Happy Belated Memorial day to all

[Paiste2002]

For all the veterans on Ultimate Rhoads, as well as parents or siblings of Veterans I salute you. I spent sixteen years in the United States Army as a tank commander until I was wounded in March 2004 and retired. The cameraderie, teamwork and can do attitude I have yet to find in the civillian world. I also want to say a special thank you for dealing with those of us who are combat vets. We're changed and we do our very best to as close to normal as we can be. But I thank the wifes, husbands and families of Vets who put up with our nonsense. My wife and kids are a blessing from God and they have put up with alot of my tom foolery. So in Closing to all you Soldiers, Marines, Sailors and Airmen, have a great memorial day.

SSG Craig M Martin
United States Army (Retired)
2-5th Cav, 1st brigade combat team

[Trigger]

Well have a great veterans day although we don't have one of them here we celebrate the work of the armed forces on November 11th evrey year on the aniversary of the end of WWI, on that day we celebrate all those lost in all wars.

[Cpt Matt Sparrow]

cheers Craig man!

[guntervent]

Craig Thank You and All for their service of all countries. this Memorial Day I remember my older Brother Mike Thompson who served in Vietnam 1969-1972, He was 101st AB Screaming Eagle, He missed the tet offensive by 2 days. He came home with the Bronze Star and developed throat cancer from the agent orange used during his time there in the jungle. He went on to have a great family and life after the war. His hobby was showing his 1924 T-bucket that he built and placed in Hotrod shows , winning many top places. To me he was and still is a Highway Star....Thanks Brother!

Taken from us sept 2009

[dmnjr]

Beautifully stated. Thanks for your service. It's pretty interesting to see that RR fans come from all types of backgrounds, nationalities, civilian, military, etc.

[oth]

Everyday should be memorial day especially when we are at war..sadly its a bunch of lip service like xmas-
everybody has bbq's and shopping sales...meanwhile vets are not cared for and have to beg for medical care and many are left homeless.An 18.19,20 yr old vet is NOT allowed to buy beer at the store-how idiotic is that?Of all people they should be a given a pass on this puritanical value/law.No respect where and to who it really counts, just hold a holiday so the country can party.It would be hoorable if we were all forced to do something for vets so that we knew what war and sacrifice really means.

[Paul Wolfe]

An 18.19,20 yr old vet is NOT allowed to buy beer at the store-how idiotic is that?Of all people they should be a given a pass on this puritanical value/law.

I agree that we don't show much respect on this remembrance day in general, but whose fault is that? If we all do something locally and do our part, we can make a difference.

As for alcohol being being available to minors just because they are in the military, that's ridiculous. I've seen 3 major military functions at the hotel where I work this year and were ALL drunken brawls. After witnessing them, I had MUCH less respect for the United States Army. So, no, alcohol should not be available.

[oth]

An 18.19,20 yr old vet is NOT allowed to buy beer at the store-how idiotic is that?Of all people they should be a given a pass on this puritanical value/law.

As for alcohol being being available to minors just because they are in the military, that's ridiculous. I've seen 3 major military functions at the hotel where I work this year and were ALL drunken brawls. After witnessing them, I had MUCH less respect for the United States Army. So, no, alcohol should not be available.

an 18yr old is not a minor...except when it comes to an assinine,arbitrary puritan law.
anybody willing to sacrifice their life in the army should not be told they arent old
enough to drink...thats just puritanical and condescending and insulting to a vet..if an army kid cant drink then no one should be allowed to.These 2 current wars were conceived and concocted by 2 alcoholic/draft dodgers/chicken hawks(dick and george).It is quite hypocritical to then not allow the kids who have to do the dirty work to not be able to drink.

[Paul Wolfe]

Are you a vet, oth?

[Paiste2002]

A bar owner of post at Ft Knox had the best solution for underage soldiers. He was a retired command sergeant major and his motto was if you're old enough to die for your country you're old enough to drink. I think once memorial day became a three day weekend people forgot the true meaning of it and ended up partying and going on trips and lost sight of what it's really about.

Craig

[Trigger]

A bar owner of post at Ft Knox had the best solution for underage soldiers. He was a retired command sergeant major and his motto was if you're old enough to die for your country you're old enough to drink. I think once memorial day became a three day weekend people forgot the true meaning of it and ended up partying and going on trips and lost sight of what it's really about.

Craig

Our remebererence day is just that one day and at 11am on November the 11th the same time that the guns fell silent at the end of WWI we have a minute silence and all across the country poppy wreaths are laid at the foot of the WWI memorials that are in all towns cities and viliages of Britain. These memorials have the names of all the locals who either died or were missing in WWI & WWII.
We also wear a poppy on our collars on that day and the week leading up Remberence day, the poppy is a symbol of Poppies that began to grow on the battle fields of Flanders after the guns fell silent in 1918, though it is remembered on November IIth each year the ceremonies are held on the Sunday following the 11th.

[Paul Wolfe]

A bar owner of post at Ft Knox had the best solution for underage soldiers. He was a retired command sergeant major and his motto was if you're old enough to die for your country you're old enough to drink.

No offense intended, Craig, but that motto is pathetic. As was pointed out in another thread, a law is a law is law. The law was made because 18-year-olds have proven to be, in general, too immature to handle alcohol. Most kids in their 20's that I know are also too immature, but an age had to be determined and 21 was chosen.

As I mentioned, the soldiers at the Great Wolf Lodge functions were nearly all too immature to handle alcohol. Regardless of their age. The idea that civilian laws should not apply to soldiers is asinine. Soldiers represent the United States and should be held to a higher standard, in my opinion.

As far as Memorial day goes, there are still remembrance celebrations all over the country. It is up to the individual to choose to participate. I agree that it is considered just another weekend to party by many, but not by all. Nothing wrong with the BBQ's either, oth, that's what the soldiers fought for, the safety and freedom for the American people to be able to have a weekend BBQ with friends and family. I think that's a great way to remember our Armed Services.

Sorry to knock your thread off topic, Craig... the whole underage drinking thing hits a nerve with me because I see too much of it where I live.


Ian, I wish we had a National celebration like that.

[Alex]

xx123456

[Trigger]

Ian, I wish we had a National celebration like that.

When I was younger I used to ignore it or should I say not take that much notice but as I got older I realised just what those poor men and women did to rid us of evil, and the more I learned about what they did during 1939-1945 I realised that they had presverved everything we that we here in Britain value.
Now I enjoy observing the one minute silence at 11am and thinking about all those we lost, it is a very respectful celebration of freedom and loss.

[guntervent]

Lets be sure to Remember a moment of reflection this coming June 6th Morning. Can you imagine being in one of the higgins boats that was headed for the beach not knowing exactly what lay ahead but having the sinking feeling that you realize what might lay ahead when the doors swing down. At the same time imagine being one of the young German soldiers Not a nazi mind you, but just a common German youth forced into service of a madman out of fear of retaliation the controlling party would take on your family if you did not serve, who before the war was a farm hand or a school boy, waiting in those bunkers peering out and seeing the coming invasion and the armada of ships and shell flying overhead. It must have been hell on earth for all present, I cant Imagine in any dream or nightmare what that must have been like for all of them. I remember a quote and it has always stuck in my mind it goes "It is good that war is so terrible and a horror, least we all become to fond of it" Gen.Robert E.Lee CSA 1863
There is a song in all of this somewhere so i'm gonna shut up and go play my guitar now...Peace Brothers and Sisters....