Today is Veterans Day, once a time of celebration and acknowledgement of the great contributions to our nation and our freedoms made by those who served in our military.
These days, not so much. It’s more viewed as just another day off work or school.
A quick trip to my front porch this morning showed four houses on the block flying American Flags. All four of us fly them virtually every day. Not a single household had felt moved to share in the day’s celebration by joining us.
Growing up, my family had been big on respecting Veterans Day. My late father fought in the Korean War and had a multi-decade run in both the National Guard and Naval Reserve. I still remember my joy when he came back from one of those summer camp deployments with army fatigues uniforms for me and my brother. We were probably nine and five years old at the time.
Pictures of three uncles on my mother’s side of the family, all in their World War II uniforms, were on walls of my one grandmother’s house every day of every year.
I had cousins who fought in Vietnam.
My son has a close friend who has made the U.S. Army his career. I have had several friends who did the same.
And what of me? I reached 18 years of age in 1973 just as we were slinking out of Vietnam. I had registered for the draft, but it was almost over by then. For all of you who think history began when you were born and never bother to learn otherwise, the draft was a process in which the government would demand some join the military and contribute for a period of years.
It’s all volunteer now.
Back then, I got classified into some sort of holding category, denoted with an H on my draft card. If they needed to do more drafting, they’d let me know, Otherwise, continue with our life.
I joked that the H meant in case of war, I’d be held as a hostage.
There are no pictures of me in military uniform, except maybe as a kid in those aforementioned gift fatigues from my dad, and one I can remember when I wore an actual uniform top of my dad’s.
You will not hear me telling false tales of carrying weapons of war in combat, as Tampon Tim claimed to have done.
I never served, but I have great respect for those who did serve honorably and without false valor claims. I wish I had more company on that front.
Sam Ross Jr's site 