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BROTHERS LOST

GULF WAR.. IM NOT A VET, BUT IM NOT O.K. WITH SEEING MY PALS IN THE GROUND IN ARLINGTON.. THEY DID THEIR JOB AND WERE COMING HOME.. I DIDNT EVEN KNOW WHAT AN IED (THINK THATS IT) WAS.. THEY DIDNT FEEL ANYTHING I WAS TOLD. I WENT TO D.C. WATCHED THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD, I CRIED hOPENING "I'm so proud of you guys" all the crosses on the dead grass in August.. THEY ALL DIED for me AND MY FAMILY. I'm so proud of ever man/woman who served 16 years later "I'm still thanking vets every chance I get" RIP to you all and God blesses his peaceful warriors☆☆☆☆☆ R.Estn in peace you "guys" and I waS your spotter long range "we werent the best" :)

Anonymous
st. george, UT

Preserve That Story!

I’m not a veteran, so I don’t have my own story to share. I do have a very passionate project of interviewing and preserving the stories of veterans though. I have interviewed 500+ to date. I believe we have all the facts and figures, but not nearly enough of the personal stories….which add a powerful dimension to these facts and figures. If you are a veteran, I urge you to tell your story, if for no other reason than for your family and future generations to know and have. There will be no greater gift you can give them. If you are a family member or friend of a veteran, ask them to share their story with you. There is no better way to show someone how much they mean to you than to ask them to tell their story. Not only will you and your family benefit from knowing your veteran’s story, but often times your veteran will benefit as well. I once got a call the next morning after an interview from a WWII veteran’s wife. She wanted to thank me for doing the interview, as she said the family never knew his story and they would cherish having it. She also wanted to tell me that last night was the first time in 60 years he had slept through the night. At the other end of the spectrum, another wife who had pushed her husband to tell his story called. He had told me before the interview that he really didn’t do anything or had much of a story. His wife said after he watched his interview, he walked around for days with his chest puffed out. Hopefully he realized that yes indeed, he had done something. All veterans have done something, and certainly have sacrificed something. Their stories must be told.

Brad Hoopes
Windsor, CO

The love of my life

One day over summer I got a call from a friend that I went to school with. He asked if I wanted to hang out I said sure,then he asked if I was still single he said "not for me I have a friend I want u to meet? " I said sure I will meet him. He said "his name is Paul and he is leaving soon to join the Army." So my friend picked.me up I wasn't thinking Paul would be there I thought he would have met us there but I was wrong. So that day I fell hard for my soldier. So I got letters and flowers and phone calls. I will always remember the last call I got from him. Baby I'm in fort Bragg and I'm going over seas I love u and will u marry me when I get him? I said yes. He was supposed to come home on leave but he didn't. I got a phone call from his aunt and she was the only one who knew I was.pregnant I.didn't tell Paul I didn't want him worrying about me or telling me he.was going to leave the Army because I believe once u sign up for something u have to see it through.so his aunt called me askednif I was.sitting down and I saidnyes which I wasn't and she said Nicki I have bad news my heart sank I.said OK is Paul injured where is he? She said honey Paul's coming home just not the way we want him. When she told me that I felt the baby fall. I told her and she came and got me and took me to the hospital and they did an emergency c section on.me but I lost my son and his father on the same day. I had so much anger in me but I kept hearing his voice telling me "baby be strong for me my love I will see u soon".

I miss u infantryman I will always love you
R.I.P PAUL J NELSON

Nicole
San Jose, CA

Latina, DS, Officer

Grew up in Colombia SA, through civil war and narcoterrorism. Came to the USA in 1994 in a working visa hired as a licensed Physical Therapist. While living in US realized that Liberty, human rights, not being blown up every weekend should be the norm not the exception. Became fed up with the atrocities of human rights violations in Colombia and decided to do something about it. Joined the strongest Army in the world the USA ARMY in January 2000. Became a medic, just to serve. Was nominated to Drill Sergeant School, became a DS. Went back to school and received a Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Boston University and was commissioned as an Officer in 2007. Was nominated to her first command on 2008. Served two more times as Company Comander until 2014. Promoted to Major in 2015, continues to serve as an Army Physical Therapist.
In the civilian side, works with adults and geriatrics 3 times a week and pediatrics twice a week. Vegetarian, rescues animals, helps with several charities.

Diana Perez
Lexington, SC

Long ago

My father served in the U.S Navy, from 1959-1970. In 1970, he was shot and paralyzed in the Vietnam war. I had not seen my father though from the time, he and my mother divorced. I believe I was around three years old. I am now 52.

The first time I had any memory of meeting my father, I had turned 17. He was in a wheel chair, but he still drove. My now ex-husband and at that time high school sweetheart helped me to find my father.

My father was a very proud man of his military career in the Navy. We had not grown up to aspire that being a positive effect of that era. Thus in middle school, I had done a paper, on the effects of war on family dynamics. I would yet later find that this was not the case at all. Those family dynamics were of a different war within a very sad home. Injuries left on my body, with no memory of what happened to me, allowed a life that may have kept me from ever fully knowing my father.

Though, through the tragic events of all of this, my father in his wheel chair would go dancing and remained an active part of the disabled veterans. He had various aspects of pride and lively hood that kept him going. He went through a great deal of trauma as most did that had come home from Vietnam. Then to deal with the dilemma of the tragedies that took place here in the states, he had some very outstanding qualities. He passed away in 2002, and left a legacy of pride in his military life. He will always be remembered with that very pride, tried and true to the yellow and blue.

