, especially WWII vets, cry at every opportunity...
By thanking them for their service and their sacrifice.
I met a U.S.S Arizona survivor once, a long while back and made his day. He was at the hospital waiting for his wife who was having a series of tests done. I sat with him and we talked for a couple hours about his service in the war and after it, even after my wife at the time was finished up (made her hang out with us). If you've seen the movie "Pearl Harbor" (yes, it sucked) you'll understand something of the horror he experienced that day. When all was said and done, he thanked me for listening and made a comment that broke my heart a little and still brings a tear to my eye today: "Son, I want to thank you. No one listens the way you do any more."
I could see how emotional he was, just from having someone listen to his story. And, you know, he's right. So few of our under 30's even really understand the type of war this guy fought in. They think of "war" as small, local skirmishes fought a bazillion miles away and as something that really has no impact on their life beyond the price of a gallon of gas. Fewer still would even consider stopping and thanking this man or listening to what he has to say. The generation that fought in WWII is very nearly gone now and we're poorer for that!
If you ever get the chance to sit and talk with a WWII vet about his service in that war, take it! Don't just sit and listen. Engage with them. It's soooo worth a couple hours out of your day.
Thief and assassin for hire. Member in good standing of the Rogues Guild.