His name is Melvin Thomas, disabled american veteran, United States Navy E6

Kathie Hayden
Citrus Heights, CA

Handcuffed

In 1969, I was stationed at Ft. Bragg, N.C. for a short period. I had a one week leave and wanted to make the best of it, so I made arrangements to leave on Friday as my leave time started on Monday. One of my buddys would pick up my leave papers on Monday and sign me out then. Everyone was doing that then, so I tried it too.
I wasn't going AWOL, I was just leaving early for leave. I took a bus, made several stops and was at a bus stop in Atlanta, Ga.waiting for my next connection, when two young MP's came up to me and asked for my leave papers, well I didn't have them on me as I have left early.I had just put a cig. in my mouth and was attempting to light it when they came up to me. needless to say, I never got it lite, when they hand cuffed me, with hands behind my back, and they put my class A cap on my head side ways like a drunkman and was lead to their little room at the bus stop. Everyone that was in the bus stop, which was quite full at the time , looked like they could stare a hole in me....like I was a deserter or something. It made me fill lower than a snake. I love my country and at that time in the 60's well you know the rest of the story there. I'm proud of my country and would go thru it again if I had too, even thru the hurt that it did.

Anonymous
jonesville, LA

Lost Detachment

USMC 1973 - I was in the GOT with the "Lost Detachment", no replacements in sight. I remember looking at the stars, a pitch black night, watching them flicker and dance on the ocean. I was awestruck and felt inconsequential surrounded, horizon less, by nature. As a man of faith, not religion, I asked a higher power to confirm my belief that I'd make it home - "I'm only 19, I haven't fallen in love yet. I have to love before I go - right."
Until I came home - I believed I couldn't be taken.

Alan L. Chappell - USMC 1971-1974. Flag and Country no greater Honor - Semper Fi.

Alan L. Chappell
Springfield, MO

Respect and Admiration

I have a really good friend who recently was able to attend a Veterans honor flight. Prior to his trip and after his return I was able to speak with him quite a bit about his service. He is a Korean war vet and to talk with him he really did nothing special. I disagree, his service provided a safe place for me to raise a family in a wonderful country full of freedom and opportunity. I don't care if he was a decorated soldier or a cook at the base. When he enlisted, he did not know what roll he would play and he made the ultimate commitment by signing up. The turning point for me was seeing the humble attitude my friend has. I view him as a hero for putting his life on the line for my family. He does not see it that way, he had a responsibility to his country and simply did what he felt needed to be done. Recently I was approached by a Veterans charity to help them fund hunting, fishing, and outdoor opportunities to Veterans and active duty Military personnel. I continue to see this attitude with each and every Veteran I am exposed to through their organization. As a society now, I feel like some folks have lost touch with what it is that these folks do and have done for us. I feel like it is my obligation to the dept I owe these people for the freedoms they have ensured to each and everyone of us to do my part to give back to them. I run a small business and have made it a priority to give back to the ones who defended and continue to defend my freedoms. I think it is high time we the people give these folks the respect and admiration they deserve for the sacrifices they made and continue to make. Together we can show them that they are all true Hero's!

Travis Fox
Kahoka, MO

Going home for Christmas.

While serving in the Army in 1982 I was stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia. I had received orders to go to Korea but I was going home for Christmas and my brother's wedding in mid-December. I booked a flight from Atlanta to Kansas City with a plane/carrier change in Nashville. I took off with my Class A's on about an hour and a half late. When I got to Nashville the flight to KC was full and boarding. I got bumped from the flight and now had to go standby. Since it was the last flight to KC that night, I was sleeping at the airport. After I sat there a couple of minutes, a gentleman walked up to me and said "Did I hear you were going to KC"? I said "Not tonight, I got bumped.” He said "Come with me". We proceeded to check in. Remember, 80's. No PCs, no online check-in. It was in-line check-in back then. He talked to the attendant and said he wanted to give up his seat to a standby, but only if he could give it to me. I was flabbergasted. I told him he didn't have to do that but he insisted. The attendant said there was no rule that stated he couldn't do that, so she did. I thanked him and he said one more night in a hotel on his company was worth it for a military man. I thanked him again and he was on his way. I went to the gate and gave the attendant my boarding pass. Only then did I look at the pass for the seat number, seat 3D. Now this was the 3rd time that I had flown and I still didn’t know seat arrangements. When I boarded and found the seat, it was first class. I flew home in comfort. I didn’t get the gentleman’s name, I wish I had, but I’ll never forget what he did for a young kid that just wanted to go home.

Greg Slack, SSG
United States Army
1980 - 1988

Greg Slack
Sparks, NV

Unexpected Moment

My story is short but my eyes still leak when I think about it. I was shopping at my local Costco, browsing the isles as one does when they've left the shopping list at home. I had stopped in one of the main isles to think. An older man came towards me, wheeling himself in his wheel chair. He was a Marine. I'm partial. My grandson is a Marine.

My gaze followed him as he turned into a side isle. A young man and his children stood in that isle checking out the snacks. As the vet turned into the isle, the young man guided his children to the side and immediately came to attention and saluted, holding his salute as the old man passed. The old man returned the salute and continued on.

My eyes filled with tears at the respect and appreciation shown by this young man, an example to his children. I wanted a "replay" so everyone could see it. I wanted to shout it across the store. "Did you see that? Did you see that? Thank you, God, for this young man. Thank you for this old vet. Thank you for all our servicemen. Thank you for my grandson."

That's my story. It's short but the memory is sweet.

Anonymous
Rancho Cucamonga, CA